Missional Community

I came across this incredible article from John Murchison, the Children’s Pastor at The Austin Stone Community Church! It is a must read for all parents and family ministry church leaders! I am so excited to begin implementing much of this into the culture of our Family Ministry!

Two Lies that Keep Families from Being Missional: Part 1

Two Lies that Keep Families from Being Missional: Part 2

Here is just a sneak peak into these articles… 

When talking with parents of young children about the idea of being in a Missional Community, of joining a small group of believers who work together to declare and demonstrate the gospel, I usually get one of two responses.

Parents either say,

“Sounds great! Where should I drop my kids off? Or will you send a babysitter to my house?”

or, they say,

“That sounds great for other people, but right now I have children, and my primary calling is to disciple them. Maybe once they’re grown up, then I can join a Missional Community.”

For some reason, many parents have an underlying assumption that they can’t do both of these things at the same time. They feel they must choose between being in a Missional Community or spending time with their children.

I don’t think parents who say these things are bad people. Quite the opposite, in fact. I think they are trying to be faithful to what God is calling them to both as parents and as Christians on mission. And they’re frustrated by the fact that they don’t think they can do both well.

I’ve been wondering where this underlying assumption comes from, and I think it largely stems from two lies that we, the American church, have told them: the lie of Christian age segregation, and the lie of event-based Christian ministry.