What is Missional Theology?

Missio in Latin refers to those who are “sent” as official representatives for an important purpose. Missional theology is rooted in the action of God the Father who sent the Son for the salvation of the world and poured out the Holy Spirit to continue that redemptive mission.

This Trinitarian conception of God’s mission, known as the missio Dei, involves another movement—the sending of the church to witness to the gospel in the world. As Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21).

The implication of missional theology is that being sent into the world is not the special calling of a few believers, but the purpose of the whole church. Indeed, the church is essentially missionary by nature.

Formed by a missional theology, pastoral ministry and congregational leadership shifts from simply attending to the needs of church members to equipping congregations to engage with their neighbors and the wider world as vibrant, Spirit-empowered, witnessing communities.

For more on Missional Theology, read this brief introduction by Darrell Guder.