Perspectives Regarding the Missional Conversation TS 820 The Practice of Ministry Houston Graduate School of Theology By: Craig Van Gelder, Ph.D. Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Archeology of the Word “Missional” 1883 use by C.E. Bourne calling Bishop Tozar the “Missional Bishop of Central Africa” 1907 use by W.G. Holmes referring to several prelates carrying out “missional activities” 1975 Dmin thesis by E.A. Ammons entitled “Congregational Linkage for Missional Ministry” 1976 use by J.R. Nelson referring to John Wesley being “guided by this missional principle” 1977 use by Lindgren and Shawchuck who note: “Every church must answer the missional question of what it proposes to do …” 1983 use by K.L. Callahan who talks about “missional objectives” and “missional outreach” in his Twelve Keys 1983 use by F. DuBose who offers a theological perspective of a God who sends with “The Sending: Biblical Theology as Missional Theology” 1991 use by C. Van Engen who refers to “missional relationships” and “the church’s missional actions in the world” 1998 the GOCN Missional Church book is published Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

“Missional”?!? “The word ‘missional’ seems to have traveled the remarkable path of going from obscurity to banality in only one decade.” —Alan Roxburgh Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Book Overview Part I: History and development of missional conversation – Concepts influencing missional conversation – Revisiting seminal work Missional Church – Mapping missional conversation Part II: Perspectives that extend the missional conversation – Expanding and enriching theological frameworks – Missional engagement with culture in a globalized world – Missional practices of church life and leadership Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Mapping the Conversation Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Concepts Influencing the Conversation Church and missions/mission Trinitarian missiology—God is a sending God Reign (Kingdom) of God Missio Dei (Mission of God) Church’s missionary nature Missional hermeneutic Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Revisiting Missional Church Underdeveloped concepts, unresolved theological issues – Trinitarian missiology (western logic—sending God) Lack attention to Three Persons and Relationality – Relationship of missio Dei and Reign of God Unresolved in relation to Spirit’s work in world – Church and culture/world Both Anabaptist and Reformed strains – Worship, sacraments, ordination Unaddressed – Historical ecclesiologies Not developed Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Key Hermeneutical Lens for Interpreting the Missional Literature Triune God’s Agency – God as the primary acting subject – God’s mission in the world has a church Versus Human Agency – Church as the primary acting subject – Church carries out God’s mission in the world Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Mapping the Literature Branch #1: Discovering – Missions/Great Commission – Sent to Carry Out God’s Mission Critique: Missional as obeying Great Commission—emphasis on human agency Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Mapping the Literature Branch #2: Utilizing – Kingdom as extension of church – Participating in God’s mission – Church as contrast community Critique: Reliance on “sending” Trinity with tendency to frame Kingdom as something the church does for God Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Mapping the Literature Branch #3: Engaging – Congregational practices – Transforming church systems Critique: Applied understanding of missional with lack of substantive theological framing Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Mapping the Literature Branch #4: Extending – Addressing key issues – Missional hermeneutic – Deepen understanding Trinitarian perspective Critique: Beginning to utilize relational and sending understanding of Trinity, but still emerging Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Framing Church Identity from a Trinitarian Perspective Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

The Western Tradition of Trinity: God Is a Sending God “For God so loved the world that God gave (sent) God’s only Son...” (John 3:16) “And the Word became flesh and lived among us...” (John 1:14) Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Reclaiming the Western Tradition: A Missionary, Sending God Western Tradition - A God Who Calls, Gathers, and Sends the Church Into the World Emphasis on: – Sending aspect of God Father sends Son Father/Son send Spirit Son through Spirit sends church Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

The Eastern Tradition of Trinity: God Is a Relational God “I ask... that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us...” (John 17:20-21) Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Reclaiming the Eastern Tradition: An In-Relation God Eastern Tradition – A God Who Exists as a Social Community Emphasis on: – Perichoresis: the in- relationship communion of the three persons Relationality Equality Community The Old Testament Trinity (c.1411) icon by Andrei Rublev The Old Testament Trinity (c.1411) icon by Andrei Rublev Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

MISSIONAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CONGREGATIONS OF A SOCIAL, SENDING TRIUNE GOD Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Implication #1 for Missional Identity: The Church Is Missionary by Nature The church is created by the Spirit— both Holy and Human The nature/identity of the missional church informs its doing and purpose The Church is. The Church does what it is. The Church organizes what it does. Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Implication #2 for Missional Identity: The World Is The Horizon of God’s Mission God has a mission in the world – missio Dei – Creation Care – Redemption in all of life Missional leadership seeks to participate in God’s mission in the world – Shaped eschatologically “for the sake of the world” Enacting the “future” that is “already present” Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Implication #3 for Missional Identity: Every Context Is A Mission Location Discovering North America as mission field – Every location a mission location – Word/Flesh—“God moved back into the neighborhood” Missional Leadership learns to read its context—ask the God questions: – What is God up to? – What does God what to do? Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Implication #4 for Missional Identity: Kenotic/Cruciform Leadership Congregations Move from Benefactor to Bearing—true meaning of servant leadership Biblical Perspectives “Let the same mind be in you...” (Philippians 2) Foot washing (John 13) “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22) Secular Perspectives Giving the work back to the people (Heifetz & Linsky, Leadership on the Line) “We become most powerful when we give our own power away.” (Kouzes & Posner, Leadership Challenge) Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Implication #5 for Missional Identity: The Church Is A Relational Community of Disciples God Exists as a Relational Community (Social Trinity) – Church invited to participate in divine community Missional Leadership – Leader as Convener rather than professional expert, and gardener more that counselor or entrepreneur Disciples – Disciples in community cultivating FRUIT of the Spirit while exercising the GIFTS of the Spirit Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Implication #6 for Missional Identity: The Church Values Difference An “irreducible otherness” within the three-ness of God Holiness heterogeneous not homogeneous Missional leadership seeks out and includes “otherness” – Diversity is a deep value – Learning from the “other” – Experiencing reciprocity Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Implication #7 for Missional Identity: The Church Lives in Mutuality The relationships within the Godhead embrace equality Missional leadership cultivates and vertical organization supports relationships that are: – Mutually supportive – Reciprocal Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Pointing Beyond Ourselves “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7 “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one.” – John 17:21b-22 Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016

Discussion Copyright Craig Van Gelder 2016