I understand where you are coming from. When I think about the SBC becoming missional, I think from the ground up, from the individual to the family to the church to the association and onward. So I think we are tracking this along the same lines.

I think that organizations can take a missional posture, but only believers can be missional. Our association has taken a missional posture by downsizing, eliminating bureaucracy and reinvesting partnership ministry money back into the churches of the association. This encourages more active missionality among our members.

Great to hear from you! Dusti sends her greetings. D)

Art,

I think it remains to be seen whether the SBC could develop a missional posture. I hope my next post will speak a little on that. Thanks for the encouragement man.

Brad,

I agree. Thanks for the comments on this and the other post. I am grateful for the labors and passion of men like Ed Stetzer, Daniel Montgomery, and Darrin Patrick. These some really encouraging signs happening, but you are right. Stetzer says that the two biggest issues in the next decade will be missiology and ecclesiology – stuff like what is the church, how the church relates to the culture, and why the gospel must be normative in the lives of all Christian believers.

Steve,

Yes. I really like the 2 ways to 2 live gospel presentation, but I often find that when I share the gospel in various contexts and people, my presentation is different with each situation. The message is the same, but how I communicate it, what doctrine or truth I emphasize, and illustrations I use depend on the context (for instance, what intellectual strongholds that must be cast down, what errors in doctrine they espouse, or what life experiences they can relate to). But in general, yes, I recommend the 2 ways model for sharing the gospel out of all I have seen out there.

As you have stated, moving towards a missional convention will be a challenge but I believe it is possible, at least in part. But how will it be accomplished? By discussing the true nature of the church, (that we are a called and SENT people of God) with the likes of men like Ed Stetzer AND by tapping into the power of story with great illustrations like the ones you have shared in this post. Keep up the great work.

I had a walk down memory lane while reading this post. I worked at UPS while in Seminary at SWBTS. Those were days when being Christlike was hard and the lost were everywhere.

I am grateful that you are more aggressive than I was in sharing the Gospel. I did, but not as well, nor as faithfully. My Spiritual development really didn’t begin until I got to Seminary, if that makes sense. I knew God, loved Him and knew He was calling me, but my walk with Him was man centered and I was operating under my own sense of power.

Anyway, I can identify with what you are going through and I’ll be praying for God’s work in that place and through you.

I also identify with the ivory tower syndrome. As a pastor, I am expected to be present and available when people want to drop by. This month I have begun a change in my life and lifestyle. I am going to be intentionally absent from the office so that I can be present in places where lost people are gathering. I’ve told my secretary to tell people, if asked, that I am out witnessing.

I’ve really enjoyed what you’ve been writing lately. I’m interested in your next post, as I have concluded while studying our association that a denomination can’t be missional. I am not even sure churches can be. Only believers.

Catch you later.