The term “missional” remains a novel word to many in the Western Church and in particular my tradition, the Southern Baptist Convention. We sometimes express caution at new terms, and that is understandable. Besides, the terms “witness,” “share the gospel,” and others still communicate well. But given the significant shift in the U.S. away from a biblical memory and toward a more pluralistic culture, the term missional, i.e., taking the posture of a missionary here as we would abroad, can help believers better understand how to reach the lost around us.
The term may be novel, but the concept is as old as the Bible. And, it has been practiced and taught in the SBC as well. I have three students defending PhD dissertations in a period of six days. That is cruel and unusual punishment for a professor! One of them examines the life of C. B. Hogue, who led the Evangelism Department in a critical time in the 1970s for the Home Mission Board. Hogue popularized to some extent the term “lifestyle evangelism.” The following words from Hogue illustrates how he grasped the concept (taken from the dissertation of Bobby Lewis):
Let me give you an illustration. I didn’t know the term “lifestyle evangelism.” I didn’t know what that meant. I was still fresh out of seminary, and here was a little town of about 700. I had about 125 in attendance when I got there. We had about 250 when I left. I had one of my men say “do you drink coffee?” I said, “no I can’t stand it. What do you mean?” “Well, these farmers and rangers come in every morning at 10:00, they go to a certain café here in town mainly, and you’ll have eight, fifteen, sometimes twenty of these guys sitting around. You need to go down every morning when they come in and visit with these fellows—get acquainted with them because a good percentage of them are not Christians.” I said, “Well can I drink something else?” He said, “No, you need to drink coffee. These guys won’t respect anybody that won’t drink coffee.” So, I’d fill it half full with sugar. Finally I got to the point where I could drink it without all that stuff. And wonderfully, as a result of my being involved with those guys, and witnessing on sort of an indirect basis to them, one Sunday morning seven of these men walked down the aisle to make a decision of faith. From then on, that was a spirit of the movement of the Lord.
This may seem a little simple to you. But Hogue illustrates the concept of being missional in a coffee shop long before Starbucks. Note that a layman taught the idea of starting on the turf of those who do not know Christ to Hogue. I am pretty sure many preachers do not embrace the concept of missional living because we are so much better at debating theology with each other than having normal conversations with normal people in coffee shops. Perhaps we should spend more time with laity who live among teems of lost people to learn how to be less like an ambassador for the religious, Christian subculture and more like a missionary in an unsown mission field. Maybe, starting in seminary, young men could spend a little more time in places like this with people who do not know Christ. Maybe we could do a better job of helping seminarians see that “secular” job as a vital part of their ministry training rather than a job to pay the bills before they get into “real” ministry. And, that perspective may just hone their theology in the process in a more helpful way.
I had a great conversation with a neighbor just yesterday. We stood in his driveway, talking about life, and then about more important matters, in the course of a casual conversation rather than in a door-to-door campaign (which I still do at times). Whether you use the term missional, or lifestyle evangelism, or another, I encourage you to live in such a way that you seek to understand people where they are, respect them where they are in life, and from the relationship you establish “on their turf,” share the amazing, life changing gospel!
