SKIN

I'd like to be part of a people who think 'missionally' - to be JESUS WITH SKIN ON to others. But I understand that in order to DO that, we must ...

1. Go from INTERNAL to EXTERNAL. In other words, do things like adopt schools, clean up neighborhoods, befriend blocks, replace 'worship service' with 'service-as-worship,' involve ourselves in an explosion of community engagement. My own small group begins this Saturday serving food to the homeless one weekend per month. All of these are the elements most people actually "GET" when you start talking 'missional.'

But there is MORE ...

2. Go from PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT to PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT. If you don't do THIS, then #1 just becomes one more program in a church schedule already chock-full of programs, promising possible mediocrity and eventually, most definitely, burnout. It is a realization that classroom information does little to develop people. Inform, yes. Develop, no. People development is 'life-centric.'

3. Go from CHURCH-BASED LEADERSHIP to KINGDOM-BASED LEADERSHIP. The missional group is not pastor-dominated. The role of clergy shifts to creating environments that help missional people and leaders. It is moving people beyond filling church ministry roles into developing people to do work in the areas of their greatest influence - where they live, work, study and play - in other words, where they already do life.

Jesus with SKIN on.

And be blessed.