Vocabulary lesson of the day:
- Sodalic: reaching out to start new ministries and churches
- Modalic: strengthening the ministries and churches that already exist
Ministry lesson of the day: You need both.
When we look at the way the early church functioned, we see both modalic ministry (the strengthening of the churches) and sodalic ministry (missionary journeys to reach new people). These two endeavors worked side-by-side, without one controlling the other. The missions were independent, yet part of the churches at the same time. They were “alongside” ministries.
We see that “alongside” approach in John Wesley’s Methodism, in St. Patrick’s missionary bands, and in Humberto Del Arca’s church multiplication movement in rural Honduras. The way to fuel a movement is through an apostolic sodalic ministry… a ministry that happens alongside established churches but is not controlled by the established churches.
If the established churches control sodalic ministry, they demand that the leaders spend more time on them, which leads to more inward-focus, which leads eventually to decline. A measure of independence is needed to remain outward-focused and growing. If you want to recapture the apostolic mission, you need to raise up people who can stay focused on that.
Great post(s) Bob!
I recently re-read Dawson Trotman’s booklet, Born To Reproduce. But do you think it’s an unrealistic effort to seek to get everyone in the congregation to spiritually reproduce? I’m surprised by how little is found in the epistles on this. It seems like the focus is almost exclusively on modalic efforts. How should we properly spur on evangelism for those not on a sodalic team?
Thanks so much!
Great question, Dave. It’s true that not everyone is on a sodalic team or is gifted at evangelism or outreach. I think in those cases the New Testament calls people to reach their own natural community and networks (oikos). Think of the woman at the well who went directly from her encounter with Jesus to tell all the other Samaritans she knew what had happened (John 4:39-42). That is something every believer can do: tell those they already know what Jesus has done for them. I’d consider that spiritual reproduction. Another important point is that disciplemaking is done in community. The western world thinks too individualistically. But when we consider teaming with others, everyone can very much be a part of discipling others. That’s especially how the modalities work well in disciplemaking.