Compassion
I love the conversation that is going on concerning the missional movement and what the church is going to look like in the post modern world (the emergent church). It is the conversation in Englewood that is sparking transformation, because the conversations leave us in places where we have to transform/reform, we have to move, or we die or worse remain dead. I think perhaps we are confusing ourselves by continuing to talk about missional in the same old ways with models and how to’s. The program side of us jumps at the doing, but this missional lifestyle is not about busyness. I continue to read books that give how to’s and techniques, but they don’t satisfy the hunger in my soul to be relevant and transformational. I read all sorts of articles, but once again I think they are labeling and defining instead of transforming. I think one of my favorite expressions in this conversation comes from a song Cora wrote last month entitled, “Jesus to the Missional Church” The verse that hit me is this: My church, move out among them - share your great hope - speak for the voiceless - search for the lost- love them - serve them - whatever the cost. Techniques and how to’s aren’t going to quite get us to the compassion of being missional. Perhaps what we need is what we’ve always needed more Jesus.
