Missional Renaissance

Book Review

McNeal, Reggie. Missional Renaissance. Changing the scorecard for the church. Jossey-Bass. 2009. A Leadership Network publication www.leadnet.org

Comment. Henry
The term ‘missional church’ has become a buzzword among church leaders. Reggie takes this concept to a new level by describing what he calls a Missional Renaissance. He writes as a respected church consultant with a passion for the church in our ‘church-saturated’ culture. This is a must read for those who are serious about church being relevant today.


“The rise of the missional church is the single biggest development in Christianity since the Reformation.” (Intro.) For a church to become missional it will have to make three significant shifts. It needs to shift from an internal focus to an external focus, from program focused to people development, and from church based to kingdom based. These shifts are labeled “Missional Renaissance”.

This renaissance is being fueled by “the emergence of the altruism economy, the search for personal growth, and the hunger for spiritual vitality”. (3)

“The missional church is the people of God partnering with God in his redemptive mission in the world.” (24) Our personal and corporate mission is to bless people and share the life of God with them. To the extent that this goal is not being met, we (the church) need to undertake a ‘realignment’ of our priorities. “Missional is not a place you arrive at but a direction in which you are moving.” (38)

The shift from internal to external is a shift from church-centered to kingdom-centered focus. Such a shift will result in a change of score-card for the church. “What gets rewarded gets done.” (68) There will be a reallocation of resources.

The overwhelming dominance of church programs is a phenomenon of the last century. Shifting from program development to people development is part of becoming missional. People are developed in relationships not programs. The church score-card will focus on changed lives.

The shift from church-based to kingdom-based leadership is a shift from leading an institution to leading a movement. A score-card for such leadership will focus on “paradigm issues, microskill development, resource management, and personal growth”. (158)

Fear is a formidable enemy of legitimate, potentially freeing, change. Change is often resisted by expressed by anger. Change in the church always triggers strong emotions. Reggie has presented a blueprint for change that is scripturally sound with great potential to breathe new life into the church.

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