The Missional Canyon

Once upon a time, when I “wore young men’s clothes” (Billy Joel), a group of us was exploring the back mountain roads of Colorado. Our progress was halted by an obstruction in the road. It was a large vehicle with some specialized function for repairing road. There it sat in the middle of a narrow gravel road. We could not safely turn around or even back out. No one was around to move it for us and we had no clue how to operate it. One of our number, it might have been me, boldly climbed into the operator’s seat and found a way to get it started. Someone ask, “You know how to drive this beast?” “No idea” I said “but I got it started.” When I looked over my left shoulder and down a 300 foot drop I reconsidered my plan to move the thing. We slowly back out of the situation and we found a way to turn around. For a brief moment, my friends were hopeful. For a time they really thought I could pull it off and provide a way to escape that we might continue our progress. I disappointed them; but, hey, at least, I tried.

This is how I view the self appointed leaders of the “renewal” movement. They have boldly climbed behind the wheel and it looks like they may have a plan to circumnavigate our spiritual impasse. (I once was hopeful.) I am still willing to follow their leadership. My problem is, I cannot do so blindly. I need some evidence that they know how to move the thing in a reasonable direction. I really don’t want to end up (or remain) at the bottom of some dismissal ecclesiastical crevasse.

The wording of their purpose is baffling. They speak of a “way forward” within the PC(USA) that is “biblically faithful and missionally focused.” The second phrase is pointless. It simply does not carry a meaning that I can find. I would love an example of an action that is biblically faithful and not “missionally focused.” I can think of many focused actions that are not biblically faithful - that might even be considered "missional." I don’t trust a movement where the leaders need to manufacture ambiguity in order to describe their aim. 

Let’s drop the buzz word “missional.” As best I can tell, it is the name of a warehouse storing poorly considered plans - where novelty justifies itself. It is an invitation to compromise the Gospel. That is what is behind the juxtaposition of the two terms “biblically faithful” to “missionally focused.” They surely know that one will comprise the other.