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Dr. Reggie McNeal's Presentation to the Kirk: A Follow-Up
by Bob Heuer, Adult Ministry Committee
Dr. Reggie McNeal visited the Kirk on Wednesday Jan.13, and we may never be the same! Rarely has a speaker elicited the response that Reggie produced on that evening in the refectory. Laughter resounded throughout the hall as he regaled us with rapid-fire quips and one-liners, characterizing the state of “churchianity” and what
we are called to do about it.
He related the story of a Texas congregation whose members pack 1,000 backpacks full of non-perishable food each week, for elemen-tary school kids to take home full on Fridays and bring back empty
on Mondays. He chided North American churches of all denomi-nations for too long being “the vendor of religious goods and services" that most people are no longer looking to acquire, and for too often being internally focused and program-driven, instead of people-driven. He praised the churches that recognize that rather than “leading the 
lost to Jesus,” churches who “get missional” find that the lost will
lead them to Jesus.
Reggie surprised us with statistics reflecting that while mainline churches in North America continue to show sporadic growth at
best, Christianity in the developing world (including China, India and even Pakistan) is adding tens of millions to our ranks through the ‘viral’ growth of home churches. He referred to this as “book of Acts” type of growth.
He added that what’s on God’s heart needs to be on our hearts.
That God has broken out of the church and is “running wild in the street.”
When Reggie put marker to flip chart, he wrote this definition of the Missional church:
“The people of God, partnering with Him, in His redemptive mission to the world.”
"The church needs to be a who, not a what," says Reggie. It needs to stop being a vendor of religious goods and services, and be US—the people of God. We need to be the church wherever we are. “So that everywhere I am, the church is.” This mission pre-dates the church. It is larger than the church. Today, our life needs to be a mission trip.
During his conclusion, Reggie urged us as individuals to “just go do it” - to be the church wherever we find ourselves, and to ask others how we can ask God to bless them (“even if they don’t deserve it” he added with a chuckle). As the corporate body of Christ, he urged us to continue building upon the blessing we are doing, including Habitat for Humanity, Mission with Pontiac, and Kirk Tutors work. In short, to be externally-focused, people-driven, Kingdom-based followers of Jesus...in the world!
Audio CDs of Reggie McNeal's presentation are available at no charge in the Adult Ministry Office during normal business hours. For additional information, please email amc@kirkinthehills.org.