What Do You Mean By The Term "Missional Church"?

Visitors to Christ Covenant will often ask me that question, so let me attempt to clarify, answer and give some background.

First, clarify: 

Let me distinguish between a "Mission Church" and any church "Being Missional."  Christ Covenant is a Mission Church of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.  That is a particular state in the process of developing from a dream to a full-fledged "Particular Church."  That's what Christ Covenant will be "one day when we grow up."  Right now, there is no local group of ordained Elders that govern the church - though I have a Steering Committee that works with me in a similar function.  I am actually in Fredericksburg as an Evangelist of our Presbytery, and given certain, accountable powers.  So we are a gathering of believers with "Mission Church" status in the EPC.  And we want to be "Missional" in the way we go about ministry, no matter what our status is.

Now an answer: 

A missional church is a unified body of believers intent on being God’s ministering presence in their community by discerning and joining God in the work that He is doing.

Finally the background: 

There are three basic assumptions to the Missional Church perspective.

1. The United States is a mission field.  Our surrounding culture is now "Post-Christian."
2. Mission and ministry are about Missio Dei - the Mission of God, that is to say, what God is doing in the world.
3. The church is a "contrast community" in the world.

More reading on this topic:

I would recommend that you read them all, but perhaps not all at one sitting.  Click one, read, pray, ponder.  In a few days, come back, click the next one, read some more, pray some more, ponder some more.  Then join us as together we seek to give our lives to our Father's Mission here in Fredericksburg, VA.

1. Evangelical Presbyterian Church - A Missional Church Primer
2. Urbana Missions Conference - The Missional Church
3. Christianity Today Magazine - What Makes A Church Missional?