What some are saying: We need to resurrect the ancient ways in order to connect in an intimate way with the path of Jesus. Our entertainment model of doing church just isn't connecting with a generation that is desperate for spiritual connection. The Bible has been taken hostage by the literalists and we need to stop dissecting it and see it as story. Oh... and light some candles... melted wax and dark rooms are cool. Plus, get a tat.
What Southern Baptists are hearing: Blah, blah, blah, resurrect, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Jesus. Blah blah blah blah blah church blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. blah BIBLE blah blah blah blah blah blah fable. Blah blah catholic, pope, blasphemy. Mark of the beast.
Apologies to Gary Larson
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One of the most interesting things I find in the whole "emergent" conversation is this idea that if these "spiritual trends" continue, we will see more emphasis on things previously seen only in charismatic circles.
Maybe it's not the high-church thing that scares the SBC, but rather the danger of McArthur's "charismatic chaos."
Interesting point. It will be fascinating to see that play out.
From someone inside the SBC I think the thing the SBC fears most is not the charismatic pew jumping but rather the loss of members. Although most conservative evangelicals do fear the emergent culture is somewhat not Biblical and people are being led astray to the bigger, darker, and candle-lit services.
Strip everything aside... The apprehension from the SBC comes down to numbers and theology. And if you ask me the ‘numbers’ aspect is a little more in focus than the theology.
When I hear pastors talk negative about these ‘emergent’ churches they don’t focus on theology as much as they do technique, style, volume, and etc. What is this saying exactly? Is it saying that our conservative pastorate cares more about style of worship than theology? Or does it say that the emergent churches do a better job of promoting their techniques than they do their theology?
When you know someone who is moving toward an emergent church, are they moving toward a theology or a new, hip, cool way of doing church?
I think there's also a pretty basic, but important, thing happening in the emergent movement.
I think folks (those who follow Christ as well as those who don't) typically want to hear something FRESH from a church. For you and me - folks that have followed God for some time - this plays out in sermons...we don't want to hear a preacher speak on Jesus-walking-on-water and give us all the same old meanings...we like fresh words / new explanations / historical context / all things to show us this very familiar text in a new light. For those who are headed to emergent, I think they want the same thing. Those who are hyper-churched feel like it's something fresh, a better, more powerful perspective; those who are unchurched are surprised because it doesn't look or sound anything like they thought a church would...
FRESH plays a big role in those moving to an emergent church.
So... fresh and unexpected.
Now, that sounds like Jesus.
Initially, I think people are looking at hip, fresh, cool. Not Theology.
By people I mean me too. When I moved to Tulsa and wanted to search for a church I picked up the phonebook and saw which one had the best ad and went there.
However, the difference I think is that once I got there, although I was impressed with the TVs, coffee bar, and percussion-playing pastor what I was not impressed with was their lack of theology. They were quacks with a budget.
I've yet to find someone who can explain what 'most' people mean when they use the term "emergent." Are they referring to a style or philosophy? If style is the only thing that constitutes the name then I'm all for the Emergent Worship Experience! I love videos and lattes!
However, if emergent means that you want to rewrite the Bible simply because it sounds archaic to you and you think that by changing it you will draw in more people who agree with your assessment, then by all means keep your podcast and coffee beans.
I think emergent churches get a bad wrap often. Just because a church opens with U2 and closes with a prayer labyrinth does not make them evil or even blessed for that matter. Similarly, a church which opens with Gaither and closes with a potluck is not necessarily Biblical or antiquated.
“I’m just saying”
Robert,
That should be an article in some worship magazine...
Robert, you're full of crap. Why don't you take you're right-wing, SBC, upper class seminary-spoon-fed ministry model out to the burbs where that junk will fly!
EMERGENT FOREVER!
WOLVERINES!
Todd, I am not upper-class!
Hmmm-- Interesting thoughts. I believe, "Where there is life, they will come." The style doesn't matter so much, but something pointing toward vibrant personal relatioinship with God will draw people. My church is the most old fashioned of them all. Bert came to this church as the 13th pastor in 25 years. He holds the record of the longest standing pastor--11 years now. But it's not the years, it's not the worship style. It is a theology of clear doctrine delivered with genuine love and caring for people. Theology without love kills. Love without theology--well, all I can say is messy. I do think Southern Baptists are interested in numbers _and_ afraid of charismatics, and in some places clueless about real relationship with God. I used to worry that the Lifeway building had offices with desks and computer with skeletons sitting behind them. The Baptists brought me to Jesus, but I have had and continue to have a long fought battle to find real relationsip with God. No one told me that living happily ever after was not the goal. And no one seemed to know that God's nature and character would be my guide. I could talk for hours.
Great words Mimi!!
I agree with Mimi. I think of the emergent church as emerging from the lifeless, over-used sayings about God into as Todd said, a conversation of what church celebrations should look like. I think it'll continue to evolve, and hopefully it won't stop evolving as it seemed to in the last century or so...at least in the SBC since that's what we're bashing. =).
so, i heard the song "word up" last night and you immediately popped in my head. i don't knwo WHy, but i remember there was a skit, or something involving you and that song. rowdylacy@hotmail.com email me and let's catch up :)
"No one told me that living happily ever after was not the goal."
Wow I think this is a great statement. Part of me already knew the idea of this but Ive never heard it put that way before. I need to go chew on this for a while.
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