Kimball's Analysis

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First, we should endeavor to understand Kimball’s argument. He begins his books with a brief criticism of the modern “seeker-sensitive” (read: Willow Creek and Saddleback) church, with its sterile environment, loss of transcendence, and preacher-as-motivational-speaker model. He rightly points out that this type of worship service tends to breed a sense consumerism in the congregation. Oftentimes people leave seeker-sensitive churches feeling like they have attended a Broadway play; they have a program in their hand, an opinion about the show they just saw, and not much else. They did not have a genuine encounter with God; they simply found an entertaining way to spend an hour. Kimball argues that the quality of teaching in the American…show more content…
And just what is missiology? It’s what effective Christian missionaries study and practice. They make it their business not only to understand the timeless gospel message, but also the culture in which they are ministering. They understand that communicating effectively means much more than learning the language. Effective missionaries are lifelong learners of culture, working to understand where their people currently are so they can lead them to a true, yet truly enculturated, understanding of the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. They understand that the core of the Good News can come wrapped in different packages and expressions. That is all to say, this book by Reggie McNeal resonates with my passion for people with a missional faith. That we should be more missional. To survive as a church in this modern western world, we need a huge paradigm shift of being missional. “Missional” is the buzz word today for outreach, evangelism, holistic gospel, and more. So it’s broad meaning can get lost in its overuse. I would define it as the incarnational reality of Christ naturally lived out to others, especially those far from God. Or more simply, Christ in us loving others far from God. If there is any word that I might add to it, it might be “intentional.” And that is what I believe McNeal’s bullhorn call is, an intentional missional
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