GlocalNet

Guest blogger, Matt Robertson

We talk a lot about engaging society to see transformation in people’s lives.  A term that is used a lot to describe this engagement is “Missional”.  Some define Missional as sent out, others as incarnational, meaning Christ among us working among us in Community. 

There is a growing sense among Christians that it has to be both.  That, in order to see transformation in our own lives and in society, it is critical to have Christ among us, guiding us and directing us as individuals, as small groups (or cells), as churches…as the Body of Christ.  Then, when we have Christ among us, transforming our own lives as Romans 12:1-2 talks about, that compels us to move out to serve others, to engage in society in order to see transformation in others. 

One of the reasons we haven’t seen this take root in mainstream Christianity, I believe, is because we separated missions, or being Missional, as something that you go and “do”, not as something that you “are”.  If we have Christ among us, and if we are being transformed then everything about us, our jobs / vocations, gifts, talents, skills and passions are given to us by God to serve others in every moment.

This reminds me of a teacher, who attends NorthWood, who sees teaching at a Title One School in a low income area outside Fort Worth, TX as her “calling”.  With her skills and experience, especially in Special Needs Education, she could teach anywhere.  But she chooses to teach where the need is huge.  In addition, she volunteers her time on a task force at NorthWood that develops curriculum for the Special Needs Education Conference, put on by NorthWood volunteers in Vietnam.  She gets it!

At NorthWood we believe that “The Church is the Missionary”.  That means all of us are called.  All of us get to play!  It’s like the “All Skate” at the roller rink.  Serving others and engaging in society isn’t something just for the “vocational” pastors or missionaries, it’s for everyone all the time.  At work, at home, at play, at the grocery store, the gas station, the hobby store, the classroom.