imagining how the church can reorient around mission

Marks of a Missional Community of Faith (Church)

What
does it mean to be a missional community of faith?  There is much talk about what that is, what it looks like
and how it works.  Newbigin (one of
the true forerunners of the current movement) identifies six characteristics of
a missional community:

  1. It practices corporate praise, thanksgiving, gratitude,
    and grace;
  2. It declares truth that challenges the reigning
    plausibility structure
  3. It establishes relationships within a local
    neighborhood
  4. It encourages mutual service in the priesthood
    of all believers
  5. It expects mutual responsibility rather than
    individualism
  6. It nurtures hope and a re-imagined vision of
    the future

I
love these. 

What about you?  If you were to make your own list, what
would you include?

r

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10 Responses

  1. B.D. says:

    Hmm, I think of the marks of a missional faith community along the lines of the APEST.
    A) It looks towards how it can expansively be at work for the Kingdom.
    P) It challenges the status quo while also giving imagination and hope for a different way of being when a part of the Kingdom.
    E) It proclaims the story of Jesus putting everything back together both by word and deed.
    S) It is a place of spiritual nurturing where people learn what it means to have union with the triune God. As a result it fosters reconciliation, worship, thanksgiving, lament, the sacraments, etc in a holistic way.
    T) It further explores the story of God putting everything back together and fosters a community ethos of learning from God, scripture and each other.
    Implied) It realizes that it can’t be this type of community with just one or two people being experts.

  2. Rob Fairbanks says:

    To be honest Brandon, I don’t remember which one I got it from. I guess if I use it enough, perhaps I can say that I came up with the list. 🙂

  3. Brandon D Rhodes says:

    What book is that list from? It’s a great summary!

  4. Rob Fairbanks says:

    Fair enough.

  5. Stephen says:

    I have more, but you’ll have to wait until Connect: France to get them. 🙂

  6. Rob Fairbanks says:

    Thanks Leon. I agree both you and Stephen!

  7. Llongard says:

    Along the same lines as this I would say: It dares to believe for that which can only be accomplished by the power of God.

  8. Rob Fairbanks says:

    I like it. It adds the needed accent of the supernatural to the mix.

  9. stephen labue says:

    I would add: It expects the unexpected from the Almighty.

  10. Rob Fairbanks says:

    Strangely, quiet on this one. I think this is worth some batting around. Or, Newby just has it perfect. 🙂