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Top 10 Reasons Missional Communities Fail | Reasons 1-5
As a quick reference to help with definitions for new readers, a Missional Community (MC) is a group of 20-50 people on mission together to a specific mission context. Two excellent resources for you, one is FREE, one will be worth what you pay 20 times over:
- Missional Communities article on wikipedia, which you can read by clicking here.
- The best book you’re going to find on WHAT MCs are and HOW to sustain them, grow them, multiply them and network them: Launching Missional Communities: A Field Guide.
…and now…the first 5 reasons Missional Communities fail…
1) The Missional Community leader doesn’t know how to disciple the other leaders in the MC. This can result in a few different outcomes:
- The Missional Community becomes the warped version of the culture they are trying to bring the Kingdom into. The leader doesn’t know how to disciple people to be missionaries to a culture, therefore they never truly learn how to be “in the world but not of it.” Because of that, they are more influenced by the culture than redeeming the culture they find themselves in. In this case, there is a lot more cultural relevance than there is Jesus.
- The Missional Community becomes a very religious space and is all about who is in and who is out. Doctrine is used as a weapon of defense and not something that helps to describe the reality of God’s Kingdom. People who don’t know Jesus find the MC the equivalent of running into a brick wall. In this case, there is a lot more law than there is Jesus.
- When people become Christians, there is no one to disciple them as neither the Missional Community leader or the other leaders in the group know how to disciple people. New believers become stagnant, and the life they were told about in the Gospel never comes to fruition and they become disenfranchised and divisions within the MC start to occur.
2) Lack of a clear mission vision.
Every single Missional Community could say, “We exist to love God, love people and serve the world.” The point of a Missional Community is to find a crack or crevice of society where there is a lack of Gospel presence and form a Jesus community in that particular crack/crevice. It’s not generic, it’s specific. But if you never truly identify the place God has called you to (either a neighborhood or network), or if you don’t do the things necessary to incarnate the Gospel in those places, it’ll be very difficult to sustain, grow or multiply the MC.
For example, one of the MCs I’ve worked with was a Missional Community that focused on artists. In this case, the mission vision was very clear: Artists (which was a network MC). However, this particular group of people in the burgeoning MC were also VERY eclectic (and I mean that as a sincere compliment) and many of the things they commonly enjoyed weren’t necessarily artistic, but eclectic. What the MC ended up doing was many activities that eclectic people would have liked , but artists wouldn’t, so they never really grew by adding artists. At the same time, the eclectic friends they had were never terribly interested in the community because it was stated that it was for artists…but they weren’t artists. So neither artists nor eclectic people found a family within this MC. In this case, the leader needed to decide: Does this group exist for artists for for eclectic people? Because it can’t be both. And because of that, the group found itself stuck in the middle, unable to grow or gain momentum.
3) Launching with too few people.
One critical mistake many Missional Communities make (and I’ve made several times) is launching with less than 15-20 people in the core group as they are starting the new MC. Why you may ask? Because a Missional Community needs to exist as an extended family of 20-50 people, living in the social dynamics of a group that size. The reason mission works so well with this size group is that new people who don’t know Jesus are welcome to hang out, observe, form relationships, but they can also be semi-anonymous if they choose. Because of the number of people, they don’t feel uncomfortable if they don’t fully participate or are simply in observation mode when the “family” has spiritual time together. There is a certain gravitational pull to these group dynamics; it really brings people in. HOWEVER…if you have fewer than 15 people you’ll almost inevitably default to the social dynamics of a small group (6-12 people), where it’s very personal, everyone shares, and is very inward focused. That’s not terribly comfortable for someone who doesn’t know Jesus! We’ve found that at 15 people, there is a shift in these dynamics.
The last thing I’d say on this is that it is possible to get around this in probably two scenarios:
- If the leader of the group is an OUTSTANDING people gatherer. In other words, they could start a Missional Community with 6 people and next week there would be 25 people there…they just have a gift. They are one of the few exceptions to this rule.
- You have a veteran Missional Community leader who has done a few MCs, has seen them grow and multiply and truly knows what they are doing. They have learned to steer and navigate the social dynamics of an extended family even when there aren’t enough people to comprise an extended family.
4) The Missional Community isn’t part of a larger, worshipping body.
Church plants might be able to get around this (though in many cases they can’t either), but the reality is that life on the missional frontier isn’t easy. It’s incredibly exciting, an amazing adventure and it’s worth every ounce of prayer and effort you put into it…but it really is hard. Because of that, it’s really important that Missional Communities regularly cycle into a worship service with a larger group of people (more than 75 people) at least once a month (but no more than 3 times a month) to be reminded they are part of a bigger story, to hear how God is working in places other than just theirs, to hear teaching/preaching for the wider community, to take the sacraments together and to worship with one, unified voice. Another way of putting it: The scattered church gathers in order to scatter. Even another way of putting it: We gather together so mission is sustainable. Missional Communities that operate alone will eventually wither and fall off the vine because it’s generally too hard to sustain apart from a wider community.
5) Missional Community leaders who aren’t held accountable.
MCs are built on the principle of “Low Control/High Accountability.” If your leaders aren’t willing to be held accountable, this is a spiritual problem (i.e. also a discipleship issue) and it WILL come back to bite you. Missional Communities aren’t the place you want the rebellious renegades of the church leading…the mission is simply too important. If they refuse to be held accountable in whatever leadership accountability system you have, don’t let them be a Missional Community leader. Eventually, whatever is toxic in them that refuses to let them submit to someone in authority will eek out into the rest of the group and the toxicity will spread. Be clear what accountability looks like, what those rhythms look like, what the expectations are and make sure you follow through on these expectations as the person holding them accountable.
***To read reasons 6-10, you can click here to continue to this post.
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31 Responses to Top 10 Reasons Missional Communities Fail | Reasons 1-5
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2011/05/31
[...] My good friend Doug Paul has started a series on his blog on the Top Ten Reasons Missional Communities Fail. [...]
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2011/06/02
[...] Doug on June 2, 2011 Share Tweet You can read read the first 5 reasons by clicking here. Without any further adue, here are reasons 6-10 Missional Communities [...]
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2011/06/03
[...] Post | Top 10 Reasons Missional Communities fail a. Reasons 1-5 [...]
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2011/06/05
[...] good friend Doug Paul had posted a really helpful blog on the top reasons why Missional Communities fail. Actually it’s in two parts, but they are both short. (Well, until he reaches point 9, [...]
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2011/06/06
[...] Last week our new Director of Content ran a two-part series on his blog that blew up on Twitter titled, “10 Reasons Missional Communities Fail.” I thought we’d highlight a few of those reasons on this blog, and if you’d like to, read the whole post by jumping over to his blog by clicking here. [...]
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2011/06/10
[...] 10 reasons why missional communities fail part 1 and part 2. [...]
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2011/06/16
[...] article was originally posted on Doug Paul’s blog in two parts: Part 1 | Part [...]
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2011/06/20
[...] Paul lists the top 10 mistakes missional communities make here and [...]
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2011/06/20
[...] article was originally posted on Doug Paul’s blog in two parts: Part 1 | Part [...]
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2011/07/01
[...] bonus features for you just because I like thinking strategic thoughts and things: Top 10 reasons missional communities fail Is becoming a disciple of Jesus the natural way to say [...]
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Great stuff Doug! Look forward to seeing you next week.
Yeah man, can’t wait for the workshop next week. See you soon!
You say in #4 that these MC’s should gather with the larger group (more than 75) and at least once a month (no more than 3 times)….
I can see the 75 and at least once a month, but why the “no more than 3 times a month”? Have you a reason or a study for not all the time?
I am new to this so if you or someone already answered this could you direct me to the answer? Thanks and great Article…
Hey Dave! Thanks for checking out the blog and commenting.
To answer your question…You want your Missional Community to be orbiting into the wider church’s worship service (meaning there needs to be at least 75 people or more in the worship service, from a social dynamics perspective) at LEAST once a month and NOT MORE than 3 times a month. There actually has been a lot of experimenting with this one. There are several reasons for this general principle:
1) You want people to find their primary place of identity in the church to be MCs. If they are in a worship service MORE than they are in their MC, this is virtually impossible.
2) There is so much inertia in people thinking of the worship service as “the church”, that you almost have to put something in there, purposefully, to disrupt this thinking.
3) Sunday mornings are a fantastic time for mission out in the community and should be used as such.
There are more reasons, but those are three BIG ONES. Hope that’s helpful!
Dave, Thanks for the question; Doug, thanks for the answer. I’m new to the forum and new to the MC concept as well. I really appreciate what it’s doing to my ecclesiology which has tended to be, not quite ‘anti’ big, but pro-’small’, and mostly for the right reasons. However, let me pass on an a personal observation: I have been in a (far too slow) process of turning around an already small congregation/church, in order for it to become a new church plant. That process has involved transitioning to meeting in my house, and along the way I’ve seen the need to maintain the organic nature of the house church; but I have seen inertial forces at work to keep the members comfortable in the same Sunday routine in my house.
the primary place of identity should be IN CHRIST…if your primary place of identity is in a group, that’s called a clique.
in Isaiah 6 there is a perfect example of how life in Christ should be…after partaking in an incredible time of worship, at the throne of the most high, having experienced confession and absolution, only then does Isaiah raise his hand and say, “Here am I, send me.” It is through worship and an encounter with the most high God that we are empowered toward any kind of service in community.
Susan, just to address this thought. What I meant to express was that Missional Communities can serve as our primary place of identity or expression for/of CHURCH COMMUNITY. The Missional Community actually does experience incredible times of worship together and that happens quite regularly. If that wasn’t clear, my apologies!
Such good stuff. Thanks!
Dave and Doug: Another good reason for limiting the number of larger worship opportunities…It takes a tremendous amount of time and energy to produce an event like that—pulling many key leaders away from relationships and mission. Not to mention the subtle temptation of investing in buildings, bands and budgets instead of people.
Another great point, Tim. Even while you try to make the worship service lightweight and low maintenance, it can still be a huge resource drain (even when done with the purist and noblest of intentions).
Doug, a brilliant piece on MCs brother. I love the way you “give it to us straight”. Words are dripping with wisdom learned - sometimes, the hard way. Well done. Hope to see you soon.
Well thank you, Ernie. Good seeing you a few weeks ago. Look forward to more fun come October!
Thanks Doug, this is a pretty interesting post for me. We are on a journey learning how to plant churches (we would I imagine use a similar definition as yours is for missional communities) amongst unreached peoples. Would you say some of your points relate specifically to your context? Im wondering particularly about the sizes of the ‘planting group’ or ‘core group’? Also, wonder if taking smaller groups to larger groups ever results in the smaller group feeling like the ‘true’ church experiences lies in the larger group when it seems that Jesus welcomed us to gather in 2 or 3? Just to be clear, Im not in any way accusing that you have made that distinction just wondering if those new to faith, in your experience, becoming part of these communities, ever feel their smaller groups are less legitimate expressions becuase of size?
Very interested to hear any reply you may have time to give but cant see a notify by email for reply. Any chance you could cc a comment to my email?
Thanks again for your post.
Liam, thanks for checking out the blog and posting!
To answer your questions…the insights from here are from personal experience with MCs I’ve led, MCs I’ve coached people on, as well as coaching I’ve received from people who have been a part of thousands of MCs. All that to say, this is localized and globalized at the same time.
As for the smaller groups…YES! It’s just how these groups function. There is room for small groups (6-12) as well as even smaller accountability groups (2-3, as you mention), but they happen within the sphere and context of the missional community (sort of like one of those Russian matryoshka dolls that fit within each other) giving it even more focus and grounding.
Hopefully that makes sense.
Again, the Launching Missional Community book has far more details than this and will probably answer tons fo your questions!
Thanks for this Doug. Some of these are relevant for us. But I have a question. We are pioneering in a very secular environment (France). We don’t have 15-20 people to start with. So are we in a Catch 22 situation? What advice would you give?
Great thoughts here. Discipleship closes the gap between what God is saying to us and what we do about it. It takes challenge that is possible with authentic invitation. That kind of relationship is only possible with focus and clear intention and you can not have many of these discipling relationships. But they are there only that produce fruit that replicates and remains.
Totally agree, Ron. Thanks for stopping by and checking out the blog!
Great articles Doug - really helpful, and all of these are real scenarios.
I’ve reposted your article on my blog, along with a summary ‘reflection question’ for each of the 10 reasons, hope that’ll help the conversation along!
Speak soon mate!
http://alexabsalom.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/topreasonsmcsfail/
Thanks Alex! Let’s speak soon, would love to hear how the Pilot MCs are doing.
Great article Doug! Too often when I read something like this, I take these basic things for granted. Thanks for reminding us of the potential pitfalls that trip up ALL of us! Blessings…
Doug, points 4 and 5 resonate off the page for me.
#4 (“We gather together so mission is sustainable”) We cannot serve without the context of community. Just read a post this morning about the Redwood forest. These massive trees have a relatively small root structure. What sustains them is the fact that they are together. They sustain one another.
#5 (“If your leaders aren’t willing to be held accountable, this is a spiritual problem”) Accountability has been labeled negatively over the years (*insert picture of the church lady here*). But without it, we are skating on thin ice. A leader must have a teachable spirit; humble.
Great post. Good clarification.