The Sent and Sending Church

I am reviewing some small group material. It is called "Sent" by Ed Stetzer. Ed Stetzer has a really strong grasp on the missional church. Check out Stetzer's blog(especially the recent blog called "When the Mission Gets Lost in the System").

In the material I am reviewing, Stetzer makes this point: "Sadly, many people's experiences with church have left them disillusioned and discouraged. It's not suppose to be that way, but ironically, at the root of much bitterness is the church's refusal to accept its role as both being sent and being a sender. Instead, many have experienced churches that did little more than take up space, not affecting any kind of difference or change in the community. If churches were engaged in the world around them, I seriously doubt so much criticism would fall their way."

As I was reading this statement something became clear to me. The church's failure is that it has not bought into it's God given role. God has established a distinct role for the church. The church is designed to be missional. Why has the church refused to get with the program?

The reason Dan Kimball can write a book called, "They Like Jesus but not the Church" is because Jesus stayed with the mission while the church has not. I wrote in an earlier post how Alan Hirsch said the church needs to rediscover Christology. Why? Because it has to recapture the mission Jesus laid out for his followers. We are sent and should be sending people to be a witness to the truth about Jesus.

What we have become is an institution with gimmicks, shows and programs that are developed to attract people. The most attractive thing the church can do is present Jesus in an authentic and practical way so that people will know we have been sent by the man Himself. The world does not need more church, it needs more Jesus. As His followers we have to get this one thing right.

When we present the real Jesus to a world that is in desperate need for Real Hope and Real Change, the world will come to Jesus once again.

So what are you waiting for-- Go! Stop reading this blog! You have been sent by God so the world can know Jesus. Introduce Him to people wherever you go-- not by what you say, but by what you do.

Your still reading-- Go!