What is a Mission Shaped Church?

So what exactly is a mission shaped church? Let’s start by looking in the mirror and answering the question, “What shapes your church?” I believe every single church is shaped by something. Some churches are shaped by worship, others by a particular ministry and unfortunately some are shaped by the preferences of your current members. But what would it look like if your church was shaped by the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world? What if your church was shaped by the mission of reaching people who currently don’t attend any church? What if your church existed for those who did not yet know Christ?

This mission is grounded in and framed by two scriptures. The first is Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.” In this passage, GO isn’t an imperative. A more literal translation is, “As you are going…make disciples”. So wherever you go, to the grocery store, gym, knitting circle, ball game, or rotary club, you are called to make disciples.” How does that change your view of discipleship? How does this change your understanding of the mission of the Church? Alongside this passage is another, Matthew 22:35-40: “One of them, a legal expert, tested him. ‘Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being,  and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.’” So as we are going, as we are making disciples, we are called to keep in mind the Great Commandment, to love God and love others. We are called to have a vertical faith, love for God and a horizontal faith, love for others. 

 At the heart of being a mission shaped church is a willingness to move from being an attractional church to being a sent church. What do I mean? What is an attractional church vs. a sent church? For decades, churches have operated from the mentality of “build it and they will come” So what is “IT”? Perhaps “IT” is a new building or a worship service, the best coffee or the latest program. We have spent countless hours and resources trying to attract people to our churches and have them come to us. But what if, instead of “come to us”, we embrace a new, old approach, “go to them”? What if we embodied Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples…”? Embracing this reality is what it means to be a mission shaped church.