The Future Mason Vineyard–A Networked Church of Missional Communities

When I think of what I want our church to look like in a few years, I think of a network of missional communities.  I have had this vision in my heart for 10 years.  That is, that church could be manifested in a network of missional communities. 

What I mean by that, is quite simply a larger congregation (think 600 to 800 people or more) which meets together to worship and fellowship on Sunday, but is primarily made up of mid sized groups (30 to 60 people) who live on mission together week to week.  These mid-sized groups meet in homes, or other marketplace arenas like coffee shops, businesses, etc. to live the kingdom life together as extended families in Christ for the sake of the world. 

If I am completely honest about it, the dream died for a few years at the end of seminary and while God was restoring my confidence in the wilderness (i.e. Curtis, Nebraska).  My time in Nebraska was awesome and it actually made me start dreaming about what this would look like again, because the rural life naturally manifests missional community in some ways.  Proximity, interdependent relationships, sharing of common goods, etc. were natural parts of life. 

When we were called to the Mason Vineyard, the vision came back to life and is now right before me, within reach.  I can taste it. 

When I went to seminary in 2003, I had just left the U. S. Coast Guard.  I left at the tipping point of my career.  I was having the time of my life…and could have had a fine career.  God had other things in mind.

I had just finished a tour of duty in Seward, Alaska as the Executive Officer of a 110 foot patrol boat.  Not only was it amazing to spend two years in Alaska, but being an officer on a patrol boat was about as cool as it gets. 

Above is a picture of my patrol boat moored in Seward.  I have been longing to re-create the extended family feeling I experienced while stationed on that boat ever since.  It was what 3dm calls Oikos.

We had 18 permanent crew members attached to the Unit and 2 reservists.  The majority of the men attached to the unit were married and had children, but about 8 were single and lived in a housing unit (which was right behind my house).  So, between men, wives, children, reservists and their families, in total, there were about 4o people who were USCG Cutter Mustang in Seward, Alaska. 

We each also made friends in town.  Specifically, my wife and I got attached to a church and made friends with some folks there (interestingly, one of my reservists and her family went to church there!)

When we were in port, we stuck together.  We had barbecues at each other’s homes!  We hung out.  We went out to restaurants together.  We went to the movie house (an experience).  The 8 single guys went to the bars (in summertime, the bars did not close, because the sun did not go down).  We performed weddings for each other (I’m not kidding).  We went hiking.  We went snow boarding.  We went kayaking and fishing.  We drove to Anchorage together and stayed the weekend and grocery shopped at costco and went to the movies and we pretty much just lived life together. 

For two years I experienced this.  It was awesome.  I was in my late twenties. 

When we got under weigh, it was an incredible experience of brotherhood as we put our life’s on the line for the mission.  We ate, drank, slepte, waked, the mission and in the sea’s of Alaska, we quite literally trusted our lives to one another as we enforced Alaska fishery law, secured the port of Valdez, and patroled in and out of the fishing grounds to provide search and rescue assistance to fisherman and recreational boater’s and outdoorsman year round. 

There are all kinds of metaphors to be drawn upon about mission and about being on mission together with like-minded, committed people from this experience. 

But, I think you get my point. 

The only thing missing was the fact that the mission was not Jesus and the Kingdom of God, it was the Kingdom of America my friends and that got tired.

I’m still Facebook friends with a bunch of those folks!  It was amazing.  It was the good life.  I often find myself wondering where those guys are and what they are doing, because some of them are serving in the USCG around the world, doing some pretty amazing things.

I will never forget going to lunch with an elder at my Vineyard church while in seminary and attempting to explain this life to him and how I thought that was what church was supposed to be like.  I wanted to plant a Vineyard church and I was hoping that it would look like the Coast Guard Cutter Mustang – or a bunch of Coast Guard Cutter Mustangs maybe.  I had started reading Missional literature and I was beginning to catch glimpses of a theological perspective that leaned in that direction.  It was very theoretical, mind you.  The practical stuff was still experimental and not attractive (house church movement stuff does not do it for me).

He looked me in the eye and said, “well Jason, that will never happen!”  My heart broke.  But what has broken my heart even more over the last 10 years is that I can not create it! 

When I started reading Mike Breen’s books and especially when I went to hear him speak live and ESPECIALLY when I went to Pawley’s Island, SC and experienced it in person, I realized – I AM NOT INSANE!  There are people in this world who are DOING THIS and who have DONE THIS and who WANT THIS!

This picture is from a Missional Community at Trinity Grace Church in New York City. 

Since I have been back from the Discipleship and Mission Conference in Pawley’s Island a few weeks ago, I have been slowly realizing that I have finally come full circle.  In 3dm language, I have had a Kairos moment.  It has been brewing for the last several months.  I have been trying, in my own strength, in my own remembrance of this experience in the Coast Guard, to recreate this experience of Oikos.  At times, over the last few years, I have relinquished the dream, relinquished my need to be in control, I have given it back to God, you know, all that stuff.  But, the Kairos for me, over the last few months is this:

“Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

I truly believe this is the Kingdom and God desires to give it. 

It is my responsibility to learn the “unforced rhythms of his grace” as I come to Jesus to learn how to do all this. 

I am reminded over and over that he knows exactly how to do it!  It is, quite frankly, exactly how he did it when he was here!  When I read the Gospels, I go, “lookie there, that is what USCG Mustang looked like.  3, 12, 70.”

Why do we make it so difficult? 

One of the missing ingredients is the building of a discipling culture?  So, more on that as we go…and the vehicle of “huddle.”  I hope to write on that in my next post.

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