Sandy and I had the privilege of sitting down with Lynne Ellis and Jeff McKinley from Overlake Christian Church a few minutes after they completed Vacation Bible Camp.  Most of us would want to crash, but not these folks.  Not only did they meet with us, but also they also enthusiastically shared their passion for missional involvement in the world.  Lynne is a former member of the Saddle Back staff, who two years ago adopted a little girl from China, where Lynne has traveled several times on short-term cultural exchange trips, and Jeff is the son of parents who co-founded Operation Mobilization and also served as church planters in Spain, where Jeff grew up.  Both these folks know missions, so it’s no surprise they are championing the cause of missional discipleship at Overlake.

    Just how do Jeff and Lynne define missional?  Like so many we’ve talked to on the road, they see missional as outreach to the community and the world.  As Jeff said, “We exist [at Overlake] to multiply—to take Christ into the community.”  Lynne was quick to add, “The nations have to be the horizon.”  They both underscored that “the nations” need to drive the church or the vision of the church is not big enough. Yet, like others who have spoken out of a megachurch context, being a missional church is difficult for Overlake, a church in transition, which at one time ran 5000 in attendance and now averages just over 3000.  Jeff said, “It’s easier to be missional when you start as missional.”  That way, according to Jeff, being missional becomes a part of the church’s DNA.  In its early days the church had Evangelism Explosion teams and 3 mission teams that traveled internationally.  Now they have 20-30 teams who are engaged in partnership with ministries rather than just doing projects for these ministries.

    Lynne and Jeff have insight into what will help Overlake eventually reach the goal of becoming missional.  Instead of the programmatic approach that has dominated Western Christianity during the 20th century, they believe Overlake must become a movement vs. an institution and, preferably, an organic movement.  Furthermore Christians in the church must come to understand as Lynne said, “Life is not about me.”

So just how is Overlake setting about to make missional disciples?  At this time, due to the fact that the church is transitioning to a new pastor, they are still utilizing their small group ministry.  In these groups they call “Life Groups” discipleship is taking place.  Yet, one gets the sense that change may be on the way.  Already, an alternative style of worship (called the Illuminate Service) is being employed in addition to the praise and worship style that the church has had for years.  Starting with 150 people the Illuminate Service has grown to approximately1500 in attendance matching the Celebrate Service (Praise & Worship) in a little over two years.

In spite of their fabulous facilities, what struck me is how this very large building is impacting Overlake’s move to become more missional, which raises a question.

At The Open Door, as was mentioned earlier, the ministry was premised upon the absence of a permanent building.  In fact, the lack of a permanent building actually facilitated their disciple making process as it relates to being missional.  So that leads to the question, “Are our buildings and their maintenance getting in the way of forming missional disciples?”  Some, such as Alan Hirsch, in his book The Forgotten Ways, would suggest precisely that.  Anyone care to weigh in on this?