I am always up for a good debate. I truly believe that iron sharpens iron. I believe that the best ideas come through strong and intense conversations. Yet I am sometimes puzzled at how much of the time it is really approached that way. I sometimes sense that it may be more about, “I am taking this position to promote my book, self etc….”
I read an article about Ed Stetzer and Geoff Surratt. They were going at each other over this very popular topic (could it be a fad?)-- missional model vs. attractional model . They are not the only ones talking about this. There are now dozens of books written on this.
If I am not mistaken, Jesus did both. He always had a large crowd but realized that it wasn’t the crowd who was going to change the world. That is why he chose to pour himself into a few men, mainly the 12 disciples. He had a huge challenge just keeping them on task.
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith (church) by itself, if it is not accompanied by action (life change), is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
To me James could be saying, “What good is it if I say, ‘I have a missional church which is more biblical than your attractional church’ if really when you peel it all back, there is little if any life change?” It doesn’t matter does it? I believe the objective is to bring about life change.
Here would be my challenge. Most “preachers” don’t have a hard time speaking hard truth from a pulpit. Maybe it is because there is a huge space between us and the people. But I have found very few pastors who really look people in the eye in a spirit of love and challenge them to live a surrendered, crucified life, by saying, “Follow me as I follow Christ”. Could it be that we are not emotionally healthy enough to deal with the tension and challenges of leading out of our relationships?
I believe Jesus did it this way. So, if you say you are a missional or attractional church, I could really care less, but I do have a challenge for all of us who say that we deeply care about the church and its health. Name for me right now 12 people who you are consistently pouring your life into on a regular basis, sharing with them what Christ is doing in your own life. If you can’t, it really doesn’t matter, does it?
Let me close with this. Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 'An enemy did this,' he replied. The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into.’" Matthew 13: 24-30
There will always be weeds with the wheat. I am sure that all of us will be surprised at what we thought were weeds and wheat.
