Next-Wave Ezine > church & culture

Missional...Plain and Simple
By Steve Lewis

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Albert Einstein is credited with having said, “You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.” A simple, concise explanation of something – especially something with complexity – demonstrates a command of it.

Recently, while doing a guest lecture at a nearby seminary, I used the word "missional" a few times. After one of these times, one of the students asked me to clarify what I meant by that term. That wasn't the first time that's happened to me. I've had pastors, denominational leaders, and even academics ask me what I mean when I use the word. While it’s something that’s been in my glossary for a good while now, I realize that it’s still relatively new.

Over the past few years, I’ve read a pretty significant number of quality books on being missional in church, in relationships, in church planting, in community. I’ve had online and offline conversations with friends and acquaintances that I consider insightful and genuine. I think I have a pretty good grasp on the concept and even some of the application of being missional. And yet, I have to admit that conveying the meaning of the word has been a challenge. I can do it in about three paragraphs, but somehow I doubt Albert E. would be impressed.

I think part of the difficulty in doing so has to do with how the word sounds. It sounds similar enough to stuff that church people are familiar with that many people make assumptions about what it means - even though more often than not, their assumptions are different than my own definition. It typically takes a few minutes of hearing the word used in a different enough context before people go ahead and ask me for clarification. That's fine – since it is a relatively new term, and one that I probably shouldn't throw around too much, because it can be confusing.

My biggest problem in defining the word for people is describing its meaning in such a way as to call attention to the differences between what it really means and what it just sounds like it might mean. That, and defining it in a clean enough way that it's quick and simple. For example, some of the people I’ve used the word with have taken to using it themselves, but in a way that sounds like they understand it to mean a newer, fresher version of “evangelical.” Nope – not really what I was going for. I tried looking for the word in Wikipedia, but ran into the same problem I have: lack of brevity.

So I thought I would ask for some help out there. For those of you who understand the term and work with a missional mindset, how do you define “missional?” The definition must be clear, and distinguish substantive differences between assumptions and reality. And, it has to be three sentences or less (no run-on sentences allowed). A metaphor would also be helpful. Get your minds cranking and write some sentences. Use the comments section or e-mail me with some thoughts.

Steve Lewis lives in Kirkland, WA with his amazing wife, Michelle. He hangs out with college students at The Purple Door. He reads a lot, watches culture, listens to music, writes, enjoys art, and drinks a lot of coffee.

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