What is A Missional Church?

Over the last couple of years the term "Missional Church" has been debated, discussed and considered. We have said that Word of Grace wants to become more "missional". But what does that mean?

I recently read the blog of Eric Swanson who leads the Externally Focused Learning Community that Word of Grace participates in. He found the following ideas about what a missional church is from Larry Chouinard, who bases his observations on the writings of Robert Webber (Ancient-Future Evangelism) and the Austrailian authors of the book The Shaping of Things to Come.

First, here are two definitions of the "missional church".

The missional church rejects the association of Christianity with American values and the association of the church with entertainment, marketing, and corporate business models. The missional church is reading both Scripture and culture with new eyes. It sees that what is determined by the Christian faith is more than being a good, upright citizen. It sees the church as something different from the smooth corporate model of business. This emerging church calls for honest, authentic faith that seeks to be church in the way of a more radical discipleship. (Robert Webber)

A missional church is one whose primary commitment is to the missionary calling of the people of God. . . it is one that aligns itself with God’s missionary purposes in the world. . . The missional church is a sent church with one of its defining values being incarnating Jesus’ life and values in the culture within which it is embedded.

So what are some of the characteristics of a missional church? Eric listed the following:

(1) A missional church is externally focused.
(2) A missional church is culturally engaged without being absorbed.
(3) A missional church is incarnationally not institutionally driven.
(4) A missional church is about discipleship not church membership.
(5) A missional church is patterned after God's missionary purpose in the world.
(6) A missional church seeks to establish Kingdom outposts to retake territory under the control of the Evil One.
(7) A missional church seeks to plant, grow, and multiply missionary communities.
(8) A missional church trains and equips new leaders to enter territories under seige by Dark Forces. We learn in the context of mission not in the security of our comfort zone.
(9) A missional church highlights character, virtue, and compassionate deeds as the most effective witness to God's Kingdom.
(10) A missional church connects to Jesus through mission not doctrinal precision.
(11) A missional church adopts an organizational structure and internal forms based on mission not ecclesiastical traditions.
(12) A missional church sees itself as organic and not in static institutional forms.
(13) A missional church pursues relationships across generational, ethnic, economic and cultural lines of distinctions.
(14) A missional church seeks to partner with the community to "seek the shalom" of the community.
(15) A missional church assembles to seek God's presence and to be realigned with God's missionary purpose.
(16) A missional church seeks to reawaken a movement ethos as together we engage our cultural context.

Would you add some additional characteristics? Should Word of Grace seek to become "missional"? If so, what do you think are the consequences and implications of moving in that direction?

We would be interested in receiving your thoughts and comments.