Mike Breen once warned that it’s time we start being brutally honest about the missional movement that has emerged in the last 10-15 years: Chances are better than not it’s going to fail.
He went on to say that a missional church or a missional community or a missional small group is the new car that everyone is talking about right now, but no matter how beautiful or shiny the vehicle, without an engine, it won’t go anywhere. What is that overlooked engine? Discipleship.
But that’s not the only potential killer of a missional movement. There are five more that might be just as crucial.
This last weekend at our Verge: Chicago Regional, Todd Engstrom spoke about the three ways to kill a missional culture: assume the Gospel, cast vision without practices and fail to love consumers (while hating consumerism).
There are two more that I would add: lack of ongoing missional training, and not connecting with a tribe for encouragement and accountability. If I’m counting correctly, that’s six “missional killers.”
So, any one of these “killers” can derail your mission:
1. Lack of discipleship and disciple making.
2. Assuming the Gospel/lack of Gospel-centered training and resources.
3. Casting vision without practices.
4. Failing to love consumers with grace.
5. Lack of ongoing missional training.
6. Not connecting with a “tribe” for encouragement and accountability.
