Coach the people who get it

Among people who indicate receptivity to missional living, some will be willing to go the extra mile in living it out. Look for those who “get” missional living and are willing to take risks, even if they’re not great at it. These are the people you need to be...

Start with those who are receptive

As you process and begin to live missionally, do it alongside some other people. You don’t have to get everybody on board, but if you look around there’s almost certainly someone who would like to do it with you. I’m serving alongside Art (pictured here) at a...

Who do you start with? You

In missional living, the essential starting point is to lead by example. The beginning of any journey of leading your church in a more missional direction is you personally living missionally. Without that foundational piece in place, any broader organizational change...

Getting angry at what angers God

I read John 2 recently, about the clearing of the temple. This passage is often cited for the idea of “righteous anger”—it’s okay to get angry if it’s for a good reason. I think that’s true. But take it one step further—what did Jesus get angry about? I think at the...

If you don’t enjoy it here, go home!

“If you don’t enjoy it here, go home!”  That’s the advice Carlos (formerly Chuck) has for missionaries. To be an effective missionary, we don’t just need to understand the culture. We need to embrace it and enjoy it. Jesus engaged the culture he lived in. He went to...

Leaving our neighborhoods better than we found them

In Guatemala, 50% of the population self-identifies as evangelical, but the communities have not been transformed. That’s a bunch of people who say they’re following Jesus. Yet there is still rampant corruption and injustice in the country. If 50% of the people were...