missional challenges

jordon cooper has a great post on missional challenges. He starts by saying:

Over the last year I have noticed a trend when in a mixed group of churches (often evangelical) and NGOs. It is the local evangelical churches inability to organize or work with outside groups. All of them share the following characteristics.

• The needs and convenience of the local church are more important than other partner agencies.
• Other partner agencies or the community are expected to conform to the church’s convenience, even though it is a big inconvenience to other parties.
• The church has a much bigger need for recognition than other agencies and groups.

The result is the same, the church is excluded in future discussions and is left on the margins while it’s reputation is hurt. One frustrated NGO leader that I know talked about dealing with adults and children and evangelical churches was put into the children category.

It's worth the time to read the whole article.