Darryl's Blog
Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be
I discovered this book the other day. It's not due out until April but I plan to read it. The book's website is also up:
The Emergent Church is a strong voice in today’s Christian community. And they’re talking about good things: caring for the poor, peace for all men, loving Jesus. They’re doing church a new way, not content to fit the mold. Again, all good. But there’s more to the movement than that. Much more.
Kevin and Ted are two guys who, demographically, should be all over this movement. But they’re not. And Why We’re Not Emergent gives you the solid reasons why. From both a theological and an on-the-street perspective, Kevin and Ted diagnose the emerging church. They pull apart interviews, articles, books, and blogs, helping you see for yourself what it’s all about.
Also found this post last week (via):
For the last several years the church I pastor (Compass Point) and I have been mistakenly lumped in with the Emergent movement. It may be because Compass Point puts so much emphasis in missional, servant outreach…or it could be because I’m an occasional contributor to Next Wave. I have never been comfortable with us having the Emergent tag, though I did little to discourage it. I had always maintained a “live and let live” mentality when it came to my concerns about Emergent’s theological stance. I can no longer do that...
My previous posts on this subject include What's Good About the Emerging Church and What's Bad About the Emerging Church. Rick McKinley recently wrote a post about the emerging church that got a bit of flak from both sides.
I sense the ground has shifted a little. I could be wrong but here's what I'm picking up:
- I'm finding more people tuning out what the extreme critics are saying on one end, and what some of the less orthodox emerging folk are saying. Of course, the extremes still get lots of press, but on the ground I'm finding less of an appetite for them. I'm trying not to name names here but you know who I'm talking about.
- I would still hold to my two posts (what's good and what's bad) but I'm much more frustrated with what's bad than I used to be. I wish more self-correction had taken place.
- If you talk to some people who are viewed as emerging, they have concerns about some of the flakiness too. This is often missed by the critics. Out of concern for relationship they're not as vocal as they should be sometimes.
- A nuanced view is a hard to take. I expressed some praise for the emerging church among some concerns one time and got hammered until I mentioned that I was just basically quoting D.A. Carson. Tim Keller's example is a good one - he can express the hard stuff but still maintain a teachable spirit while doing so.
- More Reformed churches are embracing some of what's good about the emerging church while avoiding what's bad. In other words, they're reformed with a missional edge. I really like this.
- A lot of us are tired of this whole thing and just want to get on with it.
One more somewhat related note: he couldn't keep the pace going indefinitely, but does anyone else miss the old days of Tall Skinny Kiwi?
Nothing too profound here, but I sense the ground is shifting in subtle ways. I'll post tomorrow on what I think is a more important discussion than this one.
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My question lately, has been - where is God at work in the emerging church/conversation, saving people. Where is there clear evidence of that? I'm still asking and no-one seems to be able to answer. I guess that in itself is my answer.
Darryl,
Can I just say I'm heaving a heavy sigh right now over "Why We're Not Emergent"? (heavy sigh) As someone who has been helped so much by the emerging church conversation and the Emergent Village network of relationships/resources in particular, I am really disappointed by all the energy that is going into trying to tear down Emergent and silence the voices of those who have been judged (by the dominant evangelical culture, apparently) "less orthodox."
I'm investing a lot of myself right now into bringing Brian McLaren to Charlotte to talk about how the Gospel compels us to address the four global crises which he writes about in "Everything Must Change," and my prayer is that this will be a catalyst for many people in the Southeast U.S. to become engaged both globally and locally and live out a missional calling, which frankly is still quite new to many folks because their churches just aint there yet. Am I wasting my time? Or, worse, am I serving Satan by doing this? No, I really don't think so. The conversations I've had with person after person who have come through the door of our local Emergent cohort group in Charlotte has proven to me this is God's work, and part of the process of saving people, honestly, from the church (small c) in many cases.
If Emergent isn't helpful for someone, that's fine. No one's forcing you to become a "Friend of Emergent." But for God's sake, didn't Jesus tell his disciples that "whoever is not against us is for us"? And at the harvest at the end of the age, it'll be God (by his angels) who separates the wheat from the weeds, so "let both grow together until the harvest"? Assuming for a moment that the critics are right (and Emergent is wrong), what would Jesus do? That's a sincere question.
I'll tell you what I see right now, from Emergent's critics, the authors of these books, etc., is a lot of energy at trying to tear out "the weeds," and it just doesn't seem like God is behind it. Instead it looks like the institutional machine trying to maintain the status quo. (And apparently the only alternative to being Emergent is being Reformed??)
Anyway, I think you're right, Darryl, to encourage people (in your post about what is "bad") to get to know some emerging church folks -- heck, get to know someone who is Emergent! -- and you might just discover that it isn't the power of Satan that is casting us out of the institutional church, it's another Power altogether.
Sorry if this comes off as overly amped up, but you've struck a nerve with me, I guess ;-)
Shalom,
Steve K.
Steve,
It looks like the book will not be a hatchet job from what I can see so far. Looks like they're accepting interviews - you should check that out!
I understand where you're coming from - some of the attacks have been less than charitable and seem to be motivated by less than healthy attitudes. But this dialogue can be good if we're actually talking to each other. I think it's important to be talking about some of the theological issues that have been raised. One of our dangers is that we have both sides talking about the other without real dialogue going on.
"And apparently the only alternative to being Emergent is being Reformed??" Interesting statement - no, but there's been a resurgence among the Reformed movement and there are definitely some similarities. I haven't found too many people on the emergent side who have much bad to say about Tim Keller for instance.
In any case, don't apologize. I appreciate your comments. I hope this book will be more constructive than some of what's been published. I guess we won't have to wait long to find out!
Thanks for bearing with me, Darryl, while I vented there a little bit. You are obviously more optimistic about this book than I am ;-) I have requested a review copy from the publisher, and I'll consider the interview suggestion you made.
I'm also looking forward to reading "The New Christians" by Tony Jones and "A Christianity Worth Believing" by Doug Pagitt. I hope folks who are truly interested in an "insider view" of Emergent (and through that lens, the emerging church movement as a whole) will pick up one or both of those books, as well.
One alternative I'll offer to the (purported) Emergent/Reformed dichotomy is the charismatic/Pentecostal movement. It's worldwide, massive, and growing, esp. if Phillip Jenkins writings are on target. So why doesn't that get much press from either Emergent or Reformed voices (blogs, etc.)? Just something I'm pondering at the minute.