Emergent Church.
I suppose the church must always evolve into more approprate expressions so as to reach new emerging cultures.
I did this twenty seven years ago. We left what we had known and tried something new. It now looks like what CFC is now but we hadn't a clue about that then. So I can't really complain when someone tries something new to reach people who are not being reached by what exists. Church must always be emerging if it is to stay ahead of the game.
BUT I have a serious problem with some groups who are deconstructing theology. Changing what you look like to reach those around is one thing but changing what you believe is another thing altogether. We remained orthodox in our beliefs, with a commitment to reach lost people, help each other become more devoted followers of Christ and to build Church. Without a commitment to these things you end up having nothing to offer a lost world but errant beliefs which will lead to errant behaviour.
The 24/7 movement and Boiler Rooms are a current expression of what is good about emergent church. Great values, Apostolic and Prophetic leadership and a total commitment to reach a lost and hurting world. I wouldn't give you 2 d for anything else.
posted by Paul Reid at 2:26 PM
4 Comments:
You're trying to pick up a slippery fish is what my grandfather would say. Trying to define the emerging church is pretty tricky. Some that say they aren't really are and some that say they aren't really aren't.
At the heart of this is a true cultural shift,(great title for a conference, eh? if it wasn't so over done in the last 10 years.). There's lots of bad theology pretty much everywhere you look these days. Often we label bad theology anything that isn't the same as the way we've always thought.
An example of the minefield we're dancing in can be seen by surfing the 'net and you'll find guys you and I have invited to speak are called rubbish at best, heretics at worst. Go a little further and the exampl a comment ago, two youth pastors, etc. and the 'my God doesn't confine himself to just one group...' could be a position you'd take if you were looking at Paul on Mars Hill. (the other Paul) I'm not saying it's the same but context for quotes can be pretty important.
I've been called a heretic and told I needed to have deliverance because I visited a Buddhist temple while in China and here was Paul literally surrounded by idol worship, a citizen of a nation that exalted their chief politician as god. I'm just saying, things are a bit complicated in this whole dialogue and hopefully it will be a discussion wherever we come across it rather than the polarization of people who aren't really so far apart.
Someone told me the other day that after their first Sunday here at our church in PEI that we were probably theologically liberal and they wouldn't stick around. Before they left they saw someone they considered theologically conservative and pretty clever and decided to stick around a few weeks. Now they've decided we're just what they were looking for and not as liberal as our putting belonging ahead of believing seemed to imply.
I think, Paul, that this is an important dialogue for the days we're in and a generation of men and women need a voice and bald head like yours to help them dance through this so as to come out the other side with as few casualties as possible.
That's what I think.
7:59 PM
As usual I agree with your comments. Changing styles of dress, types of songs, even the "style" of worship as cultures have evolved is necessary. However we CANNOT get away from the divinity of God and His Son Jesus as the only acceptable sacrifice to bring us back into relationship with God. One day every knee will bow to God and the overwhelming tragedy is that those whose eyes are blinded now (and through man's sordid history) will realize too late the real truth.
12:40 AM
Sorry Paul
I am still confused about the whole subject!
Bit of my personal back ground
I gave my life to God on
Monday 22nd August 2005 at Newtownbreda Baptist Church. Pastor Freddie McClaughlin was instrumental in helping me on my journey and pointing me in the right direction.
Since then I have tried to study as much as I can. Sometimes my personal study seems all over the place, but what really grips me is apologetics!
When I heard about the Theology course Source were running i enrolled.
Think I have side tracked from my original question though in giving my back ground!!
When I became a christian I started listening to people like Ravi Zacharias, R C Sproul, Norman Geisler & Al Mohler.
Now the more I study there seems to be a new subject that needs to be discussed!
The more I seek to learn the moree there seems to be a split on the subject of the
Emerging Church.
I am concerned in some ways because I am a relatively new Christian and have accepted a lot of the teachings of the people I have named above.
Now we have have people like Brian McClaren writing books that the above scholars struggle with, and I am left very confused as to how I should interpret the whole situation. (I have absolutely no trouble putting Christ first I might add, in any of my thinking)
I am still confused , if you could offer some insight to anything I have talked about above it would be great.
Thanks,
Paul Stevenson
07912845175
2:04 AM
PaulStevenson
I understand how confusing this all seems. However I think throughout life we come across all sorts of areas which we have to decide for ourselves what we are going to believe. Paul (in the bible - too many Pauls!!) says we are to test everthing and this is a good thing. Debate, read and talk to friends about these things. As Thomas Merton says "All men stand on their own two feet" in relation to their relationship with God. It is a personal one forged out of communication and listening and following the Holy Spirits leading.
I would recommend a website http://jasonclark.ws/
He provides a website for healthy conversations about Church and is quite gracious in the way he deals with debate and questions about the new strands of the Church.
Hope this helps
8:32 AM
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