Characteristics of a Missional Church

Those who feel they are judged or condemned is due to their own consciences.

It is seeker-sensitive which undermines the power of the Spirit. The Church does not belong to this world. Jesus says in Matt 5: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."

hey k, good thots personaly i understood him 2 say that the way we/christians talk and act can b offensive and we don't need 2b. We all know the mess. of Jesus is ofensive-that wont & shouldnt change. agreed-our job is to communicate the fullness of the gospel but sometimes we add layers of judgment/superiority. Jesus did offend mostly religious folk but he loved those who didn't know him treating them with respect/dignity that was gentle but stirring. I think we forget the gentle gracious part

1 Cor 1:17-20 (NIV)
17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Is he saying that Christians should conform their thinking to the world so as to not offend those who are guilty before God? If they aren't offended how will understand the message of the cross?

One thing that really struck me was his last sentence, "I think most non-christians, when they see what christians are obsessed with, they can't even begin to relate to them."

SLAP IN THE FACE!

marvelous. How I wish more christians understood mission that way.

Although Christians should be concerned with problems that non-Christians are concerned about, that shouldn't be the be-all end-all method of drawing people to the body of Christ. The responsibility of a Gospel-preaching church is to emphasize REAL problems that non-Christians typically do not focus on, namely, the problems of SIN, life after death, present life without God, etc. So there is some validity to churches that focus on things that non-Christians do not connect with. Love is the key.

If we don't "Go" to them, how will they COME to us? We should "Go" so that they might "Come". Just another thought.

Are they really supposed to understand? Shouldnt Christians show such a difference in lifestyle that it makes non-believers wonder?

I'm just getting into Missional theology and I gotta say I'm feeling like I'm "coming home" again. This just feels right to me & more importantly, it's apparently more Biblical. However, I'm not sure I agree with the whole "let's bring in the non-believer to church" rhetoric. Why? The church (building) is for believers to be edified and commisioned. Jesus said "Go!" not "Bring them in".
Just my thoughts.