These are statements and phrases from the missional synchroblog posts that I would like to remember. For the Cliffs Notes version, see the summaries at Subversive Influence. Those interested in a micro-tour of the synchroblog might enjoy these sound bites.
My apologies to my friends who are experiencing missional saturation. 
Feel free to skip this post. And I am guessing the synchrobloggers will only glance through to find their own name.
Sound Bites
The church emerges out of the mission of God in the world, not the other way around. Actual mission must precede any new cultural understandings that the church might develop of itself. - Alan Hirsch
adding the label “missional” to their meetings and programs does not make them missional. - Alan Knox
It is often dumbed down by people who confuse it with “evangelistic” or “mission-minded” - Andrew Jones
finding those wells that still exist in our lives today…Places where people naturally gather…A place to share my life with them. - Barb Peters
So the word “missional” just becomes one more marketing tool in our attractional toolbox to get people to the show. - Bill Kinnon
a lifetime’s engagement with the communities where we have been strategically placed - Bill Kinnon
We need to be converted away from an internally focused, Constantinean mode of church and converted towards an externally focused, missional-incarnational movement that is a true reflection of the missionary God we follow. -Brad Brisco
there is no “40 days of missional” model - Brad Grinnen
sustainable change requires transformation at the deepest level in order to effect long-term changes at the surface level. - Brad Sargent
the church will be organized around mission as its sole purpose. - Br.Maynard
Drawing others into the deeply relational and loving arms of Jesus -Chad Brooks
It’s a scary world for the experts when the amateurs are out in front. –
Chris Wignall
neither church nor human is the author of mission. - Cobus van Wyngaard
The essence of God’s mission is extravagant love - Dave DeVries
Jesus left the comfort of church err… heaven, and went to where people were at – David Best
(incarnational) rhythm contradicts the rhythm of an attractional church. - David Fitch
a way to be involved in God’s work toward the redemption of ALL THINGS. - David Wierzbicki
to reflect God’s character and God’s priorities in our everyday life - Doug Jones
the call of the church to love our neighbours, to make disciples, to be broken and poured out for others. - Duncan McFadzean
I hope that those of us seeking to imitate an incarnate God really understand that that means following a crucified One. - Erika Haub
engaging the world as living alternatives. - Jamie Arpin-Ricci
seeing life, ministry and mission interwoven together. - Jeff McQuilkin
following the lead of the Holy Spirit into restoring the world around us. - Jonathan Brink
little wonder then that so many who really get what missional is all about are labeled heretics. - JR Rozko
“you don’t even know, like really know, a poor person, do you?” -
Kathy Escobar
our participation in the joyful, ecstatic, overflowing fruitfulness of God. –
Len Hjalmarson
get out there to be the church - Makeesha Fisher
did we sacrifice reaching out for a new sound system? - Malcolm Lanham
like spending a day at the office with God… every day! - Mark Berry
learning to dwell in the margins or risky areas - Mark Petersen
a radical departure from a focus on ourselves or on our own church...noticeably different from churches building their own kingdoms… - Michael Crane
an awareness of the great desire of God from the beginning. - Nick Loyd
the missionary of God to us now, to all of us…is the Spirit. - Patrick Oden
God’s mission – search and rescue – is participatory. - Peggy Brown
redemptive interaction with people. - Phil Wyman
a church that is not missional is no church at all. It’s a club for the already initiated. - Richard Pool
Believers need to see their life holistically and completely sacred before they can begin to grasp what it means to be missional. - Rick Meigs
to be all that the Holy Spirit desires as he shapes and forms Christ in us. –
Rob Robinson
every living moment is a door into God into which the other is welcome. -
Ron Cole
They focus on what’s outside themselves and spend their time and money there. - Scott Marshall
giving hope in a world of gray. - Sonya Andrews
not simply “what the Church does”, but chiefly “what she is”. - Steve Hayes
signing on to God’s project to repair the World - Tim Thompson
How missional is put into practice is the stumbling block for many in the “missional” conversation. - Thom Turner
Filed under: missional
Great collection of “sound bits.” Oh and btw, I read them all
Thx for the hard work in collecting all the sound bites. When read one after another it is plain that the Spirit is blowing through God’s family.
Grace, these are great. Thank you!
we’ve certainly gotten hit from all sides. but it has been an enormous help for me to think though and see it from so many different angles. convicting and invigorating all at once.
thanks for this list, grace.
Grace, This is fantastic. And wow, are you guys up early or what.
I loved reading the sound bites … that made everything so focused for me. There’s something there. Something big … I’m not sure what … but it’s peeking at me. Now I’m going on a mission myself. It’s going to take a while in the midst of everything else I’ve got going on.
LOL … and anyone who just wants to find their name can read alphabetically!! That was easy … but I read each one. Nice challenge though.
These are really good, but I see we still have a ways to go before we can talk about “missional” without snarking at people/churches who “don’t get it”.
I look forward to seeing “missional” stand on its own.
Wonderful service, these sound bites, Grace! I, too, read them all … it was a good way to bring back to my mind each person’s contribution.
The great thing is that this terrific collection of diverse perspectives is out there to be revisited when our brains clear and we can process again!
Thanks Grace, very helpful.
[...] 29, 2008 by Jonathan Brink Thanks to KingdomGrace for doing this. This is awesome. Three things that stick out to me from this [...]
accepted!
Grace, Thanks!! Wonderfully done!!
Sweet job Grace!!! It shows the diversity, complexity…and yet a challenging simplicity. Robby’s comment reveals the challenge, to see it stand on it’s own. I think if were honest, we all like to wade in the shallow end splashing water around…the challenge will be do jump deep into what missional really is.
I dunno guys, I see people jumping in DEEP all around me. Not the least of which is our community of faith. You might see snark in there but I don’t at all. I see beautiful stories, challenging calls and mighty men and women of God living a mission shaped faith. If 50 posts in that vein still make you see the snark, I’m not sure I can help you see otherwise.
thanks grace for the great soundbites. very helpful, so many challenging thoughts out there….
Thanks for the great comments everyone.
I hope you don’t get whiplash as I shift gears from the richness of missional thought to the controversy of the christian blogosphere’s “bad boys.”