Many churches claim to be missional, but are really just traditional. There is nothing really wrong with traditional church, but they often lack several missional elements.
To help determine whether your church (or a church you are thinking of joining) is missional or traditional, below are ten diagnostic questions. But be warned: Seeking to become missional may kill your church.
1. What would you do if the church members became convinced that to do a better job at reaching people in the community, they needed to change the name of the church?
2. What would you do if the church members became convinced that to do a better job at reaching people in the community, they needed to sell the church building?
3. What would you do if the church members became convinced that to do a better job of reaching people in the community, the church needed to switch service times from Sunday morning to Tuesday night?
4. After attending meetings and preparing a sermon, the pastor finds that he only has five hours of time left in his work week. Do you think he should spend those hours with people who are already part of the church or with people who are not?
5. Recently, some teenagers have been coming to church who wear all black, and smoke out front before and after the service. What do you think the church elders should do?
6. A single mother comes up to you after church one day for advice. Due to work and her busy schedule, she can only attend one “church function” a week, either the Sunday morning service or her Tuesday night “Life Group.” She confides in you that she actually “gets more out of the Tuesday night group and is developing good relationships there” but would feel guilty “skipping church” on Sunday. What do you tell her?
7. A Hindu attends church one Sunday, and afterward tells you that he doesn’t believe in eternal judgment or that Jesus is the only way to God. What do you tell him?
8. How long have you lived where you live right now? What are the names of your neighbors, and what problems are they facing right now?
9. How are you showing love to others tangibly, and to whom are you showing this love?
10. How much money does the church receive, and where exactly does this money go? Is there a “missions” or “outreach” budget? What percentage of your budget is it? What sorts of things is it spent on?
Can you think of any other diagnostic questions that help determine whether a church is missional or traditional?
Jeremy,
That was a really insightful list of questions. I had to laugh at the first one about changing the name of the church. My church has a name that’s a throwback to the 70s. When I was on leadership a few years ago I suggested that we consider updating the name. I might just as well have suggested that we start worshipping Baal. It was NOT happening. Oh well, on other grounds we do a little better.
Chris,
Yes, church names are hard to change. My dad pastors a community church that changed the name a while back. There was a huge outcry from the community – not even people who attended the church! – that the church eventually had to change the name back. In his case, where the church is a community landmark, it was probably wise to leave the name alone.