Developing Missional CongregationsCouncil for World Mission Africa Region Assembly

Prof. Nelus NiemandtDutch Reformed Church South AfricaAnd Science of Religion and Missiology, University of Pretorianelus.niemandt@up.ac.za________________________________________________________________

1. Why missional congregations?

The first question that comes to mind is why missionalcongregations? Why the sudden interest in the missional church?

I think part of the answer can be found in the rediscovery ofthe importance of being a missional church. This is especially clearif one looks at the proceedings of important ecumenical events inthe last 5 years.

Edinburgh 2010 identifies the core conviction that the churchis missionary in its very nature - a mission flowing from God’scalling and sending (Kim & Anderson 2011:180). Lausanne III (2011)states, in the Cape Town Commitment, that God calls his people toshare his mission: “Our mission is wholly derived from God’smission, addresses the whole of God’s creation, and is grounded atits centre in the redeeming victory of the cross”.

The growing importance of mission, and the development ofmission-orientated congregations, is no better visible that in theecumenical mission affirmations to be found in the latest policiesaccepted by the WCC’s 10th assembly at Busan, Korea, in 2013.

With the new mission affirmations – “The Church: Towards aCommon Vision” and “Together towards Life” – the aim is to seekvision, concepts, and directions for a renewed understanding andpractice of mission and evangelism in changing landscapes; based in

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the Christian understanding of the church and its mission as rootedin the vision of God’s great design for all creation (WCC – TheChurch 2013:8). It was caused by a renewed recognition of the factthat – at the heart of the Triune God – love is to be found; lovewhich binds together the Holy Trinity and that overflows to allhumanity and creation (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:52). Missionis the overflow of the infinite love of the Triune God. This savingactivity of the Holy Trinity is essential to an adequateunderstanding of the church (WCC – The Church 2013:9). God’s missionbegins with the act of creation. Creation’s life and God’s life areentwined (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:52). The missionary Godwho sent the Son to the world calls all God’s people (John 20:21),and empowers them to be a community of hope. Thus mission is aresponse to God’s urging love shown in creation and redemption (WCC– Together towards Life 2013:62). Living in that love of God, thechurch is called to become good news for all. The Triune God’soverflowing sharing of love is the source of all mission andevangelism (WCC – The Church 2013:8).

This changes the understanding of being church. The church ismissional. The church is in a permanent state of mission. Mission isat the heart of what it means to be church. Bevans & Schroeder(2011:13-16) say that God has a mission, and His mission has achurch. Mission precedes the church and calls the church into beingto serve God’s purposes in the world. The church participates in themissio Dei, and is a church which always goes forth with a missionaryjoy. Dreyer (2014:42) says: “Missional ministry emphasises a livingrelationship with God, real faith, a focus on the kingdom of God, arelevant ministry, discernment through the Holy Spirit, a systematicapproach of congregational development, a focus on people andrelationships, and discipleship”. Thus the church is commissioned tocelebrate life, and to resist and transform all life-destroyingforces, in the power of the Holy Spirit (WCC – The Church 2013:8).For God did not send the Son for the salvation of humanity alone, orto give us a partial salvation; no, the gospel is the good news forevery part of creation and every aspect of our life and society (WCC– The Church 2013:9). It is, therefore, vital to recognize God’smission in a cosmic sense, and to affirm all life, the wholeoikoumene, as being interconnected in God’s web of life. Startingwith God’s mission leads to an ecclesiological approach “frombelow”. In this perspective it is not the church that has a mission

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but rather the mission that has a church. Mission is not a projectof expanding churches but of the church embodying God’s salvation inthis world (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:63). This mission-focused spirituality has a dynamic of transformation which, throughthe spiritual commitment of people, is capable of transforming theworld in God’s grace (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:52). Yes, Godinvites us into the life-giving mission of the Triune God andempowers us to bear witness to the vision of abundant life for allin the new heaven and earth (WCC – The Church 2013:38).

With this renewed appreciation of the mission of the Spirit, thequestions now become: “How do we re-envision God’s mission in achanging and diverse world today? How can we reclaim mission astransformative spirituality which is life-affirming? How and wheredo we discern God’s life-giving work that enables us to participatein God’s mission today?”

The history of Christian mission has been characterized byconceptions of geographical expansion from a Christian centre to the“un-reached territories”, to the ends of the earth. But today we arefacing a radically changing ecclesial landscape (WCC – Togethertowards Life 2013:52) – it is described as “world Christianity”;with migration becoming a worldwide, multi-directional phenomenonwhich is re-shaping the Christian landscape. What are the insightsfor mission and evangelism – theologies, agendas and practices – ofthis “shift of the centre of gravity of Christianity”? Where missionwas once understood as a movement taking place from the centre tothe periphery, from the privileged to the marginalized; now peopleat the margins are claiming their key role as agents of mission andaffirming mission as transformation (WCC – Together towards Life2013:52). If there is a shift of the mission concept from “missionto the margins” to “mission from the margins”, what then is thedistinctive contribution of the people from the margins? And why aretheir experiences and visions crucial for re-imagining mission andevangelism today? We are living in a world where market ideology isspreading the propaganda that the global market will save the worldthrough unlimited growth (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:53). Thismyth is a threat not only to economic life, but also to thespiritual life of people; and not only to humanity, but also to thewhole creation. How can we proclaim the good news and values ofGod’s kingdom in the global market, in a way that awakens a responsein the different contexts, languages and cultures of the people who

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hear the proclamation (WCC – The Church 2013:9)? What kind ofmissional action can the church take in the midst of economic andecological injustice and crisis on a global scale? In thisenvironment, all Christians, churches and congregations are calledto be vibrant messengers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is thegood news of salvation; for it is the inevitable fruit of genuinefaith (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:53). The church of todaylives in rapidly changing circumstances – multi-religious and multi-cultural contexts – with new communication technology bringing thepeople of the world into a greater awareness of one another’sidentities and pursuits (WCC – The Church 2013:10). Locally andglobally Christians are engaged with people of other religions andcultures in building societies of love, peace and justice. A seriouscommitment to inter-faith dialogue and cross-cultural communicationis therefore indispensable. The church, as the communion of Christ’sdisciples, must become an inclusive community that exists to bringhealing and reconciliation to the world (WCC – Together towards Life2013:53). Reflection on such perspectives enables us to embracedynamism, justice, diversity and transformation as key concepts ofmission in changing landscapes today (WCC – Together towards Life2013:54). This understanding leads to a missiology focusing onsending out and going forth.

Mission as going forth is thus the outcome – Christian witnesswhich unceasingly proclaims the salvific power of God through JesusChrist and constantly affirms God’s dynamic involvement, through theHoly Spirit, in the whole created world (WCC – Together towards Life2013:55). Our participation in mission, our being in creation andour practice of the life of the Spirit need to be woven together forthey are mutually transformative. When we have discerned the HolySpirit’s presence, we are called to respond, recognizing that God’sSpirit is often subversive, leading us beyond boundaries andsurprising us (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:56).

But authentic Christian witness is not only in what we do inmission but how we live out our mission. The church in mission canonly be sustained by being spirituality deeply rooted in theTrinity’s communion of love. So, even though our encounter with theTriune God is inward, personal, and communal, it should also directus outward in missionary endeavour; for we are led by the Spiritinto various situations and moments, into meeting points withothers, into spaces of encounter and into critical locations of

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human struggle (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:57). All of theabove implies that mission spirituality is always transformative(WCC – Together towards Life 2013:57); it resists and seeks totransform all life-destroying values and systems wherever these areat work in our economies, our politics, and even our churches. Forthe policy of unlimited growth through the domination of the globalfree market is an ideology that claims to be without alternative,demanding an endless flow of sacrifices from the poor and fromnature (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:58). In situations ofoppression, discrimination and hurt, the cross of Christ is thepower of God for salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18). The cross calls forrepentance in light of misuse of power and use of the wrong kind ofpower in mission and in the church. The Spirit empowers thepowerless and challenges the powerful to empty themselves of theirprivileges for the sake of the disempowered. We are called towitness to a movement towards life, celebrating all that the Spiritcontinues to call into being (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:58) –for God’s purpose for the world is not to create another world, butto re-create what God has already created in love and wisdom.

Mission provokes in us a renewed awareness that the Holy Spiritmeets us and challenges us at all levels of life, and brings newnessand change to the places and times of our personal and collectivejourneys. Mission from the margins calls for an understanding of thecomplexities of power dynamics, global systems and structures, andlocal contextual realities (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:59).Therefore, mission from the margins invites the church to re-imaginemission as a vocation from God’s Spirit who works for a world wherethe fullness of life is available for all. The aim of mission is notsimply to move people from the margins to centres of power but toconfront those who remain the centre by keeping people on themargins. Instead, churches are called to transform power structures(WCC – Together towards Life 2013:59). Injustice is at the roots ofthe inequalities that give rise to marginalization and oppression.God’s desire for justice is inextricably linked to God’s nature andsovereignty; all missional activity must, therefore, safeguard thesacred worth of every human being and of the earth (WCC – Togethertowards Life 2013:60). The affirmation of God’s mission (missio Dei)points to the belief in God as One who acts in history and increation, in concrete realities of time and contexts, who seeks thefullness of life for the whole earth through justice, peace and

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reconciliation. The church’s hope is rooted in the promisedfulfilment of the reign of God. It entails the restoration of rightrelationships between God and humanity and all of creation (WCC –Together towards Life 2013:60). But, even though this vision speaksto an eschatological reality, it deeply energizes and informs ourcurrent participation in God’s salvific work in this penultimateperiod.

Participation in God’s mission follows the way of Jesus, andtherefore requires a commitment to struggle and resist the powersthat obstruct the fullness of life that God wills for all, and awillingness to work with all people involved in movements andinitiatives committed to the causes of justice, dignity and life.The good news of God’s reign is about the promise of theactualization of a just and inclusive world. Inclusivity fostersjust relationships in the community of humanity and creation, withmutual acknowledgement of persons and creation, and mutual respectand sustenance of each one’s sacred worth. It also facilitates eachone’s full participation in the life of the community (WCC –Together towards Life 2013:61). The church is called to make presentGod’s holy and life-affirming plan for the world revealed in JesusChrist. It means rejecting values and practices which lead to thedestruction of community. Christians are called to acknowledge thesinful nature of all forms of discrimination and transform unjuststructures, acting instead as a counter-cultural community. When allthe parts of our individual and corporate lives that have been leftout are included, and wherever the neglected or marginalized arebrought together in love, such that wholeness is experienced, we maydiscern signs of God’s reign on earth (WCC – Together towards Life2013:62).

The church is both a divine and a human reality (WCC – TheChurch 2013:18). Today’s world is marked by excessive assertion ofreligious identities and persuasions that seem to break andbrutalize in the name of God rather than heal and nurturecommunities (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:69). Authenticevangelism is grounded in humility and respect for all, andflourishes in the context of dialogue. It promotes the message ofthe gospel, of healing and reconciliation, in word and deed (WCC –Together towards Life 2013:70). Evangelism, therefore, inspires thebuilding of inter-personal and community relationships. Particularlyimportant is dialogue between people of different faiths, not only

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in multi-religious contexts but equally where there is a largemajority of a particular faith. The gospel takes root in differentcontexts through engagement with specific cultural, political andreligious realities (WCC – The Church 2013:12). Respect for peopleand their cultural and symbolic life-worlds are necessary if thegospel is to take root in those different realities (WCC – Togethertowards Life 2013:72); for legitimate diversity in the life ofcommunion is a gift from the Lord (WCC – The Church 2013:20). Inthis way it must begin with engagement and dialogue with the widercontext in order to discern how Christ is already present and whereGod’s Spirit is already at work. Our calling is to point all toJesus, rather than to ourselves or our institutions, looking out forthe interests of others rather than our own (cf. Philippians 2:3-4).The church is centred and grounded in the gospel, the proclamationof the Incarnate Word – Jesus Christ, Son of the Father (WCC – TheChurch 2013:13).

2. How to develop missional congregations?How does the church go about this business of missional church? Howdo churches develop into missional congregations? Let me state firstof all that it is not an issue of programs or of strategic planning– developing missional churches is much more an issue of being thandoing.

My interest in missional leadership flows from an approach thatrecognises the important influence of ecclesiology on the missionalpraxis and organisation of the church – i.e. the church does what it isand then organises what it does (Van Gelder 2007:18). In this organisationof what it does, leadership plays an important – if not the mostimportant – role. Or, to put it differently – we should ask whatecclesiology lies behind many of the current impasses in the church.What kind of ecclesiology (what the church is) might assist thechurch in these times of intense changing of contexts and ofliminality, so that what the church does (and how leadershipfunctions) looks different? For, if the church does what it is andthen organises what it does, this is clearly a challenge of design –if we really want a missional church, we must have a missionalleadership system to drive it.

In terms of the praxis of missional congregations, I would liketo tap into research done in the South African context, and morespecifically in terms of insights gained in the processes of the

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SAPMC (South African Partnership for Missional Churches). The SAPMCfocusses on the process of missional formation (and not on aprogramme or model), therefore no definition of missional church isoffered (Cordier 2014:35-6). In South Africa, more than 170congregations were already part of the SAPMC in 2010 (Niemandt2010:2), and the number is still growing. Although there is adropout in the region of 40% before completion of the three yearjourney, and congregations completing the journey are not to thesame degree successful in the formation of a missionalcongregational culture (Cordier 2014:163), fundamental changes arereported in some of these congregations (Hendriks 2009:112; andCordier 2014:167-186).

3. Elements necessary for the movement towards becoming more missional, and the development of missional congregations3.1. The importance of leadershipImmensely important to take note of first in this section, are thewords of Barret (ed. 2004:x, xi) who, in their research, found that“authority within the congregation was a key factor in the movementtoward becoming missional”. This is a sentiment shared by Roxburgh(1998:183) in the introduction to his chapter on missionalleadership in Missional Church, where he accentuates the importance ofleadership in the formation of missional congregations by statingthat “the key to the formation of missional communities is theirleadership...leadership is a critical gift, provided by the Spiritbecause, as the Scriptures demonstrate, fundamental change in anybody of people requires leaders capable of transforming its life andbeing transformed themselves”. And yet we should not confusemissional leadership with something that is seated in theindividual; no, missional leadership is found in the faith community- “...a community of persons who, in a variety of ways and with adiversity of functional roles and titles, together practicesmissional authority...” (Van Kooten & Barrett 2004:139). Missionalleadership’s authority is not to be found in the holding of anoffice, but with God (Cordier 2014:68).

Current research values leadership as the most importantcontributing factor towards the formation of a missional

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congregational culture (Cordier 2014:186-190; Keifert 2007:86;Hendriks 2009:117; and Barrett 2004:x-xi). Due to the historicalrole, authority, and function of a minister in the church (Guder1998:190-8; Hirsch & Catchim 2012:3-26; and Heitink 2007:163-5), thecontribution of the congregational minister within the leadershipteam is of key importance to the formation of a missionalcongregational culture (Van Kooten & Barrett 2004:141,142; Roxburgh& Romanuk 2006:3-4; and Guder 1998:183). Lay leaders do not have theauthority to overrule the congregational minister. We have to agreewith Sweet (2012:174) on this: “Many protestant denominations liketo tout the Reformation concept of the ‘priesthood of allbelievers’. But that reality is blocked in many of those verycongregations by leadership that suggests, despite its protestationsto the contrary, that only those anointed with money (paid staff)and credentials (ordained clergy) are the leaders.” Missionalformation requires a new style of authority, a new role, newcapacities and a new lifestyle radically different from thetraditional congregational minister. It is true to say that themissional transformation of the congregation starts with thetransformation of the minister (Venter 2010:62-3).

3.2. Leadership as a team functionIt must be added that, although the importance of the pastor orminister is recognised, the broad approach is still that leadershipis a team function. Missional authority is not focused in theindividual, but in the faith community and their collectiveparticipation in the process of faithful distinction. In the wordsof Robinson (2008:88): “The conversation on leadership is a simpleone: if a congregation is to succeed in making change in itsculture, in its ways of doing church and being church, it needs tohave a leadership team. To put that point negatively, this is notsomething a pastoral leader, even a most gifted one, can pull offalone”. In fact, one of the most important first steps in being amissional church, is recognising the importance of the relationalnature of missional leadership and the formation of a leadershipteam. If a congregation is to succeed in making changes to itsculture – to its ways of doing church and being church – it needs tohave a leadership team. For the Christian faith is deeply embeddedin a tradition of passing on and leading by example, by means ofScriptural and oral sources, but also through the mediation of

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people who inspire, set an example, and who have the courage to lead(Heitink 2007:297). The church needs an appropriate missionalunderstanding of leadership to organise and transform thecongregation into missional life and to participate in thetransformation of communities to share life in its fullness. In hisresearch, Cordier (2014:191-192) found that missional formation issuccessful in congregations where a strong coalition of leaders ispresent,

Who are willing to take up the responsibility of leadership; Who themselves are fully convinced of a missional paradigm of

being church; Who themselves are committed to persevere with the process of

missional formation and keep the congregation up to it; Who have the necessary social capital at their disposal in

order to be viewed as credible conversational partners; and Who themselves carry the vision of being sent and create

actions to embody that.

Missional leadership is therefore defined as the Spirit-ledtransformation of people and institutions – by means of meaningfulrelations – to participate in God’s mission (Niemandt 2013:41).

Transformation is a vehicle for personal and institutionalgrowth. Missional leadership is transformative leadership. Itignites and drives change, starting with the inner transformation ofthe leader, leading to the transformation of the church as well asthe context where the church finds itself. In the research he hasdone, Cordier (2014:214-5) found that the congregationalminister/pastor first and foremost lives and modulates thespirituality, values, practices and habits of a missional lifestyle.This has a profound impact on the leadership team as well as theminister/pastor, for it becomes important for all involved toundergo a “missional conversion” and to be carried by a missionalcalling and vision. They must discern for themselves their missionalvocation and live a life in the presence of God and practisespiritual disciplines to be formed through Scripture as disciples ofJesus Christ.

The identity of the church is discipleship (Niemandt 2013:53)– “The best way to start a movement for the kingdom of God is toshow what it means to follow Jesus”. “The place of leadership is tobe at the front of the community, living out the implications and

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actions of the missional church of God, so all can see what it lookslike to be the people of God.” (Van Kooten & Barrett 2004:148). Thisinner transformation the leader experiences is the realisation thatleadership is nothing more than a function of the church; the trueidentity of the church is discipleship (Niemandt 2013:37); whichmeans that the strong division between leaders and followers isquickly dissolving, as the congregation’s direction is not dependentupon the vision of one leader, but on the shared values that developfrom the intensive and relational interaction between all themembers of the congregation (Niemandt 2013:34). Thus the importanceof communication cannot be overstated – the success oforganic/relational leadership is defined by continuing and intensivecommunication.

3.3. Discernment as the first step in missionAs we have already seen, a missional church is a community offollowers called by the Spirit on a journey of discernment (VanGelder & Zscheile 2011:151). The church is the pilgrim people of God(Newbigin 1978:1); and missional leadership is a turn towardsdiscernment by God’s pilgrim people. Discernment is the first andmost decisive step on this missional journey, the most prominentcontour of missional leadership and a core practice of Christianleadership (see also Sweet 2004:59), as discernment is the art ofreading the times and signs (on which our very life depends).

In other words, a key aspect where missional leadership isconcerned, is “the discernment of (the) missional vocation” (VanKooten & Barrett 2004:139) of the congregation. The church’sfunction can thus be described as participation in God’s mission tothe world and the whole of creation (Cordier 2014:82). It is forthis reason that the first and most fundamental function ofmissional leadership is to constantly refocus the congregation’sattention towards God, to discern in faith whether God is present,where He is already at work in the congregation’s context throughhis Spirit, in order to determine where the congregation can becomean active part of God’s already existing mission (Cordier 2014:82).“Listening attentively to the Word, to one another, and to the worldis central to participating in God’s mission. The listening must beaccompanied by discernment – the Christian practice of attending toGod’s call for Christian communities corporately, and for each of uspersonally” (Van Gelder & Zscheile 2011:151). Therefore the

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missional congregation can most strongly be associated withbelievers and a church that are constantly moving, with aspirituality of pilgrims on their journey (Cordier 2014:83; Niemandt2013:78). So a missional spirituality steers clear of the idea thatGod is distant and uninvolved in daily life – a missional theologybuilds upon the foundation that God is present and involved, andthat His desire is for the transformation of individuals, groups andinstitutions (Niemandt 2013:78). It is for this reason thatdiscernment is such an important and decisive first step in theprocess of joining God in his mission; and one of the key aspects ofmissional leadership, along with creativity and innovation (Niemandt2013:79). To help clarify this even more, we will now look at thedifferences between faithful discernment and strategic leadership(SAVGG Konsultantehandleiding 2008:55):

God wants to be known, that is why He still keeps revealingHimself to his congregations. Discerning leadership lives withthe expectation that we are constantly able to learn newthings about God.

Faithful discernment is not a skill, but a gift from God;found when we humbly search for God’s will because we know wedo not have the wisdom.

In the process of faithful discernment my insights become ourinsights; since God does not lead us in isolation, but for theedification of the congregation.

All of the above implies that the start of faithfuldiscernment is the deliberate leaving behind of power and thesuspension of all our preconceived ideas and beliefs, so thatwe can become beggars before God.

If, with this process, a consensus is reached, all involvedrest in the knowledge that God has answered.

Faithful discernment is thus about living with the expectation thatGod will answer; that we will not stare blindly at our own rationalunderstanding and our own solutions, but that we wait expectantlyfor those from the living God (Cordier 2014:84).

The skill of discerning is the door to transformation, torenewal of our personal lives, and to the beginning of the renewalof faith communities and the world. As such, discernment is thebiggest single challenge facing spiritual leaders in this world ofchanging contexts; for it involves both divine disclosure and thehuman shaping of God’s word (Osmer 2008:134), and entails listening

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to this Word and interpreting it in ways that address particularsocial conditions, events, and decisions before congregations (Osmer2008:135). “Discernment is the activity of seeking God’s guidanceamid the circumstances, events, and decisions of life” (Osmer2008:137), “that cultivates within the community the discernment ofmissional vocation” (Van Kooten & Barrett 2004:139). “Listeningattentively to the Word, to one another, and to the world is centralto participating in God’s mission; (but only) if the listening isaccompanied by discernment – the Christian practice of attending toGod’s call for Christian communities corporately and for each of uspersonally” (Van Gelder & Zscheile 2011:151).

In doing so, the church affirms that the purpose of God’smission is fullness of life (John 10:10), and that this is thecriterion for discernment in mission (WCC – Together towards Life2013:73). Jesus calls us out of the narrow concerns of our ownkingdom, our own liberation and our own independence (Acts 1:6) byunveiling to us a larger vision and empowering us by the Holy Spiritto go “to the ends of the earth” as witnesses in each context oftime and space to God’s justice, freedom and peace. Our calling isto point all to Jesus, rather than to ourselves or our institutions,looking out for the interests of others rather than our own (cf.Philippians 2:3-4).

One of the gifts of the Spirit is discernment of spirits (1Corinthians 12:10). We discern the Spirit of God wherever life inits fullness is affirmed and in all its dimensions, includingliberation of the oppressed, healing and reconciliation of brokencommunities and the restoration of the creation. We also discernevil spirits wherever forces of death and destruction of lifeprevail (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:56). The Holy Spirit isthe Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:3; Ephesians 1:17) and guides intoall truth (John 16:13). The Spirit inspires human cultures andcreativity, so it is part of our mission to acknowledge, respect andcooperate with life-giving wisdoms in every culture and context (WCC– Together towards Life 2013:57).

Where the practical art of discernment is concerned, it meansthe asking of two defining important questions (Niemandt 2013:55):

What is God up to? What is the Spirit doing in this world?What is God up to in our neighbourhoods and communities?

What does God want to do? What is God’s dream? How does itlook when things are set right in a broken, sinful world; when

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it is redeemed and restored to what God has always intendedfor the world?

One is reminded of Newbigin’s (1978:64) focus on the eschatologicalnature of the church – the hope that God’s preferred future invitesall creation to participate in God’s new creation. But this meansthat the church will have to learn to look differently at the world– with a hermeneutic of love, one that expects to see the livingGod’s works of love in this world (Niemandt 2013:80). In order toaccomplish this, Heath (2008:119) asks: “What if we looked at ourworld...‘with pity and not with blame’? What if we heard God's callto evangelize out of love instead of fear, hope instead of judgment?What if we saw sin for the complex mixture it is, grounded in woundsand unmet needs? What if we automatically tried to see the ‘totalfact’ of others? In short, what would it mean to read our world witha hermeneutic of love?” Wright (2014: loc.2807) says that thetransformative genius of the early church was its ability to embodythe outgoing, practical love of God for all people. I find hisdescription of the focus of love particularly helpful:

One of the primary things about love is that it stronglyand radically affirms the person or thing that is loved. Itdoesn’t try to manipulate him, her, or it, or to pull itout of shape; it desires the best for its object and worksto bring that best about. But, at the same time, genuinelove, whether for a person or an object, a tree, a star, amountain, or a piece of literature, can never be objectivein the sense of offering a detached, fly-on-the-wallperspective (Wright 2014:loc.2199).

4. Core capacities of missional leaders in developingmissional congregations4.1. Apostolic leadershipThe first role given to missional leaders, in their journey towards helping establishing missional congregations is that of “apostle” or“sent one” (Cordier 2014:264). The missional leader is, first and foremost, someone that has been sent by God – that is overwhelmed bythe mission Dei – and exemplifies and models the spirituality, values and habits of the missional lifestyle. The implication is that a missional leader’s own journey with God – especially his/her willingness to be constantly embarking on a new journey with God –

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together with his/her apostolic formation is most fundamental when considering him/her for the role of leading a congregation on the journey to becoming missional (Cordier 2014:264). It is not primarily about strategic thinking or management, but about a grounded and integrated missional theology and an awareness of his/her calling; in which a thorough and internalised knowledge of missional theology – both the mission Dei and the mission ecclesiae – is non-negotiable (Cordier 2014:265).

Of course, this knowledge component is not just about intellectual agreement – it presupposes knowledge that has been internalised and which is expressed in a new discovery of the self and a renewed awareness of calling (Cordier 2014:265); for calling within the missional paradigm is vastly different from calling in the traditional paradigm – both where material and content are concerned (Niemandt 2013:51). In today’s world, missional leadershipis all about being a “first follower” or “pilgrim” (Hirsch & Catchim2012:162-165).For this to be possible, personal submission to Christ, and a commitment to an ever-deepening relationship with the Triune God must be the point of departure (Niemandt 2013:53-4). Therefore, a missional leader is first of all a disciple and follower of Jesus, sensitive to the movements of the Holy Spirit, who makes his/her spiritual formation through study of the Word, prayer, and the daily practice of spiritual disciplines priority (Cordier 2014:266; Niemandt 2013:54). This will result, as a naturalconsequence, in the strengthening of the missional leader’s personalintegrity and knowledge of themselves (Cordier 2014:266).

4.2. Rebuilding language housesThe well-known Canadian philosopher – Charles Taylor – says that allthe different stories that form part of our lives creates what herefers to as “social imaginary”. This social imaginary determineshow people understand their being in the world – especially withother people and entities. Here the pertinent questions are: How dopeople adjust to each other? How is the mutual flow of relationshipsand expectations organised? And what are the underlying norms thatinfluence these expectations? Social imaginary shows us how humanbeings make sense of the world, and is transferred through language,but especially through story. The well-known organisational expert,Peter Senge (1994:235,237), refers to mental models – the images,assumptions, and stories that we have within our thoughts regarding

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ourselves, other people, institutions, and every other aspect ofreality. The Old Testament theologian, Walter Brueggemann, explainsthat language and stories are used to build “houses of language”;complex houses wherein all of us exist/live. It is through languagethat the world opens up to us and becomes understandable; even more,it is with language that we build our language houses, our reality(Branson 2007:95). This “language house” is composed of many stories– some of these stories differ quite radically, still others areconstantly fighting each other to become our life’s great narrative– all of whom give content to our search for what being humanmeans; to help us define who and what we really are (Roxburgh2011:61).

Missional leaders are characterised by exactly this ability – they are able to help people realise the extent and impact of their language houses, thus opening up the door for change/remodelling. The missional leader provides a missional hermeneutic; i.e. the theological foundation and grounding in support of the journey towards mission, while always remaining a student that is constantlyreading and thinking about what “being called” means, in this way acting as missional conscience – constantly reminding the congregation of its “sent” or missional identity and calling (Cordier 2014:267). In order to do so, the importance of the use of missional language cannot be overstated – it is the responsibility of the missional leader to create and establish missional language –a language that accentuates our “being sent” – and to dream in such a way that the congregation cannot but buy into it and let it becometheir identity, the main influence on the way they see and understand themselves (Cordier 2014:268). “We are invited into the story, not because the drama depends on us, but because God chose tocelebrate the story of his triune life with us and amongst us” (Green & Robinson 2008:111).

In order to be able to achieve this, three interrelated skills are needed (Cordier 2014:268):

A Missional Biblical hermeneutic; or the ability to unlock theBiblical message hermeneutically from a missional perspective.

The use of coherent missional language – in order to consistently communicate the Bible’s missional perspective, missional leaders have to be able to create new language with which the congregation is able to articulate its missional identity.

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Good, energetic and enthusiastic communication that is able tocarry people along. Missional leaders have to be able to communicate in such a way that the congregation cannot but buyinto the congregation’s movement towards mission, as they are already being taken on the journey through the missional leader’s words and being energised by his/her passion and enthusiasm.

4.3. Facilitator of cultural changeAs discussed above, the missional leader guides the congregation in the process of adapting and/or revitalising/changing their culture (Cordier 2014:269). It is thus of the utmost importance that the missional leader is empowered in those capacities that make him/her proficient at changing and shaping culture; as the process of changing a culture is a very demanding task, one that most leaders historically are not prepared for. Of course, these much-needed capacities cannot be summed up under one header, but they do form a “cluster” that empowers the missional leaders for the complex journey of changing culture on many different levels (Cordier 2014:269). The cluster can be grouped and described as follows (Cordier 2014:270-2): The capacity to handle change and uncertainty,bolstered by a deep and passionate conviction and commitment that this transformation is indeed God’s will for the congregation. But alongside this conviction, there is also the need for openness, a constant desire to learn, and a willingness to change; which again requires maturity in terms of handling conflict, resistance, and critique – transformation causes conflict, and the ability to handleconflict in a mature fashion, and to see it as an opportunity for growth is essential to the success of any missional leader. This, ofcourse, asks for patience and perseverance; for this journey is a long one, where quick-fix answers, solutions or people are not what is needed for lasting success.

But, since the traditional training that most leaders in ministry have had, did not equip them to be naturally adept at changing or creating culture, knowledge in terms of the different elements that shape any culture, combined with the ability to changeculture, have become of primary/central importance (Cordier 2014:272). The capacities necessary to bring about a change in culture have to start with knowledge of the existing culture in a congregation, with the capacity to fully understand and respect the

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existing culture because of the theological identity from which the “listening to the other” originates (Cordier 2014:273). The missional leader has to have the courage and conviction of their owntheological identity, for it is only then that true listening becomes possible. This process of true listening unlocks within the missional leader the ability to both understand and facilitate the transformation process, as opposed to the mere management of programmes, with imaginative creativity and innovation. For creativity is the ability to see that things do not have to go on asthey always have, to recognise new possibilities and dream new dreams (Cordier 2014:274). But, for the process of change to be successful, the missional leader needs to be able to become the bridge between different parties in order to accomplish integration;and for that, he/she needs to be deemed trustworthy. When all of these things are in place, the missional leader is granted the capacity to build and empower leadership on all levels of the congregation; becoming a mentor capable of seeing others’ talents and gifts, binding them together into an effective and motivated missional team, and helping them to develop missional practices and disciplines as part of their missional spirituality (Cordier 2014:275). This includes, but is not limited to (Cordier 2014:276-7): the capacity to form and establish missional habits within the congregation; the ability to embrace strangers and strangeness, to cross boundaries and encourage others to do the same; a willingness and capacity to experiment and take risks, thereby embracing change and discerning God’s presence and activities in that change. As AlanRoxburgh (2011:26) puts it: “When we are truly seeking to know what it means to be God’s people, we will want to know what God is up to in our neighbourhoods and communities and what it means for the gospel to be lived out and proclaimed in this time and place. The matter of getting someone to church is utterly secondary to these insights. Now we are in a place where ecclesiology isn’t the issue. Missiology is”.

4.4 Missional spirituality as basis of being a spiritual guideon the road to developing missional congregations.

A missional church is characterised by a missional spirituality. This is a transformative spirituality (WCC – Together towards Life 2013:57) that gives meaning to our lives and stimulates, motivates and gives dynamism to life’s journey. Missional spirituality is a

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spiritual awareness of God's presence and of life in the Trinity. Asthe Triune God is active in giving and receiving love, joy, and delight within the Godhead, we are invited to participate in this giving and receiving. It is this movement of worship and mission that allows us to view leadership as a participative activity (Horsthuis 2011:94). It is an imperative in the journey of transformation and being transformed. It is a spirituality of the everyday, as all spirituality is missional spirituality. Missional spirituality is a spirituality for the road, one that you can carry with you into the rough-and-tumble of everyday life (Helland & Hjalmarson 2011:loc 53). Spirituality is the heart of mission praxis(Kritzinger & Saayman 2011:189). A transformative spirituality serves missional leadership. Missional spirituality does not differ from “normal” spirituality, for a life in faith is a life of being adisciple of Jesus of Nazareth. All spirituality ought to be missional spirituality. Wright (2008:270) says that there is no justification for a private piety that doesn’t work out in actual mission. The focus is on missional spirituality and not on missionary spirituality. Missionary spirituality has been defined by Matthey (2010:247) as the spirituality of people emphasising the need to cross frontiers to preach the gospel to those who do not yet know it. He places missional spirituality in a more holistic perspective,and describes spirituality as “…a way of life, a relational attitudenourished by a theological worldview in a frame shaped by the famoustriangle of faith, hope and love in 1 Corinthians 13” (Matthey 2010:251). “Missional” refers to the church participating in God’s mission, where the Triune God is the agent of mission and the churchand Christians are called and sent to participate in this mission (see Guder 1998:1-6; Bevans & Schroeder 2011:13-17; and Matthey 2010:251). Doornenbal’s (2012:212) description is to the point – missional spirituality is a spirituality that forms and feeds mission. Hunter (2010:236) calls it formation – learning to live thealternative reality of the kingdom of God within the present world faithfully. Formation is about changing lives. This is possible because of the new possibilities opened up by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Wright 2008:5). Wright’s (2008:46) understanding of the early Christians still applies to the church, where he states that Christians were “…charged with transforming the present, as faras they were able, in the light of the future”. But transformation

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is only possible if it is nourished by spirituality. It is for this reason that missional spirituality is imperative in missional transformation (Helland & Hjalmarson 2011:loc.107). It is clear thatthe role of the minister as professional pastor or professional technician or professional manager is replaced by a focus on spiritual leadership and spiritual formation.Spiritual leadership involves two aspects closely related to each other (Cordier 2014:224-5):

Spiritual discernment. The minister as spiritual leader himself possesses the ability to discern and to establish spiritual discernment as a practice amongst the leadership team and the congregation; and

Faith formation and discipleship. The minister as spiritual leader himself lives a lifestyle of discipleship and focusses on the spiritual coaching and formation of members within the congregation towards Biblical formation and discipleship.

Congregational ministers find the shift towards “spiritual leadership” to be the most challenging of all (Cordier 2014:205-8, 226, 236-9). It seems as if congregational ministers find the shifttowards spiritual director or mentor very difficult (Cordier 2014:226).

5. ConclusionThe next focus in the missional story will clearly be the issue ofdeveloping missional congregations. Congregational life arecentral to the idea of missional church, and I am deeply convincedthat congregations can still and will play an important role inGod’s mission. The missional potential of congregations areunlocked by missional leadership. In this sense, the important andindispensable role of pastors/ministers must be recognised in themissional transformation of congregations. Research in missionalcongregations in South Africa revealed core capacities of missionalleaders. The capacities needed by the minister for missionalformation are related to the fourfold role identified for theminister as missional leader and differ radically from what isneeded for the traditional ministry for which ministers were mostlytrained. Capacities to empower the minister for his role as apostle(or disciple), theologian and cultivator of language, facilitator of the process ofadaptive cultural change, and as spiritual director or mentor are of keyimportance and may be regarded as core capacities necessary for a

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congregational minister to successfully facilitate the formation ofa missional congregational culture and –practice.

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