Called Together for a Purpose
Church (Ekklesia) literally means a gathering of “called out ones.” Those who represent a people to others. We are called to represent God’s reign and rule to the world. We can’t exist without a purpose that looks towards those on the edges of experiencing God’s kingdom. This is our calling and we should not only call people together as we gather, but regularly release and send them to be the spirit-led church as God has called them to be.
If we are going to create communities that multiply though, we need to know what we are sending. What are we attempting to reproduce as the Spirit continues to lead?
What we follows is a starting point, not a straight jacket. This is meant to be a sandbox not a stagnant pond.
Missio Communities
As we study the church as it formed in the New Testament we see a movement made up of small and powerful communities of believers who have been transformed by the power of the gospel. Sometimes these find their home in a city church, sometimes they are network ed as house churches, but each is joined together by common teaching, leadership, and rhythms of life. They are described as holding all things in common, and also able to mobilize at a moments notice. This is descriptive of a specific church in a specific context (first century in ancient Roman led contexts), but could it also be a model to followhere in the Valley?
We think it is
We’ve long been convinced that we need to see gospel formation (worship, spirit dependence, gospel enjoyment, abiding in God’s love), community (ongoing, responsible, maturing relationships), and mission (missional encounter with a specific culture, gospel declaration, wholistic discipleship) together.
Simply put- a Missio Community is an extended spiritual family committed to gospel formation, in a committed community, for the sake of others. They are comitted into the network of Missio Dei Communities and Co-Missioned into their context.
Another way we put it is that they are a family of servant ambassadors sent by and with the Spirit as disciples to make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus. They are experiencing the love of God for themselves and extending it to others Jesus calls them to We wholeheartedly believe that every Disciple is both called to Jesus and sent with Him to love others
Who are you sent to?
Most of our MC’s are organized around a purposefully selected missional focus. This could be a focus shared by every member of the MC or an intentional decision to incubate several MC’s under one leadership team in hopes that many are introduced to Jesus and experience his love and freedom
How are you sent?
Our MC’s are sent with creativity, empowerment, and ongoing development. We do front end assessment and provide ongoing coaching so our leaders flourish and lead communities who do the same.
Remember
Not all MC’s will look the same. We need to have flexibility to allow for our communities to contextualize formation, community, and missional engagement as their calling. We ask that they gather at least twice a month, (if not more) with our larger Missio family for equipping, encouragement, and shared service (kids, music, hospitality etc...)
The hope is that the structures of Missio Dei equip and encourage our tribe, as everyday disciples, to follow Jesus together on his mission to bring redemption and reconciliation into our world!
Sound like something you want to do?
Let us know and together we will see you equipped and released to do the work the Spirit of God is inviting you into together.