Why Missional Communities?

by Ruel Guerrero

Why Missional Commu- Some people think that doing missional communities (more commonly
nities? known as house church, simple church, or organic church) is just a
methodology and at best a passing fad. I want to publish here some
foundational apologetics for doing missional communities as a response
to Christ’s commands. These foundational reasons should properly
guide us to understand why we do what we do. And, if somewhere
along our journey we find a better way to obey Christ’s commands, then
let’s dialogue so that together we can follow the path He has prepared
before us.

We are commanded to This is the most important consideration in determining how we are
Love One Another supposed to be church. The command to love one another must be ac-
complished as we gather. If only a part of the church is able to fulfill this
command in the context of our gatherings, then we must analyze where
we are going wrong. Paul taught that our gatherings should serve to
build up the church. Our love for each other must serve to build up the
church. Let us take a hard look at how the early church fulfilled this
command.

We must be a priesthood Peter wrote that we are a priesthood of ALL believers, not just some
of ALL believers believers. The way we are church must be seen in how all of us, not just
a privileged and trained few, are priests. If there is a select group of
priests in the church, then we need to consider well how we can ALL be
priests.

We are ordered to teach In the Great Commission, Jesus ordered that we teach His commands.
Jesus’ Commands There is no distinction as to who He was talking to. All disciples are
commanded to teach. We need to look at church and see if indeed
every believer is given the opportunity to teach His commands. In addi-
tion, are we really teaching Jesus’ commands? Or are we teaching the
commands of our human leaders?

We are commanded to In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded that we disciple all na-
Disciple All Nations tions. When we do church the way the West does church, are we able
to effectively reach anti-Western nations and people groups? How are
we to disciple such nations without converting them to Western culture?

We are commanded to How effective are we in loving our neighbor in the context of the modern
Love God by Loving Our church? Or are we trying to love God in more or less religious and ritual-
Neighbor istic ways rather than in the way insinuated by the Greatest Command-
ments?

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 We must be 24/7 Chris- Is it possible to be a 24/7 Christian in the theological perspective of
tians modern churches? How did the early church practice its 24/7 Christian-
ity? What sort of church will more effectively encourage and support 24/
7 Christianity?

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