Friday
Dec092005
Nine core practices of the emerging church
Friday, December 9, 2005 at 7:03PM
From Emerging Churches, a book I'm currently reading. Nice summary here.
1. Identifying with Jesus (and his way of life)
2. Transforming secular space (overcoming the secular/sacred split)
3. Living as community (not strangers in proximity at a church service)
4. Welcoming the stranger (radical and gentle hospitality that is inclusive)
5. Serving with generosity (not serving the institution called "church," but people)
6. Participating as producers (not widgets in the church program)
7. Creating as created beings
8. Leading as a body (beyond control and the CEO model of leadership)
9. Merging ancient and contemporary spiritualities.
Reader Comments (15)
That hardly paints a balanced picture. Too bad some of those ugly points, like the flaky theology that you have referred to in the past, isn't mentioned.
The ugly points exist but not as core practices. The Fellowship also has some core distinctives, but none of them are negative, even though you'd find that (like any group) we don't live up to all we hope to be. These types of lists are probably more the aspirations of the group that are actually better than the reality.
I'm assuming they have more core practices than these otherwise their feet are firming planted in the air.
Nine core practices of the emerging churchDaryl Dash quotes from Gibbs/Bolger: 1. Identifying with Jesus (and his way of life) 2. Transforming secular space (overcoming the secular/sacred split) 3. Living as community (not strangers in proximity at a church service) 4. Welcoming the stranger...
What do you think is meant when they say "Identifying with Jesus" Still waiting to see where God is using the so called emerging church to draw others into a relationship with Him. I know you've been to a few now Darryl have you seen it? How 'bout the FRWY I think its called in Hamilton there. I know you were just there, did you see evidence of people getting saved there?
George: I don't have the book with me right now, but I'll tell you what I mean, which might be different from what they mean. I think it's moving away from the emphasis on making a decision to whole-life discipleship, in which a disciple studies under a rabbi - in this case Jesus - in order to become just like him. So it's a way of life rather than just a decision (although of course it can involve a decision). I do see evidence of this in places like the FRWY, although it's usually in the context of friendship and discovery of what it means to be a follower of Christ. There have been some neat stories there.
This blogworld is interesting isn't it? I just posted above and then did a bit of surfing, checked out your buddy Jordon's blog where I see a link to guess what? The Freeway. So of course I got to check that out right? Like I've mentioned to you before Darryl, I'm interested in seeing where God is at work in the inner city and I don't really care what label you give to a church. Last time I looked in the Bible the preaching of the gospel is still what the church is called to do. I saw the article you wrote about the Freeway church. You said:"FRWY.ca (pronounced ?freeway?) Caf頩s a 7,000-square-foot converted bank building. The non-profit caf頩s designed to offer coffee, culture and community." Is that it, that's what its designed for? What about the gospel? Read your comment above also. Question: Can I be a disciple of Christ without having made a decision for Him?
That has been my biggest disapointment with the emerging church - the lack of a sense of urgency to see people saved. When challenged on it they side step the question and set up a false dichotomy that salvation = pushing people for a sinner's prayer type mantra and then ignoring them. The more I read about this emerging church the more it just seems like re-packaged liberalism. I hope I am wrong.
George and Jacob: You ask some excellent questions. George: Yes, the FRWY is ALL about Gospel. I think that's all throughout the article. They talk about incarnating the Gospel in the neighborhood. That is at the core of who they are. The incarnation as a mode of ministry is huge in the emerging church. Can one be a disciple of Christ without making a decision? No, although the decision is usually part of a longer process. I know the decision took place in my life, but I can't pinpoint it because it was part of a longer process. With some people, it's like Saul on the road to Damascus. With others, it is far more gradual. Jacob, you have to admit that some out there do emphasize the decision and underemphasize what happens after that. Not everyone is like that, of course, but I certainly have encountered this mindset. I understand your lack of urgency issue, but I think the Biblical imagery of sowing and harvesting is appropriate here. You can't plant a crop and then accuse the farmer of not having enough urgency to harvest it the next day. You look for fertile soil and you look for signs that the harvest is ready. The emerging church is far from perfect, but I think that they do understand (a) being friends with sinners like Jesus and (b) that the Gospel is more than a decision that gives you eternal life. It's an entry way into a life of the Kingdom of God, a whole-life repentance. Of course lots of people get that too who are not emerging.
Interesting Darryl, your (b) above is not what I'm reading from the emerging church - on the blogs at least. I know you have more first hand experience with them so I will take you at your word. I wonder why I don't read that on their blogs though. That word "repentance" certainly isn't a word that jumps out at me as I read their blogs. Your (a) above is something I read from them a lot, that's true. But then I don't read from them how they are reaching out to the sinners with the gospel. I read a lot of what seems justification for people's sin even condoning of it. Did Jesus ever condone sin? I believe a lot of what happens with well intentioned people who want to reach out to the "sinner" is enabling that sinner to remain exactly where they are. If you look at the inner city in Toronto and some of the ministries down there I believe you will see that. I've seen it and I've heard it from some of the leaders who shall remain nameless at this point. They talk a lot about helping these people out physically but very little about proclaiming the good news of the gospel that can set these people free. I could go on and on about this and can speak from some experience now also being involved in ministry downtown. It sure does take time to build tthose relationships and to show these folks that we don't just talk the talk but also walk the walk. Time before they realize that we are who we say we are and that we really do care about them and desire to see them set free. But we never shy away from proclaiming the gospel in the process. I remember that story about DL Moody who preached a sermon in Chicago and then told people to come back the next week to hear what the conclusion was. He said he didn't give the people a chance to respond to the gospel there and then and what happened next was the great Chicago fires in which many people died. People that he didn't give an opportunity to respond to the gospel to. Do you remember that story? He said he would never do that again, that he would always provide people with the opportunity to respond to the gospel and to receive Christ into their lives. I would like to ask some of these inner city ministry leaders (and I have a feeling I will at some point) how they deal with that. While they are reaching out to an Aids victim on a purely humanitarian basis without telling that person about Jesus Christ, the One who can forgive their sins and grant them eternal life, and that person dies in the mean time, how do they deal with that. As followers of Christ how can we let something like that happen. Its shameful and wrong but it does happen. People want to embrace the hurting but for some reason do not point them to the One who can save them. I truly ddon't understand that and pray that I would always give people an opportunity to respond to the Good News of Jesus Christ. You hit a spot with me here.
I forgot to mention a huge point in the previous comment. We share the gospel with people because we know how much God loves them and wants to reach out to them with His love. How does He do that though? He uses people right? How will these people come to know the love of Christ if we don't tell them. I've heard people say, "well we show them by our deeds Christ's love and we hope they will at some point ask us about Jesus" What's up with that? I won't get into all the Scripture but the New Testament is loaded with the call to preach the gospel, preach the Word. How else will the people come to know? But I guess that's another thing that I see the emerging church has a problem with or at least it seems that way to me - the authority and inerrancy and absolute truth of Scripture. You still believe in all that don't you Darryl? I know you got some emerging church leader lurkers on your blog here Darry, including some Saskatchewan boys, maybe they would care to weigh in on this.
George, For me I take the decision making as agiven. It may be why I don't talk about it. Traditional evangelical churches do a great job of reminding us about the personal nature of our relationship with Christ. They haven't done a great job in reminding us of our responsibilities as Christ Followers. Stuff like caring for the poor, discipleship, community and acceptance. (There's lots more traditional churches have done well that I'm not saying too). For me that's where the emerging churches come in. We're all part of the Body. Is there some flaky theology? I think so, but I've heard some pretty flaky stuff in my Fellowship Baptist Church too. (Not from the pastor, but from music leaders, guest speakers etc). So I doubt the emergents have the monopoly on that. Emergents seem much more willing to question, perhaps that's where the flaky wrap comes from? Darryl, I enjoyed the post I hope that your list would be the aspiration of more of our churches. Your friend, Rob
Rob, I understand your point but I don't think you can blow off the flaky theology that easily. The Fellowship at least has a line of orthodoxy that its leaders cannot cross. In the emerging church it seems that anything is fair game. (I know you can't really compare the 2 groups because one is a regulated denomination and the other is a cross denomination movement - I just brought this up because you mentioned the Fellowship)
Jacob: In my opinion, there are three things to be concerned about with our faith: Orthodoxy (what we believe) Orthopraxy (what we practice) I don't have a fancy name for the third one, but it's what we care about. The way I see it, all three are important. I guess I think we are all in danger (not just the emerging church) of going out of bounds in any of these three areas. I concur with you that I think the emerging church needs to pay careful attention to its theology, but I think all of us need to pay careful attention to all three areas.
I don't disagree with anything you're saying. Except that if the theology is too messed up, the 2nd and 3rd (???) are of no eternal consequence because they are done in some other name.