FULLER curated 77.3 - Darrell Guder on Missional Communities
Dec 15, 2020
Darrell Guder, a respected theology professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, passionately discusses the church's mission in today's world. He critiques traditional inward-focused church models and calls for a shift to an outward missional approach. Guder emphasizes the importance of congregations embodying their mission through diverse cultures. He describes missional communities as vital parables of God's Kingdom and delves into the evolving understanding of missional identity in ecclesiology. Overall, Guder champions a renewed vision for active church engagement.
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Missional Reframes Church Identity
- 'Missional' reframes the church as inherently sent and purpose-driven rather than one activity among many.
- Adding '-al' to mission emphasizes the church's identity as witness and servant to the world.
Christendom's Inward Reductionism
- Western ecclesiology often became inward-focused, defining the church by members' salvation and institutional preservation.
- That reductionism weakens the kingdom-centred gospel and narrows mission to maintenance.
Global Shift Reorients Mission
- Global Christianity's shift to the Global South reframed the church as sent into the world rather than an end in itself.
- This global ferment criticizes member-centered ecclesiology and urges witness to all nations.
