Evangelistc vs. Missional

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIRtz0AjgLY

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago when I was in New York City to go to Redeemer Presbyterian Church and hear Pastor Tim Keller speak there. It was definitely one of the most intellectually based church services that I have ever been too. He addressed the concept of righteous anger and how it is to be applied in our culture today. It was by far the best exposition on righteous anger that I have ever heard. He has an innate ability take the paradoxes of scripture and shrouded truths that are often debated within theological circles and come up with simple logical answers to them. Obviously Dr. Keller can not and is not right on many facets of the Christian worldview, it is very interesting to see how he approaches different subjects. Some believe that Dr. Keller promotes an emerging view of the church in reference to our Postmodern era. I have not done enough research on it to give a valid account of whether he is or not. I do know that he seems to have a heart to reach the lost of this world and bring them to Christ.

While doing my daily rummage through the cross-section of young American that we call YouTube, I stumbled upon one of Dr. Kellers many short clips addressing problems of the current church. In this clip he describes a difference between Evangelistic and Missional that I have never considered before. I have always realized the failing practice of many churches to make Evangelism simply a appendage of the church and not the heart of it, where it should be. I agree with Dr. Keller in that we need to make the church of this era a missional church. The church's sole goal should be to reach the unregenerate for the Kingdom of God. If this vital aspect of our Christian life isn't the central part of the Christian body then we are destined to fail.

Is it evident that vast majority of our churches in America today view Evangelism as only a department of the Church. We have compartmentalized the works of the Kingdom into different "ministries" that the Church is to perform. It is not until we make the advance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the heart of the Church's work, that we see another Great Awakening.

This starts in the individual believer. Each believer needs to resolve to personally make their life a mission field. Then and only then will the masses seek repentance.