** The following are my notes from a breakout session from Exponential 2014. **
Workshop 3
Michael Frost
5 habits of a missional Christian
Bless 3people every week
One must be a non Christian, one from the church, and one from either.
It can be any sort of kindness, gift giving, or even well placed word.
Eat with 3people every week.
Illustration of the art show.
Story is too fascinating for me to try to write down.
You become a spiritual introduction agency.
Third, learn to listen to the Holy Spirit.
Go to a silent space.
Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
You really need discernment about where to go, what to laugh at, where the line is.
It is easy to be in church with other Christians.
It is easy to just become worldly.
Aiming for proper balance is hard.
(This is the point that I would find most difficult to learn to apply from my theological direction. However, being filled with the Spirit or led by the Spirit is certainly biblical, and thus is a topic I need to respond to.)
Fourth, learn Jesus.
Spend at least one meaningful length of time focusing specifically on Jesus.
Read the gospels over and over.
Do not give a weak picture of Jesus.
Become an expert on Jesus.
People are not asking about the gospel, they are asking about Jesus.
Can you tell about Jesus in an easy and common way?
Illustration of talking to surfers.
They all could tell facts about their favorites.
We need to be able to talk about Jesus like these folks can talk about their favorite athlete’s.
Most people cannot tell you much of anything about Jesus.
As the businessman said to Frost, “You’ve got a bloody good product, but your delivery system is screwed.”
Can you tell about Jesus in 2 minutes?
Fifth, how are you sent?
Journal about all the ways that you can see that God has sent you to do his work this week.
B.E.L.L.S.
Bless
Eat
Listen
learn
Sent
Abolish the laity in your church.
(I know what he means here, but I’m not sure I like that terminology. Every member is a minister, and that is the point to emphasize.)
As you do the 5 things, you change.
If you bless, you become generous.
If you eat, you become hospitable.
You become spirit led.
You conform to Christ.
You see yourself as a missionary.
Habits can unleash values.
We need to form an alternate set of habits that unleash the values of the reign of God.
Pastor Travis Peterson 