Grace Baptist Church

The Missional Church: A Simple Presentation

Have you ever wondered what people mean when they talk about “the missional church”?  The word “missional” is being used and claimed by churches of all types with all kinds of methodology.  It certainly could use some clarification in our day.  In any case, below is a short, two minute video which explains in simple terms the missional church in general.  I found it helpful.  I hope you do too.

Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, The Missional Church | posted by TimBrister at 7:34 am | Categories: Missional, Resources |

Stetzer on Missional Small Communities

Ed Stetzer: “We should not be so concerned about the container but the church being contained.”

Missional Small Communities from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.

Here is the outline for his talk:

1.  Can small communities be missional?
a.  Made up of people living on mission
b.  Most likely place for life transformation
c.  Less to maintain =  more focus on mission
d.  Yo-Yo Illustration: Centrifugal Force (missional) & Centripetal Force (attractional)
e.  Do something for the gospel, not just ourselves

2.  Why small communities?
a.  Accountable relationships
b.  Provoking is possible (specific vs. generic)
c.  Flat structures help people live on mission (vs. hierarchy)
d.  Maximum participation (from rows to circles to the world)

3.  What are some hindrances to missional small communities?
a.  More of a concern for knowledge than life transformation
b.  Leaders love to teach more than to help people learn
c.  Reflections of the past
d.  Segmentation of the mission (”every expression of the church owns all the mission of God”)

4.  What are some key practices of missional small communities?
a.  Mission orientation
b.  Word-driven community
c.  Multiplication mindset
d.  Incarnationally valid
e.  Stranger welcoming
f.  Kingdom focused

5.  Build a strategy that is communicable and understandable for our people
a. Connect
b. Grow
c.  Share
d.  Go

Conclusion: “The most likely place for life transformation and missional engagement is in small communities.”

Labels: Community Groups, Ed Stetzer, Missional Small Communities | posted by TimBrister at 12:46 pm | Categories: Community, Evangelism, Missional, Small Groups |

Community Groups on Mission

Tim Keller, in his influential article “The Missional Church” explains the difference between the practice of church in “Christendom” and the church in an increasingly post-modern, secularized culture.  His argument is that if the church is going to reach the world in which we live today, we cannot accept the traditional mode of existence within Christendom since it no longer exists but instead embrace a missional posture which seeks to engage and influence the non-Christian society in which we live.

At the conclusion of his article, Keller lists six ways a community group can take on the missional posture, and I want to commend them to you as you participate in our Grace Community Groups.

You are a community group on mission if:

1.  Its members love and talk positively about the city/neighborhood
2.  They speak the language that is not filled with pious tribal or technical terms or phrases, nor disdainful and embattled language
3.  In their Bible study they apply the gospel to the core concerns and stories of the people of the culture
4.  They are obviously interested in and engaged with the literature and art and thought of the surrounding culture and can discuss it both appreciatively and critically
5.  They exhibit deep concern for the poor and generosity with their money and purity and respect with regard to opposite sex, and show humility toward people of other races and cultures
6.  They do not bash other Christians and churches

THEN . . . Keller says that

A.  Seekers and non-believing people from the city will be invited in
B.  They will come and will stay as they explore spiritual issues

Labels: Community Groups, Culture, Missional, Tim Keller | posted by TimBrister at 12:21 pm | Categories: Community, Missional, Small Groups |

Nuts and Bolts of a Great Commission Vision (PDF)

As promised, I want to share with you the PowerPoint slides in a PDF document for you to download for further review, prayer, and reflection.  The nuts and bolts of this Great Commission vision is a project in the making; nevertheless, this document gives you a pretty good idea of where the pastors and elders of Grace have been thinking and praying for the past 6-8 months to better facilitate the Great Commission with a strategy and structure for our church scattered and sent on mission for the glory of God.

To download the document, simply click here:

“The Nuts and Bolts of a Great Commission Vision of Grace Baptist Church“

Labels: Church Planting, Community Groups, Grace Baptist Church, Great Commission, Leadership Development | posted by TimBrister at 8:38 pm | Categories: Church Planting, Community, Evangelism, Missional, Resources, Small Groups |

A Great Commission Vision for Grace Baptist Church

Below is the manuscript from Sunday night’s message I delivered focusing on where we’ve been and looking to head regarding community groups and church planting.  For those who could not attend, I pray this will be an encouragement and help to you as you continue to pray with us about what God has instore for Grace as we seek to reach SW Florida for Christ!

:: A Great Commission Vision for Grace Baptist Church ::

[Introduction]

I think it is safe to say that the most vivid and significant moment in the life of Grace last year was the day when Pastor Tom was struck by lightning.  It was a serious and sobering time of intense prayer, genuine concern, and deep reflection on the providence of God.  However, what many if not most of you may not be aware is that Pastor Tom was struck two days after he preached the message on the Great Commission and expressed his desire to see Grace Baptist Church become a church planting church.  I don’t want to draw too strong of a connection between Pastor Tom’s message and the lightning strike, but one thing is for sure: the devil does not want us to be on the offensive! He does not want us to be full of faith, confident in the Spirit’s work of drawing sinners to Jesus, courageous in preaching the gospel and establishing churches!  I suppose there could be numerous reasons as to why one might speculate why God allowed Pastor Tom to be struck by lightning, but in light of our recent study on spiritual warfare, we cannot forget that our enemy’s goal is to destroy the work of God wherever it is found.

The work of God here at Grace over the past few years has been a growing desire and commitment to embrace the call of the Great Commission like never before.  As Pastor Tom mentioned in his message last summer, embracing the Great Commission is essentially embracing the call to be a church planting church.  Knowing that Christ has promised to build His church and that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18), and knowing that God has chosen the church as the vehicle through which “the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:10)-then we should rest assure that the advancement of the gospel through a Great Commission church is a principal target for the fiery darts of the evil one.

(more…)

Labels: Church Planting, Community Groups, Grace Baptist Church, Great Commission | posted by TimBrister at 8:48 pm | Categories: Church Planting, Community, Evangelism, Gospel, Missional, Sermons, Small Groups |

Living as Missionary Citizens

The day after the longest, most expensive election in the history of our country, the mission continues.  Shortly after the announcement of Senator Barack Obama as the next President of the United States, I turned off the television to collect my thoughts and considered the personal, not political implications of this election.  The result is a little article I have entitled, “The Change We Need.”  Here is an excerpt:

The context of American culture is drastically changing, no doubt.  We do need culture warriors–indeed, all of us need to actively stand for the values and virtues derived from our biblical worldview.  But I am convinced more than that, we need a Christianity with a gospel that is sufficient, a mission that is dominant, and a Savior who is triumphant.  Now is not the time to wallow in the cry, “Woe is America!”  Now is the time to plead with God, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

You can find the entire article by going here.

Labels: Culture Warrior, Missionary, Politics | posted by TimBrister at 10:41 am | Categories: Current Events, Missional |