3. Create a "missional" mindset that shapes Christians and includes non-Christians together.
In Acts 2 and I Cor. 14:23ff we see nonbelievers attracted and challenged by worship. We learn 1) nonbelievers are expected in worship, 2) nonbelievers must find worship challenging and comprehensible, not comfortable. In city centers where there are a mixture of worldviews, it is crucial to include both Christians and non-Christians in the same service—even in many of the other meetings and ministries of the church. It's not best to segregate them (ala Willow Creek) or exclude them (as the typical conservative church does.) Why?
In a mixed group, when the preacher speaks somewhat more to non-Christians, the Christians present learn how to share the faith. This is extremely important today. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Christians to just share the gospel without doing apologetics. The old, canned quickie-training programs cannot prepare a Christian for dealing with the range of intellectual and personal difficulties people have with the Christian faith. They need to hear the preacher dealing winsomely and intelligently with the problems of nonbelievers week in and week out. This is excellent training.
On the other hand, when the preacher speaks more to Christians, the non-Christians present come to see how Christianity "works". More deeply secular postmodern non-Christians tend to decide on the faith on more pragmatic grounds. They do not examine in a detached intellectual way. They are much more likely to make their commitment through a long process of mini-decisions. They will want to try Christianity on, see how it fits their problems and how it fleshes out in real life.
In short, a city-center church should not only "do mission" or "do evangelism." Every part of its ministry should be geared routinely to contain non-Christians and to expect non-Christians to be overhearing what we are saying and doing. How?
a. Keep the quality of speaking, music, and program very high,-which is more inclusive. For example, if you know the musician personally, but the musician isn't very good, you still get something out of the musical offering. If you don't know the musician and the music isn't good—you get nothing out of it! So the better the quality of the art, the more inclusive it is to outsiders and guests.
b. Discourse in the vernacular in conducting worship, preaching, teaching, small groups.
Postmodern people are extremely sensitive to anything that smacks of artifice to them. Anything that is too polished, too controlled or too canned seems like salesmanship. They will be turned off if they hear the preacher use non-inclusive gender language or make cynical remarks about other religions or use tones of voice they consider artificial.
Do not avoid the use of Biblical terminology, but take great pains to explain such terms in ways that are readily understandable to those without theological background. Especially avoid citing the Bible or making explanations with the tone of "Everyone intelligent knows this!"
Avoid sentimental, pompous, austere, archaic, colloquial, or emotionally manipulative "inspirational talk." Avoid "tribal" language, that is unnecessarily stylized, evangelical pious jargon and archaic language that seeks to set a spiritual tone, (e.g. typical "prayer language"). Avoid "we-them" language, such as disdainful jokes that mock people of different politics and beliefs, and dismissive, disrespectful comments about those who differ may not agree with us.
Instead, engage with the gentle, self-deprecating but joyful irony the gospel creates. There is a true "gospel-irony" and realism that is a mixture of humility and joy. We also work to not run ahead of nonbelievers in being so emotionally expressive that we leave them behind or scare them. Unless all this is the outflow of a gospel-changed heart, it is all just marketing and "spin."
c. Speak to include both Christians and non-Christians in the same meetings.
Keep emotion and sentimentality under control. The average educated non-Christian feels excluded by intense emotion in the service.
Logic. Do not assume that the people out there all have the same premises. Never exhort point D if it is based on A, B and C without referring to A, B and C. Constantly lay groundwork statements about the authority of the Bible or the reasons we believe, etc.
Apologetic sidebars. Try to devote one of the three or four sermon points more to nonbelievers. Keep in your head a list of the top-ten biggest objections people have to Christianity. More often than not, the particular Scripture text has some way to address those objections.
Application. You have to literally address non-Christians and Christians, almost doing dialogue with them. "If you are committed to Christ, you may be thinking this, but the text answers that fear." Or "If you are not a Christian or not sure what you believe, then you surely must think that this is narrow-minded, but the text says this, that speaks to this very issue."
Ground teaching in cultural references and authorities your listeners trust. It is critical to "keep up" in order to preach in New York City and other city centers. In general, my audience does not trust the Bible very much, and so I need to generously document and support my points with corroborating opinions from all the books and periodicals that the professionals of New York City read. If I read what they read, then a) I can use the Bible to answer the questions that are on their minds, not my mind, and b) I can show how often the Bible already was teaching this long before this contemporary authority said it.
In general talk as if nonbelieving people are present even if they aren't.
Always, always expect to be overheard by nonbelievers. Continually address concerns of the wider community, not just of the Christians. Show how the grace of God favors the poor and outsiders. Celebrate deeds of justice and mercy and common citizenship in the community.
Constantly anticipate and address the concerns, objections and reservations of the skeptical or "spiritual pilgrims" with the greatest respect and sympathy. Always express doubting points of view very, very persuasively and respectfully before you answer them. For example, don't ever say, "The Bible says this!" without adding, "Now I know that sounds outrageous to some of you, but I hope you'll consider this…" If you don't add that, you make the doubters present feel invisible, like their concerns don't matter. (This must be a true spiritual respect, not phony in any way. If the gospel is affecting you, you will be deeply sympathetic with those who struggle to believe, never haughty.)
If you speak and discourse as if your whole neighborhood is present, eventually more and more of your neighborhood will find their way in or be invited. Why? 1) Postmodern people "try on" Christianity through dozens of mini-decisions. They want to see how it works. 2) Speak in this way and Christians will feel free to include church events as part of their friendship-building. Otherwise, they simply won't! Most Christians, even when they are very edified in church, know intuitively that their non-Christian friends would not appreciate the service. What you want is for a Christian to come to your church and say, "Oh! I wish my non-Christian friend could see (or hear) this!" If this is forgotten, soon even a growing church will be filled with Christians who commute in from various towns and communities far and wide rather than filling up with Christians and seekers from your church's immediate neighborhoods.
Solve people's problems with the gospel, not just with "trying harder" to live according to the Bible.
At the root of all Christian failures to live right (i.e., not give their money generously, not tell the truth, not care for the poor, not handle worry and anxiety), is the sin under all sins, the sin of unbelief, of not rejoicing deeply in God's grace in Christ, of not living out of our new identity in Christ. This means that every week in a different way the minister must apply the gospel of salvation by grace through faith through Christ's work. Thus, every week the non-Christians get exposed to the gospel in its most practical and varied forms (not just in a repetitious "Four Spiritual Laws" way.) That's what pragmatic postmoderns need.
More deeply secular, postmodern non-Christians tend to decide on the faith on more pragmatic grounds. They do not examine in a detached intellectual way. They also are much more likely to make their commitment over a long process of mini-decisions. They must be allowed that process
Sum: If the Sunday service and sermon aim primarily at evangelism, it will bore the saints. If they aim primarily at education, they will bore and confuse unbelievers. If they aim at praising the God who saves by sheer grace they will both instruct the saints and challenge the sinners.
Note: The above does not apply only to worship services. Everything about the church assumes that it is processing people (even many professing Christians) with worldviews that are very different from the gospel. It will take multiple exposures to the gospel in numerous perspectives before worldview change occurs. We assume the presence of people of different worldviews to be present in most aspects of the church's life. Therefore, we don't simply need churches that have evangelism programs tacked on to a congregation that in every other regard assumes the presence of conservative, traditional people; but rather, we need missional churches. That does not mean that everything we do is designed to convert people, but rather that every part of the church is being contextualized and adapted to a culture of people not Christianized and who have modern and postmodern sensibilities.
Case Study - Small groups
Let me show you how this goes beyond any program. A "missional" church has an outward focus to everything. So, for example, what makes a small group missional? A missional small group is not necessarily one that is doing some kind of specific evangelism program (though that is to be recommended.) Rather, 1) its members love and talk positively about the city/neighborhood; 2) they speak in language that is not filled with pious, tribal or technical terms and phrases, nor disdainful and embattled language; 3) in their Bible study they apply the gospel to the core concerns and stories of the culture; 4) they are obviously interested in and engaged with the literature, art and thought of the surrounding culture and can discuss it both appreciatively yet critically; 5) they exhibit deep concern for the poor, generosity with their money, purity and respect toward the opposite sex, humility toward people of other races and cultures; 6) they do not bash other Christians and churches. If these things happen, then seekers and non-believing people from the city will be invited, will come and will stay as they explore spiritual issues. If these marks are not there, then small groups will consist only of believers or traditional, "Christianized" people.
