31 Proven Ways To Start Living A Missional Life!

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1 31 Proven Ways To Start Living A Missional Life! It can feel like a huge hurdle to begin living a life on mission. Just where do we start? is a common question that is asked and often we end up feeling overwhelmed, unready, or unworthy to represent Jesus where we already do life. However, the good news is that you CAN make a huge difference for the Kingdom of God in your everyday life! Jesus has already gone ahead of you into your neighborhood, workplace, school, gym, grocery store and everywhere else you spend your time and your task is simply to spot where he is now at work, and to helpfully join in! The way you do this is to start with love. Those amongst whom you spend your life are not abstract, theoretical ideas ( those people ), but rather they are friends with names and families, stories and dreams, hopes and fears. You are already in relationship with them (which means they like you), so you are simply being a little more conscious of representing Jesus in all those conversations and actions, to let them see over time the difference the Gospel can make in their specific context. Because it s all about relationships, most of what a missionary (that s you!) does is take small steps in the same direction. In other words, you are consistent and persistent in living as a Jesus follower (= disciple), so that your friends can be drawn towards Jesus. This ongoing process lays a foundation for those and suddenly moments when the Holy Spirit leads your neighbor to take a bold and dramatic leap forward towards God. So to live on mission throughout your everyday life is such a joy and privilege and often is actually really enjoyable! (Many times Hannah and I have turned to each other and said, This is so much fun it should probably be illegal! )

2 Finally, a quick note on the labels I ve used. For the sake of readability I have used the term neighbor in the examples below but that is short-hand for colleague, friend, relative, classmate, team member, running buddy, the-friendlygreeter-at-the-store, or whoever else with whom you spend time! As you try out these ideas, you will quickly start to innovate new practices. Please do let us know what works for you we would love to hear your suggestions and experiences! Grace + peace, Alex Happy Hour Host a neighborhood happy hour. Serve drinks and snacks on your front porch early on a Friday evening. Invite the whole street to come and bring a drink to share! Watching Kids' Games Take 50 hot dogs to your child s next soccer game, to give out to the other families who are watching. Allow this to build community amongst the team families. Pre-Halloween Hold a pumpkin carving party in your home. Have templates of things to carve that feel more about light than darkness. Serve great snacks and drinks. Halloween Trick or Treat Night Drag your grill into the front yard, put on some hot dogs, and give them out to neighbors. Make yours the house where parents love to linger and chat! PS And give out good candy!

3 Back To School Invite families in your street to gather to pray for the new school year. Ask the children what they would like prayer for, and give them room to each say something, validating their concerns for a good seat on the bus/ remembering their locker combo/ someone to sit with at lunch, etc. Birthday Party For Jesus In the run-up to Christmas, invite your neighbor families to eat, play games, and to share the Christmas story. Do that part by reading from a children s Bible, asking the kids to help you along the way ( What noise did the sheep make? What did the angel look like? ), before praying for the whole group. You could also invite families to join you in collecting money or donations for a specific good cause (see next idea). Collect Money For Charity At Christmas people often like to be generous, so invite neighbors to join you in collecting money together for a good cause. Try finding a way to partner with a Christian ministry that they would be happy to support (eg one working with the homeless or marginalized) this could lay the foundation for an ongoing partnership, where they witness the Gospel changing lives amongst the poor. Make sure you tell the group the total you all raise. Serving The Poor Invite your neighbors to join you in serving the poor, perhaps through a ministry that others in your church already lead (to foster a sense of a bigger story, rather than just doing hit-and-run service). Operation Christmas Child Arrange a shoebox filling party, to which people bring different supplies, and they get divided up among the boxes. Gather everyone to pray for the children and families who will be receiving the boxes. Christmas If you have a number of friends who will be alone for Christmas Day, why not gather together to share in Christmas celebrations together? Easter Egg Painting Invite families to an Easter Egg decorating time. While there, briefly read the Easter story from a children's Bible and pray for the families. Easter Host a neighborhood Easter Egg hunt. Invite families to help stuff eggs in advance, and to bring friends with them.

4 Dads and Lads Go out and do fun, grubby, smelly outdoors-ey activities! Have a fire pit time, when you gather around the fire to tell stories, and to pray for one another/ the group. Homework Club If you are called to a more marginalized community, consider hosting a regular homework group in a central location. Have computers, supplies, food, and lots of love and support available. Jewelry Making Party A fun way to gather tweenage girls, their Moms and other relatives. Invite them to "keep one and give one" each person makes two items, one for themselves and one that you donate to a local ministry for vulnerable women. Soccer (other sports) Invite friends who are interested in playing, and meet in a local park. If the group gels, consider forming a team in a local league. Running Start a running club in your local park. Make it easy to join (no great distances!), and have the group enter different local races. Let the group choose some local charities for whom you will all raise sponsorship money. Yoga/ Fitness If you are/ have a qualified instructor, start a yoga class that has an optional end spot, where there is a short meditation that points people towards God s love in Jesus (perhaps a verse from the Psalms, or a inviting people to place themselves as witnesses to a story from Jesus ministry). Prayer Walking With some other believers, prayer walk in your neighborhood, or place of mission. Ask God to bring his blessing, to reveal where there s darkness to pray away, and for him to give you a greater compassion for the people of that particular community. Sickness When your neighbor tells you that they're unwell (whether major or minor sickness), offer to pray with them. Then do so there and then a short, non-religious language, faith-filled prayer! Ding Dong Ditching Gather some teens and invite them to join you in Ding Dong Ditching but with a difference! You quietly leave a bag of goodies on the doorstep (which they have helped put together beforehand), before you ring the bell and run away! Have the group think up people in the community who really need some encouragement or blessing like this.

5 Community Garden If you love to garden, then why not start a community garden? This could be for produce or sheer beauty (think about what would make most sense in your specific context). Perhaps the produce could be given to your local food bank or similar organization. Local School When it is Parent/Teacher conference night, prepare and serve a hot meal for all the staff. Have the children in your families be very much part of this whole process. Local School Put together lovely gift bags for each of the staff, with fun and practical gifts, as well as a personalized note and blessing/ Bible verse. School Serve Visit your local school and ask how you can serve them, no strings attached. This would work especially well if you are a group of families willing to serve (eg at sports events). Make sure you under-promise and overdeliver! Police/ Fire Department Ask them how you can pray for them and their staff at this time, as well as delivering cookies and goodies. Job Search If you neighbor is looking for work, tell them that you are praying for them and make sure that you do, with a bold, generous spirit. Cook A Meal Is there a neighbor who is going through a tough time? If so, can you cook them a great meal one day and deliver it to them? Front Yard Remodel Is there someone who is overwhelmed at maintaining their yard? Could a group of you arrange a day to go round and bring it back into order and beauty? Don t forget to pray for the receiving family, and for the group of workers. Cards Write a card of prophetic encouragement to someone. Ask God to whom he wants to say something, then write a card (in not-too religious language) that speaks life and blessing into them. Treasure Hunt Gather a group who are willing to go and pray with strangers. Ask Jesus to give you some prophetic words in advance, for specific people (eg a lady in a yellow stripey blouse This does take some practice, but is a real faith builder!