The proclamation of the gospel of Christ stands as a central and urgent component of the church’s life. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe (Romans 1:16), and faith arises from hearing the message of Christ (Romans 10:17). To anyone who stands against evangelism, the Apostle Paul asks, ’How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?’ (Romans 10:14).
The Call to All Believers
Proclamation is urgent, but unfortunately, this aspect of mission often involves a select few ‘specialists’ or ‘experts’, such as evangelists or missionaries. In doing so, we have neglected the biblical principle that all believers ought to be Christ’s witnesses (Acts 1:8).
The call to be a royal priesthood and holy nation belongs to the whole body of Christ, that we may together proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). The theological foundation for ‘Missional Community’ includes: existing as a small group of believers witnessing collectively to Christ in their own particular context.
Evangelization efforts by a select few alone are insufficient and the clergy-laity divide in terms of evangelization is unbiblical—the whole church must be mobilized.
Missional communities aren’t a new program or strategy, but a return to how the early church lived out their faith, as described in Acts 2:42-47, where their communal life and devotion to God attracted others to the faith. This approach is crucial where the gospel has scarce penetration. Evangelization efforts by a select few alone are insufficient and the clergy-laity divide in terms of evangelization is unbiblical—the whole church must be mobilized. Every Christian should participate in God’s mission within their unique spheres of influence, reflecting Paul’s metaphor of the church as one body with many parts, each playing a crucial role (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
Embodying the Message
Proclamation is central, but delivery of the message must extend beyond mere words. Scripture calls us to a living testimony through the actions and relationships of the church. In John 13:35, Jesus emphasizes that through the love Christians show for one another that the world will recognize them as his disciples. This love, demonstrated in tangible ways within the church community, becomes a powerful witness to the transformative nature of the gospel.
Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 7:12-16, Paul highlights how a believer’s faithful conduct can have a sanctifying influence on their unbelieving spouse, potentially leading to their salvation. This demonstrates that the proclamation of the gospel’s power should not be confined to verbal proclamation, but must also be manifested in the daily lives and loving interactions of believers. In the words of the Congress theme—both declaring and displaying Christ.
The proclamation of the gospel’s power should not be confined to verbal proclamation, but must also be manifested in the daily lives and loving interactions of believers.
As one participant said in the Oceania Regional group meeting at the Fourth Lausanne Congress, in this cold indifferent world, our ‘weirdness’ —a life of love, unity, and care for each other—is a powerful invitation for people to be intrigued by what makes us warm.
In essence, the church is called to embody the message it preaches, allowing its collective life to serve as a living testament to the reality and power of Christ’s teachings. As James 2:14-17 reminds us, faith without works is dead, emphasizing the importance of practical demonstrations of our faith.
Missional Communities in a Challenging World
Today, we face the vast challenges of global mission in an increasingly hostile, post-Christian world. The world is increasingly intolerant, and far too often, public expressions of faith are met with restriction, opposition, or violent persecution.
Missional communities can adapt to local circumstances, building relationships, declaring and demonstrating the transformative power of the gospel through their lives and actions, even when explicit public proclamation is challenging or dangerous.
But missional communities, like yeast permeating the dough (Matthew 13:33), can be personal, discreet, yet powerful agents of preparing the grounds for the message of the gospel. This reflects Jesus’ call for his followers to be ‘salt and light’ in the world (Matthew 5:13-16).
Missional communities can adapt to local circumstances, building relationships, declaring and demonstrating the transformative power of the gospel through their lives and actions, even when explicit public proclamation is challenging or dangerous. This approach aligns with Jesus’ instruction to be ‘wise as serpents and innocent as doves’ (Matthew 10:16) when facing persecution.
Conclusion: Grass-roots Collaboration for Global Impact
The gaps in the field of harvest are so vast and wide apart that it will take the cooperation and collaboration of all of us to accomplish the mission of God for our generation. Missional communities present a compelling vision for mobilizing the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.
Missional communities offer a holistic approach to Christian witness, combining verbal proclamation with lived testimony. They empower all believers to participate in God’s mission, adapting to various cultural contexts while maintaining the centrality of the gospel message. As we face the challenges of our generation, this model provides a way forward, echoing the early church’s approach and fulfilling Christ’s call to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Through collaborative efforts and the power of missional communities, we can work towards a more effective and far-reaching impact in spreading the gospel, transforming lives, and bringing glory to God in every corner of the world.