Sharings on Local Mission

Recently I came across some interesting statistics concerning faith in the Pacific Northwest. InWashington, only 38% of the adult population claim formal membership in a religious organization (apercentage significantly lower that the national norm of59%). 25% of Washington’s residents claim NO connection of any kind with any religious group (apercentage significantly higher than the national normof 14%). Why might this be? Some see it as a result ofthe denominational diversity of our region. Othersbelieve it has to do with Northwestern independence,that many here prefer more individual spiritualities. Surely our state’s natural beauty and the manyopportunities for folks to get out of the city and into thewilderness or out on the Sound is a factor. It may haveto do with the ethnic diversity in our area. (From “TheLink,” an online spiritual resource in Seattle)

Whatever the reason, we live in a vast mission field and compete with many voices as we try to share the Gospel with our friends and community. Traditional ways of“doing church” don’t have the impact they once did, sowe need to get creative if we are to be faithful to Jesus’command to take the Gospel to the world (Matthew28:16-20). Lately I’ve been reading a lot about the“missional church” and “missional leadership,” and Ibelieve it offers us a fresh vision as we seek to incarnate and proclaim the Gospel on Finn Hill and beyond.

Here is one definition of the missional church: “A missional church lives out the church’s three dimensional calling: to be upwardly focused on God inworship that is passionate; to be inwardly focused oncommunity among believers that is demonstrated in relationships of love and compassion; and to be outwardly focused on a world that does not yet know God” (Mike Breen, Pastor, Community Church of Joy).Instead of getting people to “come” into the church so we can make disciples, our calling is to listen to Jesus’command to “go” and make disciples. I like what TimDearborn, a Presbyterian pastor, says: “The Church ofGod does not have a mission in the world. The God of mission has a Church in the world.”

We are that church, and mission opportunities are all around us. Mission is not so much a program as it is an identity, a way of being. Our Session will be exploringthis theme at the Session retreat June 9. Please pray for our leadership as we discern God’s call and the emerging vision for our church. And above all, pray for the people who are in your mission field, that God will enable and empower you to incarnate the Gospel wherever you are.

Faithfully,

Pastor Tom