Missions Blog

If you have been around The Well for any length of time you have heard the challenge to not COME to church, but rather to BE the church. We believe that all of us are on mission with God to, “help people connect to God and to each other in every neighborhood”. So what does it look like to be on mission with God?

John 20:21 states that, “As the Father has sent me (Jesus), so I send you (follower of Jesus).

Jesus is our model of mission. Jesus incarnated himself in our world and calls us to see ourselves as SENT with Gospel intentionality in every facet of our lives. We often think of “mission” as some event that we need to do, but what would happen if we started to see and feel a sense of mission in the ordinary rhythms of our lives?

Below is an attempt to give some simple and practical ideas, not an exhaustive list, to get all of us thinking about what it means to BE the church where we Live, Work, and Play. The ordinary rhythms of llfe as SENT people. Hopefully this is a life giving way to see that your life (that you already live) can be lived on purpose and as a sent person. As you read these ideas below you will also be challenged to slow down and create space in your life. As a society we are often running at such a frantic pace that we have no margin to be intentional for others. If we are to do this we must say, “No” to good things so we can say, “Yes!” to better things.

So in review simple ways to be missional is all about doing these things...

• In the normal rhythms of life, but being intentional to meet and engage new people
• Prayerfully watching and listening to the Holy Spirit to discern where God is working
• Looking to boldly, humbly, and contextually proclaim the Gospel in word and deed

Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself!

Being missional where you LIVE

1. Eat with neighbors and have them over for dinner
2. Do yard work instead of hiring someone, so that you can be outside in your neighborhood
3. Walk your dog regularly around the same time in your neighborhood
4. Prayer walk for your neighborhood (pray for people, homes, business, groups, needs)
5. Pass out goods to neighbors (fresh bread, cookies, brownies, etc)
6. Grow a garden so you have fruits and veggies to pass out to neighbors
7. Ask your neighbors for stuff you do not have (eggs, floor, tools, etc)
8. Attend events when you are invited to by your neighbors
9. Ask longtime residents to help you learn about the neighborhood
10. Start a neighborhood Facebook group
11. Start a weekly open meal night in your home
12. Move events from the backyard to the frontyard
13. Use cultural holidays to be missional
1. Throw a 4th of July Block Party
2. Have an Easter Egg Hunt on your block and invite your neighbors and use their yards
3. Host a Halloween party in front of your house
4. Host a sports game watching party (Super Bowl, Olympics, etc)
5. Give flowers to all the mother’s on your street on Mother’s Day
14. Start hosting a playdate for other stay-at-home parents or offer to babysit neighbor kids so they can have a date night
15. Serve your neighbors (weed their garden, help them move, fix car, etc)
16. Talk to local neighborhood association, police department or fire station to see if there are any needs
17. Organize a blocksale
18. Host a movie night and discussion afterwards
19. Start a walking/running group in the neighborhood
20. Get involved in your community and join community events
1. Join the Fresno or Clovis Citizens Academy to learn more about your city
2. Get involved in your kids school PTA or attend your local school board meetings
3. Look for other events and join in

Being missional where you WORK

1. Eat with co-workers.
1. Instead of eating lunch alone, intentionally eat with other co-workers and learn their story
2. Start a regular lunch out with co-workers (don’t be selective on the invites)
3. Organize a weekly/monthly potluck to make lunch a bit more exciting
4. Create a regular time to invite co-workers over or out for drinks
5. Bring breakfast (donuts, burritos, cereal, etc) once a month for everyone in your department
2. Get to work early so you can spend some time praying for your co-workers and the day ahead
3. Make it a daily priority to speak or write encouragement when someone does good work
4. Make an effort to avoid gossip in the office. Be a voice of thanksgiving not complaining
5. Work in public places (engage with culture as you work or plan)
6. Find others that live near you and create a carpool
7. Be the first person to greet and welcome co-workers
8. Go out of your way to talk to your janitor and cleaning people who most people overlook
9. Start/join a city league team with your co-workers
10. Lead the charge in organizing other to help co-workers in need
11. Join city events or serve together
1. Bike to Work Day (http://ibikefresno.org)
2. Kid’s Day (http://www.fresnobee.com/kidsday)
3. Non-Profits (Fresno Foodbank, Poverello, Habitat, etc)

Being missional where you PLAY

1. Be a regular (Adopt a cafe, pub, park and shop so you become a regular and be known).
2. Instead of launching something new join what is already existing (volunteer with a local non-profit and bring others with you)
3. If you have kids...
1. take them to story time at your local library
2. take them to Home Depot/Lowes for kid’s project days
3. have them play in city sports leagues
4. Hobby with non-Christians (pick up a hobby that you can do with others, don’t join a church league, but join a non-Christian league)
5. Participate in city or local community events (go to fundraisers, festivals, clean-ups, summer shows, and concerts)
6. Tip generously at local restaurants, coffee shops and bars

Hopefully this list got you thinking...

After reading this list, what do you think God is calling you to do?

Now, what are you going to to do about it?

• Missions