We were called to redeem and restore this broken world back to what God had intended. In “Missional Renaissance,” Reggie McNeal takes this concept and alters the character and expression of the church in the world saying that we must intentionally go out to serve the communities where we find ourselves in. This differs from his definition of the “church-as-usual” where we cater to members through established programs and try to draw others into the church. “Church” should no longer be defined as only a place of worship or its “success” based upon attendance. The Missional shift is about having the church be present in the community itself.
In general, the whole concept of the Missional shift was difficult for me to grasp because McNeal wrote “Missional Renaissance” for churches that have not reached out into their communities. It was challenging to understand the practical suggestions since I grew up at ET where outreach is integrated into many ministries. As I’ve been spending more time at the Hub, I’ve noticed that of the many churches in the area, ours is the only one with a presence in the local community hub. It all started with a conscious decision years ago to partner with the United Way to serve Victoria Village which led to our involvement with the Hub.
As a church, we have become increasingly involved in our community and members of the Victoria Village Hub greatly value our partnership. There are still numerous opportunities for us to serve our community whether at work, school, our friends and family, or right here in Victoria Village. Although it is difficult to balance meeting members’ needs to grow spiritually and loving our neighbors, we’ve been blessed with the creative potential to bridge the two.
For more information about how to get involved in Victoria Village, contact me (Shelby) at [email protected].