Missional church is definitely a trendy title that is anywhere you look these days. the concept that we are obligated to compartmentalize church buildings, missional, has for eternity been a little weird to me. come on, shouldnt all bodies of Christ be missional in their very nature? Shouldnt a church, at its very base, want to engage their culture and city with the message of Jesus as a missionary would in a different country? Isnt it what the church buildings is encouraged to do in the last challenge from Jesus in Matthew 28:19? Our own local area needs this brand of church. Austin churches is slowly transitioning to what Christ instructed in the Bible.

The Son of God gives the command in Acts 1:8 saying, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 personifies this subject as, right before Jesus Christ rises to Heaven, He points the disciples on a exploration that would initiate right in their personal community. He begins with their area of Jerusalem, and then expands the call to the outer parts of the creation.

As disciples of Jesus, we are not urged to isolation, but to be missional people who are actively going out and connecting with others right where they are with the message of Jesus. We have observed this throughout history: God moved Abraham on a mission to exit his country and his people and go to the town that God would show him (Gen. 12:1), God urges Moses on a journey to renew an enslaved people and lead them to independence (Exodus 3:8-10), God motivated Jesus on a story to creation to restore all things to Himself through the cross (Colossians 1:20). And now God is sending people on a story to engage communities, cities, tribes, and even nations with the story of Christ(Matt. 28:19 Mark 6:7 Luke 10:1 John 20:21 Acts 1:8). If we reject this call and continue to perceive the churches like a private country club ” demanding that people resolve their talents, pay their money, and walk to our place of worship God will continue His mission without us.