Characterists of a Missional Church
Acts 2:41-47
What has been your experience in attending church? Has your experience been pleasant and exciting or boring and frustrating?
My first memory of church was the small church located across the street from our house in Gypsum, Kansas. On Sunday mornings my mother would rind the church bell and sometimes she would lift me up so I could pull the rope and ring the church bell for all in Gypsum to hear.
The heating system for the church was a pot belly stove in the center of the sanctuary. On some winter Sundays the sanctuary was toasty and warm. I noticed that a nodding congregation doesn’t always mean the people are agreeing with you.
When I was in the 8th grade the church was closed and we started attending another church in town. At that time there were only three other choices. The church as it turned out was a very liberal in its theology. I took the Pastor’s Class and remember one Sunday coming home following the class and telling my mother what the pastor had taught. He taught that we all came from monkeys. That Jesus was a good man, but was not born of a virgin nor did he rise from the grave. He gave great hope to us because of the love of God there was no hell and God was waiting for all of us in heaven.
I attended church out of duty not delight. I would often tell my mother that I wanted to sit in the church balcony so I could have greater visibility. When the pastor started his sermon I would sneak down the stairs and go home and make a sand witch and make it back to church in time for the benediction. I would come down stairs and meet my mother outside the church.
The summer between my 9th and 10th grades my dad was unfaithful to my mother so my parents separated and my mother and I moved to Sterling, Kansas. My mother taught 2nd grade and I started 10th grade at Sterling High School.
One of the students in my mother’s 2nd grade class invited us to attend the Missionary Church. The Missionary church is a Bible teaching church and it was there that I learned that it takes more than signing your name to a card and becoming a member of a church to have the assurance of going to heaven. I committed my life to Jesus and was baptized. With Christ in my heart I now had a desire to attend church and going to church was no longer a duty. I wanted to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
The church in Acts is the model for all churches today. The Acts 2 church was a dynamic church. It was a Missional church. (Acts 2:41-47)
A Missional Church does not exist for herself. A Missional Church exists for others. The early church was made up of a community of believers totally devoted to God. People in the community cared for one another and they were willing to risk their very lives to reach out in love to people who did not yet understand the love of God.
During the past nine years that I have been here the Willow Vale Church has made the month of November missions emphasis month. Our goal is to be a Missional church. We from time to time need to remind ourselves that our mission is to continue the work that Jesus started; “To seek and to save the lost and make disciples of all people groups.”
During the past 9 nine years we have tried many ways to gain visibility in the community and let people know that we are open to serve the community. When I first came here nine years ago I talked to people in our neighborhood and asked them if they had ever visited our church. Many said they didn’t know it was a church. Some thought it was a retreat center.
To gain visibility we have sent out several direct mailings to 10,000 to 15,000 residents in a mile radius of our church. We had knocked on 350 homes asking questions about how we can better meet the needs of our ministry area. We handed out 500 light bulbs with scripture quoting “Jesus is the Light of the World.” We have done acts of kindness by washing windshields and giving refreshments to the community recovery groups that meet at our church. We have gone on prayer walks knocking on doors and praying for family concerns. We handed out 100 copies of the Jesus film developed by Campus Crusade for Christ.
The mission statement on our church bulletin describes our mission as a local church: “Bringing people to Jesus, loving, equipping, and sending them out to make more and better disciples.”
A Missional Church is devoted to honoring God’s Word.
The early church in Acts was a Missional church. Acts 2:41-47 outlines the basic ministries we want for the Willow Vale church: The Willow Vale Church is devoted to the Apostles teaching – we take the Word of God at face value. God’s word is our authority. We will not add to God’s Word or take away from it. If we fail to accept God’s Word we are no more than any other organization. To be a church according to the New Testament means we are devoted to God’s Word – the 66 books of the Bible as the inspired Word of God.
A Missional Church is devoted to Christian Fellowship.
The Willow Vale Church is devoted to Christian fellowship. As a Christian community we are committed to encouraging one another and loving one another. When love is practiced in the local fellowship of believers minor irritations are overlooked. We are patient with each other’s weaknesses because we know that God is not finished with us yet. Critical remarks and negative attitudes are out of order in a loving/caring fellowship.
People not following Jesus may argue and reject the teachings of the Bible, but they find it difficult to reject the fellowship of love evident in the relationships among believers. What words cannot accomplish the demonstration of love and acts of kindness do.
Just as the early church grew through the power of love the Willow Vale Community Church will grow through the power of love.
The early church shared together in the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper was often celebrated at the end of a meal. It was the end of the Passover meal in the upper room that Jesus modeled for his disciples the Lord’s Supper.
One of the best ways you can share the love of Christ is by inviting people over for a meal. As you eat together you have the opportunity to show Christ’s love by asking questions and listening.
A Missional Church is devoted to prayer.
The Willow Vale Church is devoted to prayer. I encourage you to get in a small group and pray – Wednesday morning at 7 a.m. here in the church sanctuary. Thursday evening at 5:30 Gay Lorenz leads a prayer group in one of the classrooms.
There are some people who have tried prayer like a diet. It didn’t seem to work so they gave up.
Others look at prayer like a lottery. When their number comes up they will find the answer.
Prayer is not an “escape hatch” to get out of trouble in times of emergency or to get gain for our self needs.
God is not some sort of cosmic bellhop running up and own the corridors of heaven trying to meet the selfish needs of humanity.
Jesus expected that prayer would be vital part of the Christian life. Jesus taught the disciples to pray by saying “When you pray…” Jesus expects His followers to pray. In prayer we don’t attempt to change God’s mind, but rather in prayer we surrender our will to God’s will.
As you read and study God’s Word, participate in Christian fellowship and pray you help make the Willow Vale Community Church a Missional Church.
Acts 2:47, records the results when Christ followers are devoted to the Apostles teaching, Fellowship and prayer; “Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
The early church did not have the internet or telephones, but they did have “tell-a- person.’ When Christ fills your heart with His love you overflow in natural ways not obnoxious ways to people who have not yet experienced Christ’s love and forgiveness.
Whether you are an extravert or an introvert you can witness like Jesus witnessed. John 4 Jesus traveled through Samaria. He was weary from traveling so he waited by the well at Sycar. A woman of Sycar, a woman who did not fear or honor the Lord came to draw water at the well. Jesus didn’t tower over her and say, “I am the Messiah, you need to follow me and you will be lost and eternally dammed forever.
Jesus naturally and politely asked her for a drink of water. Jesus asked her questions and listened. Jim Henderson in his book, “A.K.A. Lost – Discovering Ways to Connect with the People Jesus Misses Most”- suggests three questions to ask people:
Three Questions:
• What is the difference between spirituality and religion?
• Who is a spiritual figure you admire?
• If Christians would listen to you, what would you say to them?
Listen and don’t argue and when possible tell the person how much Jesus means to you. Jesus wants you to be who you are. You don’t have to try and be someone else.
Chris is a seminary student living in Ohio. He was working at a video rental store when he had an opportunity to practice being himself.
One night a man came into the store to return a video. He had long black hair and tattoos on every portion of his viewable skin, wore mostly black clothing, and reeked of cigarette smoke. While checking his movie back in, he asked me an unusual question: “What kind of Zippo do you have?” (Do you know what a Zippo is?) (Zippo is a popular brand of cigarette lighter that comes with different designs.) Chris told the man that the store didn’t carry cigarette lighters, but he was eager to see his.
His Zippo had a family of four seated around a dinner table, but they were all skeletons. He then said, “This is how I see things. We’re all dead already – just waiting to die.” Chris decided to give the man a different view and said: “That’s interesting, but I’m a Christian and think that God has more for us in this life.”
Chris waited for the man to dart to the door at the mention of God, but the man said, “I just got out of prison after sixteen years for attempted murder. Doing my own thing is all I’ve known, and I let my son do his own thing, and he just dropped out of school.”
Christ responded, “You know, I might have ended up the same way if someone hadn’t come alongside me and helped me through some difficult times. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I’m a Christian, to help others find more in this life.”
The man said, “I never had that in my life. Can you help my son? Could he come to your church sometime?” Chris told him that he would be glad to hoop up with his son and give him a ride to church.
Here was an opportunity to witness that started with a Zippo question.
Sharon was a mother with three children who wanted to tell others about Jesus. She wasn’t comfortable with going door to door or confronting Jesus directly about the love of Jesus. So she started praying for other mothers with children.
One day Sharon was standing at a checkout counter in a toy store, and she overheard one of the salesgirls (a college student) telling one of the other salesgirls that she was exhausted, hungry, and needed a break. But all she had was $3.25, which wasn’t enough to get the deli sandwich she really wanted.
Sharon reached over the counter and handed the salesgirl a five dollar bill, and said, “Merry Christmas!” The girl took the money, started to cry, and came around the counter and hugged Sharon.
Sharon then handed each of the salesgirls a coupon for a free beverage at Starbucks and said, “Merry Christmas.” They accepted the coupons and looked at her perplexed. One of the girls asked, “Why did you do this?” Sharon said, “Because Jesus loves you, and Christmas is about Jesus giving His life for you.”
Sharon said she went home with her toys and with joy in her heart.
Whether you are type “A”, “B” personality. You can be a witness for Jesus. You can be an inviter. Invite someone to come to church with you. We make every effort possible to keep our worship services friendly to new people. The 9 AM service is informal and relaxing atmosphere. The 11 AM service is a blended service with both contemporary and traditional music. We try to keep the 9 AM worship service to 45 minutes and the 11 AM worship one hour long. The nursery is staffed for infants and toddlers and Little K and Kidmo is available for pre-school through grade 5.
Remember when a new person or family visits our church they have several questions on their mind: “Will I be accepted? Is there anyone here who will be my friend?” If they have children, “Will my children enjoy the ministries of this church?”
As we all work together we will help the Willow Vale Church become an Acts 2 church – A Missional Church. Acts 2:42, 46-47
