The Emerging Church

If you talk to almost anyone about postmodernism and church, it isn’t long before certain attitudes begin to surface. I’ve noticed three among my friends and colleagues: One: Yes, yes. I’m thoroughly postmodern and cool. Two: It’s the latest bogus trend. I’ll sit this one out. What next? Three: I’ve been sensing something wrong. We’re not connecting. We’ve tried being purpose-driven, seeker-sensitive, transitioning, turnaround, naturally developed, you name it, but we’re not connecting and we need help. There are some great books on the emerging church out there. The problem with some of them is that they re-enforce the attitudes of group one, and scare groups two and three half to death. I’ve just started reading Dan Kimball’s The Emerging Church and I like it. It’s not scary, but it’s clear about what’s happened and why it isn’t all bad. It echoes and interprets the journey a lot of us have been on. Kimball’s book makes it clear that what’s happening isn’t a fad (although some of the church’s reactions may be faddish). It also avoids laying out a program or sure-fire methodology (buy candles, get unplugged). It’s better than that. It’s a book that I’ll be sharing with a few of my friends.