Missional Community: Chemistry

One of the relatively new buzzwords in American Christendom is “missional community.” It is one’s sphere of daily influence. For academicians, it is often their department. The MC ‘movement’ seeks to help believers recognize the people around them everyday as their mission field, and to approach those circles as an embedded missionary.

Just as a missionary to a remote African village seeks to become part of the community first, to learn the language and customs, then integrate the Gospel into it, so should each of us. The advantage we have is that we are already part of that community. We are tied by threads of commonality, whether it is by vocation, hobby, family status, neighborhood, carpool, or whatever binds our various circles together.

Old School

Think back to the time when you first decided you wanted to be a professor. What did you imagine it would be like?

Hours in the lab or library finding either new cutting-edge or ancient discoveries?

Drawing new conclusions from apparently tired out data?

Teaching starry-eyed students waiting to hear wisdom pour forth like a refreshing mountain stream from your mouth?

Shaping the careers of future scholars in your research group like fresh clay in the hands of a master potter?

Writing monographs that revolutionize your field, drawing accolades from your academic idols?

Sitting in a richly furnished study talking over deep things with colleagues that have become close friends?

Yeah, me too.