When you have a few people who are committed to missional living and ministry, it’s time to form missional communities. You might call those missional communities small groups, life groups, service teams, or any number of terms, but they are essentially a group of people who are willing to encourage each other in their spiritual lives and journey together in serving and reaching out to others to help them become followers of Jesus.
As you form these communities, be action-oriented. It’s easy to fall into just talking, but what’s needed is a balance between processing ideas and taking action. So do something—make sure there’s an action component. Forward motion will help people act their way into a new way of thinking.
Start a missional ministry of some kind. There’s nothing like stories of faith in action to encourage others to join you. If you’re in an existing group, and not everyone wants to move this direction, don’t let that stop you. Decide on a missional activity outside of the group that you’re going to engage in and invite along anyone who wants to join you.
During the group time, ask each other questions to help everyone stay on track with mission. Here are some good options:
- How have you experienced God this week?
- What are you hearing from him?
- In whom do you see God working?
As people engage around questions like these, you’ll start seeing how God is actively engaged in everyday life. At the end of the group I’m in, we gather in a circle to pray holding hands but facing outward. Our physical posture is a reminder that we are blessed in order to be a blessing to others. We are connected to one another, but serving the world around us.