In the last year it seems that God has been stirring in our hearts a new vision for how we might meet several of the needs and desires that came from our Spring vision meeting in 2010. Many people expressed their desire to move beyond their momentary inspiration in a service to actively put into practice what God has been doing in their hearts. It seems that the church in America generally suffers from a spiritual obesity due to a lack of exercise. That is, we all seem to be well fed, but some find it difficult to exercise their faith outside our four walls. So, we asked ourselves what would it look like to create intergenerational mini communities of people who would gather together regularly to practice with each other and teach each other the Jesus Way? Would that be a good thing? We decided it would and began to develop a framework. We are calling that framework a Missional Order.Why do we think this will be good for NMC?

1. People at church, especially newer persons to NMC, have been asking (some even pleading with us) to start a small group ministry.
2. At the 2010 Vision Meeting, 128 people from NMC gathered and said that they desired more involvement in our local community, affirmed our core values, restated a desire for more small groups, expressed an excitement about diversity in the congregation and the worship services, highlighted a hope for more connection with the Holy Spirit, and declared a hunger to grow more in the Lord
3. We have tried to start small groups in various ways with little success.
4. Small groups, cell groups, life groups and other groups have provided places in churches for people to gather together, share life, do Bible studies, pray for each other and socialize. But we have heard that there are many who yearn for more than what these types of groups offer. They want more of a missionally minded, intentional mini Christian community kind of experience where they can practice and teach each other the Jesus Way.

So we came up with the idea of a Missional Order.

What will this look like at NMC?
So what is a Missional Order then? Well, though we have an idea where to start and what it might look like for now, we are beginning something new that is organic and may look different as it grows. We hope that a simple framework can guide us in a common journey together and trust in God that this will be enough to make a good start of it. We will need all those that desire to be a part of a Missional Order to not only practice this with us but also to teach us and others what they learn along the way. These will be collaborative intergenerational mini communities; where all the parts are equal spiritual contributors.

Everyone is invited to participate in a Missional Order but not everyone needs to. We are all at different places in our spiritual journey.

Lastly, a Missional Order is one way of practically living out what Jesus said to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:19-20 “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus Christ

Thus, A Missional Order practices together and teaches each other how to follow the Jesus Way. The promise it that if we do this we will see great things happen in the Kingdom.

• It is called missional because the groups are interested and active in joining together with what God is already doing in them and around them. Practically, this means that groups will become more Anabaptist as they tend actively to their inner expressions of faith and their outer expression of faith. .
• It is called an order because groups are intergenerational mini communities gathering around several practices. Groups choose practices that they are interested in exploring and practicing together as a group. This will make them very organic in nature and each group will look different than the others.
• The five practices that each group will choose will help the group to easily notice God’s activity in their lives and in the world. Practices will also help them to naturally join in God’s activity wherever they see it happening. Your pastoral team is working to come up with nine starting practices to choose from that will be accessible and essential. Some of these might be: lectio divina, contemplative prayer, the examen, a daily office, keeping the sabbath, hospitality, finding God in the ordinary, etc. Others may be created directly out of Matthew 5-7 such as: practicing being salt and light, fasting, alms giving, valuing everyone, non retaliation, etc.
• The groups exist to inspire, encourage, challenge, support and collaborate together around the Jesus practices they have chosen together.
• The hope is that each group’s life together will be evidence that God is truly at work in them and in the world.

What is next if someone wants to be part of a Missional Order at NMC?

1. In a few weeks we will have a pot luck together after the Sunday morning worship service. The date will be decided soon. Everyone interested should bring some food to share for lunch and we will eat together and share more about Missional Orders.
2. On that Sunday we will facilitate the formation of several Missional Order groups.
3. As a pastoral team we will provide support to the groups in various ways that will be explained at the pot luck.

What if someone doesn’t want to be involved? That is fine. They are free to enjoy what they are already doing.