Ask Caesar #5 –Why Missional Community Will Never Work in Your Context

This episode of “Ask Caesar” I answer the question of why a missional community will fail in your context. It’s a question I get asked A LOT, one that is most often put to me, though, as an objection. It usually sounds something like this:

“I think that missional community life probably works great where you live, but you don’t understand my context. People are different here ...they’ll never have you into their homes, or come over to your place. Folks are just too busy or not open to relationship like this in our city.”

So here’s the short answer to those of you who believe that living a missional lifestyle in community won’t work in your context:

You already believe it will fail and therefore you’re probably living out a self-fulfilling prophecy. Really.

I have heard this question/objection a thousand times (literally) and in every conceivable context around the US and all over the world where I’ve gotten to teach. And it is always from those who have yet to try much of anything. Their own fears of rejection, or their love of self and comfort have been conveniently guarded by their professed certainty of failure.

I get it. Most of us will never start a new work or endeavor if we’re pretty sure it will fail. Why would we?! I don’t like feeling stupid, awkward or looking like a failure either.

But let me tell you, after living in several missional communities and helping hundreds of other folks start communities in cities, suburbs, in rural areas, rich and poor, American, European, Slavic, Chinese etc. I have never found a place where people do not people desire to be known and loved and find a place at the table. I’ve never seen it.

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[AS-khju]

I am a member of a church denomination with Arminianism roots. Our church leadership is in the process of trying to launch missional communities. Even though missional communities work in some environments and with some groups, I do not believe they will work with my particular church congregation. The reason I feel this way is because it appears that our congregation overall is very spiritually immature. We have an extremely hard time getting individuals to sign up for classes, service projects and volunteerism overall is continually almost nonexistent. I personally believe the problem is a lack of strong preaching of God’s word from the pulpit. It seems to me that scripture is diluted with anecdotes and other things that water down the Gospel, thus creating spiritually immature people. So I don’t see our congregation actually getting on-board with missional communities despite the enthusiasm from our leader ship.

Scott - Atlanta, Georgia

[CasualView-]

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