Incarnational Attractionism

This is an excellent article discussing the differences and values of both missional/incarnational church and attractional church. One, I love the emphasis on incarnationalism. This has been something that has been getting more attention the last year or two.

I also particularly loved this paragraph:

Are the communities of faith that we build such homes? Do we represent the Father’s heart in such a way that, even in the face of rejection and exploitation, the prodigal would know that our churches would welcome them? Sadly, most people would characterize the church as a place where just the opposite is likely to occur. And yet, it is this kind of attractional nature that we must desperately seek to embody as His people. This is what we should endeavour to become so that people will be drawn to Christ and His Church. This is attractional ministry at it’s truest.

In continuing the discussion from yesterday's post on mainline and evangelical churches, the mainlines frankly do a better job of this in most cases. And that is what attracts me to them. Yet I have a strong attraction to evangelical churches, too, again in their affective attunement.