the missional church

So this gift thing Bruce is doing throughout December has me thinking. It's actually pretty easy for most of us to come up with some kind of gift of service or time, especially to our family and friends. Isn't that basically what we do all day, anyway? (wash clothes, make supper, help w/ homework, pick up something for a co-worker, etc.) However, to do something like that to a total stranger is a bit more challenging.

For those not familiar with the terms, attractional church and/or missional church, here's my brief definition. The attractional church does all it can to be, well, attractive to the unchurched. Friendly, easy to get around, organized, invitive, relevant, etc. The missional church takes it "to the streets". The true challenge of the missional church is that it demands we respond to people we don't necessarily like or want to hang out with. I got my chance to have something to write down on the card Sunday when a homeless man wandered in right at closing time & I obligatorily listened to his rambling for fifteen minutes. Then I gave him some advice (which probably sounded a lot like, "get a job")....but the point is...he's God's child too. It got even more difficult to be charitable when I noticed the expensive headphones around his neck and he told me that Bruce could "reach him on his cell phone". (so where does his cell phone bill go?). Anyway, that sort of stuff does not help my naturally cynical side. But God doesn't call us to be cynical, or judgemental, or proud. He calls us to be of service. I loved the good Samaritan story on Sunday when Bruce pointed out that we are not the religious professionals, or the good well-bred citizens...we are the ones in the ditch.
Hmmmm, so maybe next time I'll try to listen to that guy for 20 minutes.