In church leadership circles there is a debate over what approach a church should take to reaching out to the community and world.  One camp teaches that the church should be “attractional”.  It stresses that a church should have  a great facility; warm and friendly greeters; an amazing staff; and have great programs to meet the needs of the community.  The other camp, which is commonly known as “missional” rejects that model viewing it as a departure from the biblical model of what the New Testament church looked like.  It teaches instead of trying to build a complex and programs that attract people to the church, the church needs to instead go out into the community; it needs to be on mission.  Such churches utilize methodologies such as small, reproducing discussion groups in homes and places a great deal of the ministry into the hands of the church members.

Which model is correct?  Should we as a church be “missional” or “attractional”?  If I were to pose this question to the congregation I would find people in both camps.  This shouldn’t be a surprise. There is value to both approaches.  Should we want to have a nice building and campus?  Should we desire to have services that are engaging, that utilize technology and great music?  Should we strive to have a vibrant ministry to children, youth, parents, senior adults, and others?  Yes!  Absolutely we should.  We should strive to be as “attractional” as possible.

At the same time we are to remember that it will never be enough to build a good building and good programs and hope that the world comes into the church.  God was forthright when he told us in the Great Commission to “Go…”  A church staff, no matter how large or gifted, will always be exponentially more limited in their ability to impact the world than is the congregation they serve.  The staff is “...to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” (Galatians 4:12) 

The ministry is to rest in the hands of ALL who are Christians.  As the members go out into the community they are to do so as people on mission with God.  as they go to work, to school, and to their other daily duties, they go as God’s ambassadors.  We, as a church, must strive to be as “missional” as we possibly can.

We must be both “attractional” and “missional”!  Every church will tend to gravitate to one or the other, but we must be diligent to intentionally do both well.  It takes work.  The apostle Paul said, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)  This is the same thing we must do.

We want to have an amazing church that provides meaningful opportunities to worship, be equipped and be encouraged.  At the same time, we must remember that there is a divine purpose for all of this—it is to prepare us to join God on mission to reach the lost world.  Are you actively doing your part in this?

It’s Something to Think About,