How about we rethink mission?

(Not that we rethink The Mission, but let’s rethink what we perceive as our mission. The Mission stays the same: Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18-20, and Acts 1:5-8.)

On Friday a new website launched:  rethinkmission.org. Team Rethink Mission, led by church planter and pastor Jonathan McIntosh, is all about “inspiring Gospel-centered missional churches.” I’ve been tracking Jonathan’s preaching and articles for a few years (he recently transitioned from the pastoral and teaching team of The Journey Church in St. Louis). His message is consistently about Jesus, and reaching people in our culture.

Jonathan notes the commitments of a Gospel-centered church:

1. Reading & teaching the entire Bible in light of the gospel.
2. Preaching the gospel to believers, not just unbelievers.
3. Leaders applying the gospel to themselves first; church leaders are the first repenters
4. Cultivating a leadership culture marked by ever increasing “gospel astonishment.”
5. Being known for an atmosphere of grace; gospel-centered churches are safe places for seekers, skeptics and those outside the faith.

Check out rethinkmission.org, perhaps starting with two key articles:

• What is a gospel-centered church?
• What is a missional church?

Team Rethink Mission writes that a missional church is committed to:

• Cultural exegesis – becoming humble students of the varied people & cultures surrounding the church.
• Faithful contextualization – communicating gospel truth in ways the culture understands.
• Producing missionaries instead of consumers – equipping people to live out the gospel through their daily lives and work.
• Building a great city, not just a good church – the goal being more than a full church, but a transformed city.
• Social justice – healing real wounds and righting injustices in the community around them.
• Church planting – multiplying to new towns, cities, states and countries by starting new local churches.

(If some interaction would help, then read an interview on Missional Preaching, an interview on suburban church planting, or a 3 min clip discussing “The Hipper Than Thou Church.”)

Another feature sticks out to me: the advisory board is a mixed bag of pastors and thinkers (at least Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist pastors). It seems each is committed to inspiring Gospel-centered missional churches—and committed to one another and the good of the Kingdom of God.

Looking forward to more challenging content from Team Rethink Mission.

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For those in a suburban context (like me), see The Subtext (thesubtext.org) for similar Gospel-centered content and practical encouragement.