MISSIONal includes 'mission' right?

I have been challenged by the shift to becoming a missional church, joining with what God is doing in the world. Realizing God's church doesn't necessarily have a mission as much as God's mission having a church (paraphrase from Michael Frost).

One area that I'm in this conversation is slipping away from evangelism.

I can't seem to think I can be missional without being on mission. And I can't seem to ignore that the Great CoMISSION is about seeing people follow Jesus.

Of course we must BE THE GOSPEL in the world, but I think that would come alongside (whether before or after) SHARING THE GOSPEL to the world.

I want to see both.

I understand my lack of being can destroy the credibility of my sharing. I can't forget that. Also, I can't be something only in order to share something - that would then be inauthentic. (more on this in another post)

So I loved this recent post by Ed Stetzer, asking us if we are converting people to our cause (new kind of church, new kind of worship, new kind of expressions) or converting people to Jesus.

READ IT HERE - he says it better than me.

I like Dan Kimball's comment:

If missional does not involve new disciples being made who were not followers of Jesus before - then I can't see it being "mission" as what I believe the Bible teaches and demonstrates.

(you can read a series of posts/messages out of 1 Peter 1-2 highlighting missional)