Evidence suggests that the Christian church has entered a historic transition in its relationship to the broader culture. In what some call post-Christendom, the church no longer holds an advantaged position in many places. Some Christians lament this development. Others believe that the disruptive change provides an opportunity for the church’s renovation.
Marks of the Missional Church: Ecclesial Practices for the Sake of the World proposes a journey toward a revitalized ecclesiology. Structured around the four Nicene marks of the church (in reverse order)—apostolic, catholic, holy, one—the authors write from the conviction that the marks not only describe the nature of the church, but also set its rhythm. Ecclesial practices form ways a missional community exemplifies the marks. When the church embodies in concrete acts what it believes, as empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church becomes in real time what it is by God’s design.
Stories from fifteen missional communities show the marks in motion. Prompts and questions will help groups of any size to meaningfully discuss how they might more effectively live into the missio Dei. In Marks of the Missional Church, the authors encourage the church to intentionally engage in those spiritual practices that form it as the body of Christ so it might courageously participate in God’s redemptive mission for the benefit of the whole world.
