In The Gathered And Scattered Church, Hugh Halter talks about the differences between modalic and sodalic ministry. Modalic ministries would be classic evangelical or mainline churches. Sodalic ministries would be parachurches or other missional agencies. I began wondering as I started this chapter as to why we even need modalic churches. It seems as if today’s churches just are not working. They are not successfully pursuing mission and scattering people from the church to go out and spread the good news. Halter even refers to this type of ministry as nothing more than a “hospital, social/spiritual club, or a teaching center.”
Halter believes that sodalic ministry is the “other arm of the church.” Without this type of ministry, it just can’t work. Why aren’t these churches using both of these arms to effectively carry out missional ministry? I thought it was interesting how he used biblical text, something that we are all familiar with, be associated with these two types of ministries – The Great Commission.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matt. 28:18-20
The modalic terms used here are “make disciples” and “teaching them to obey”. The sodalic terms used are “go” and “of all nations”. So what is the whole point? We need both of these ministries! We need the church to be scattered AND gathered to effectively carry out the gospel and spread the good news.
Brian