considering that we are in the transition period from Christendom to post-christendom, there is a complicated relationship with the people known as ‘greeters’ and the community of believers being built w/in a church. I agree with your statement about not chasing believers (and how this was somewhat necessary for you early planting years to create a base), but the fact remains that many missionaly focused congregations tend to attract the wounded and disenchanted believers. Although some of these believers may be shoppers, others (including a strong core at Life on the Vine, from Trinity and surrounding schools) are committed people, yet may need some help assimilating into the quasi-community that a church in suburbs offer.

Using the family illustration, these people are the neighbors who watch the thanksgiving dinners through the window and wish to become a part of the feast.

I guess I’m just wondering how we can be inviting to Non-christians, but also not turn away some amazing people because all of the relational effort falls on their shoulders?

Interesting thoughts here. So, what size do you think the church must stay at to really maintain a sense of community? Also, what do you think of multiple house group type of gatherings that come together say, once a month, for a celebratory worship? Is the sense of community still possible in this context?

Thanks!

This form of community would take away from the “show” and put more emphasis on being a community and getting to know each other.

This post is bold. My fellow pastor and I have chased after many Christians in recent years–it has simply seemed like the obvious thing to do. Sadly, most of these people have been in your second category–Christians who left “after a time with us” (sometimes a time of many years!). Rarely have these people changed their minds about their decision to leave.

This fact brings me to a question: How often does the move to missional lead to a decline in numbers? I suspect that it is one of the reasons for our numerical decline, as our preaching and teaching have become more prophetic (in the sense of challenging things like consumerism), and many of the persons who have left have gone down the street to the consumer-driven megachurch that offers many choices–including a swimming pool and tennis courts!

Have others experienced numerical decline that they trace to becoming missional?

One of the dangers of a smaller family gathering is that you can’t hide out and smaller missional churches have to accept that some folks prefer to blend in to a crowd.