In this whole discussion about mission vs. missional…one thing Brandon and I were talking about yesterday…is the fact that Missions is something we do….Missional is who we are… and what we want others to become.
Paul is clearly being missionAL when he writes he wants to go to VISIT, and he wants THEM, not their POSSESSIONS.
Paul is more concerned with the condition of their hearts ….. than he is ANYTHING they could do for him. Actually Paul protected the church at Corinth from this very thing, by never taking anything (money or assistance) from them….because he knew, in their spiritual condition… they would count it as righteousness… and cause them to stumble.
One thing I’ve decided…is that we ought to substitute the word “intentional” for missional (until we get it)…because it confuses us. Maybe “intentional” is more what we are trying to say. Live “intentionally” in your communities. Plan a walk, strike up conversations, go to the pool, specifically to meet others…and interact in such a way, to befriend them. Intentionally meet people where they are…. And allow the relationship to develop. This takes time.
I’ve often given the example of a good movie or a good meal….. once we’ve seen a great movie or had a great meal…we are so excited to tell someone about it. We can hardly contain ourselves. We tell everyone we know….. BUT what we don’t do is walk up to strangers and tell them. What we DON’T do is write a tract and stand in front of other restaurants and hand them out.
Missional (Intentional) isn’t walking your neighborhood handing out tracts….. to people you don’t know…. Or don’t have a relationship with. Also, and Brandon and I talked about this yesterday, missional (intentional) isn’t asking a neighbor to help you grill out with the Homeless….or give or work at the Food Bank......they might feel you are “Intentionally” just using them…
When we are trying to hard...it comes off clumsy...awkward...and like a bad sales pitch....see;
Tommy: Hey, what's your name?
Helen: Helen.
Tommy: That's nice, you look like a Helen. Helen, we're both in sales. Let me tell you why I suck as a sales man. Let's say I go into a guy's office, let's say he's even remotely interested in buying something. Well then I get all excited. I'm like Jojo the idiot circus boy with a pretty new pet. Now the pet is my possible sale. Hello there pretty little pet, I love you. And then I stoke it, and I pet it, and I massage it. Hehe I love it, I love my little naughty pet, you're naughty. And then I take my naughty pet and I go
[makes ripping noises as he tears apart the roll]
Tommy: Uuuuuuh. I killed it. I killed my sale. And that's when I blow it. That's when people like us have gotta forge ahead, Helen. Am I right?
Helen: God, you're sick.
God let us get it. Let us live ‘intentionally’ among those who need to hear from you. Allow us the opportunities to be friends with ‘lost people’. Give us opportunities to serve them, eat with them, interact with their families, play cards, share a ‘soda’, or whatever just to know them….. and them know us. Give us patience…. Wisdom and clarity about when to share, what to share and how to share….. open doors so that we will know. God its so awesome to be a part of this work in Austin, let us be found faithful, daily…. as we go about your work.
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