1 How to Lead a Missional Church that Expands God’s Kingdom Victor H. Cuartas, D. MIN. Instructor in Practical Ministry and Global Missions Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia victcua@regent.edu http://www.regent.edu/acad/schdiv/faculty_staff/cuartas.shtml Article Published in The Pneuma Review: The Journal of Ministry resources and Theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries and Leaders. Volume 14, Number 1, Winter 2011 Abstract God‟s plans for His beloved Church are marvelous. One of the most important aspects in the life of the church is leadership. Leadership is about serving and influencing people to advance God‟s kingdom. This article will focus on important principles to lead missional congregations. What are the characteristics of a missional church? This article will begin with a brief description of the importance of the Trinity in both global and local (Glocal) missions. Then, the author will describe significant principles of a missional church. Next, we will look at some considerations in regards to the life of the missional leader. This paper will conclude with some practical recommendations to lead churches glocally. Key words: Leadership, Holy Spirit, missional, kingdom of God, servanthood, diversity, unity, prayer, spiritual gifts, empowering, and glocal missions (global and local). The Importance of the Trinity in Glocal Missions God has a Missional Plan God loves the families and nations of the earth. He has a missional plan with His creation. That is the reason why He sent His only Son to die for us on the cross. His plan was about redemption and salvation. “He sent His Son for this purpose and He sends the Church into the world with the message of the gospel for the same purpose.” 1 His motivation was love (John 3:16). God created human beings so that we might have fellowship with Him and serve as faithful stewards of His creation (Gen 1-2). God was to be the King who reigned over heaven and earth, and we were to be his royal family, those through whom He would expand His kingdom. Jesus’ Missional Leadership Jesus is our great example to follow in missional leadership. “One of the challenges that we may face is to be driven by personal interest rather than kingdom principles.” 2 There are several accounts in the Bible that describe Jesus‟ urgency to meet the needs of the people. He always was willing to go and bless the needy regardless of the circumstances. Jesus went out and saw the needs of the people. Thus, every believer needs to follow Jesus‟ example. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt 9:36, emphasis added). Jesus called the disciples to fulfill His Father‟s will. The verb “called” in the Greek is proskaleomai, which means (1) to call to, (2) to call to one‟s self, or (3) to bid to come to one‟s self. 3 The NKJV translates the word as “called” (Mark 3:13; 6:7a). Jesus invited “those He Himself wanted” (Mark 3:13). The initiative lay not with the disciples but with the Master. Jesus chose and prepared normal people to change the world. Therefore, the disciples were called by Jesus for a specific purpose: “to preach the message of Christ and His love locally and globally.” Jesus powerfully trained the disciples to preach the Gospel. The verb to “preach” in the Greek is kerusso that means: (1) to be a herald, to officiate as a herald; or (2) to publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done. 4 “Through intimate fellowship with the Lord, the disciples would receive a commission „to preach‟ and an authority (exousia, power in the sense of delegated authority) to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.” 5 Jesus sent out His disciples “to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons” (Mark 3:14-15). Jesus sent the disciples forth to do the work of the ministry. On this occasion, the verb “sent out” in Greek is apostello that means: (1) to order (one) to go to a place appointed; or (2) to send away, dismiss (Mark 3:14b; 12a). Jesus “began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits” (Mark 6:7b). Jesus‟ strategy to fulfill His mission was to send His disciples in pairs. Jesus‟ training of the twelve had now come to the point that He could send them out to spread His teaching to expand the kingdom of God.