emerging church

In Christianity Today, "What it Means to Love Israel," was posted today. It is a short piece worth checking out.

At one point the author writes:

The evangelical mainstream needs to do some rigorous theological work on its relationship to Judaism, to the Jewish people, and to the state of Israel.

I think that the word and way of Jesus must be valued more highly than particular “denominational” loyalties. To call Jesus Lord, to identify oneself as a follower of Christ and as an agent of the kingdom of God entails that “denominational” loyalties take a back seat. One may well identify as a Methodist or a Southern Baptist, for instance, but that connection is secondary to following in the way of Jesus—or it should be.

So, part of an emerging faith includes scrutinizing our own “denominational” loyalties and comparing them to the word and way of Jesus.

Tim Leeson has initiated an interesting discussion about what the emerging church really stands for, which I think merits a stab at a more comprehensive and synthesizing response. The book Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger lists nine characteristics of emerging churches: identifying with Jesus, transforming secular space, living as community, welcoming the stranger, serving with generosity, participating as producers, creating as created beings, leading as a body, and merging ancient and contemporary spiritualities. These are mostly practical in their orientation - they have to do with how Christian communities function and express themselves in the world. I imagine that most people who feel that they are part of the emerging church would happily locate themselves within that nexus of practices.

A few years ago, I began the move away from the traditionally evangelical expression of Christianity, finding it very difficult to resonate with aspects of the movement. Since then, I’ve struggled to define myself denominationally. I love the contemplative tradition, along with the mysticism associated with it. I also love aspects of the Church of England; the all-embracing liturgies, the sense of ‘anyone is welcome’. I also feel that the evangelicals have a lot right; the informality, the passion, the zeal. At the same time, I love the formality and focus on tradition that the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches share.

I’ve been working on a paper called “An Evangelical Relational Theology: A Personal Relationship with God As Theological Leitmotif” where I begin to outline a theology based on the frame work of a personal relationship with God.

I’m interested in hearing different beliefs/experiences of those who consider themselves part of the emerging/emergent church when it comes to God the gifts of the Holy Spirit and signs and wonders.

As someone who is exploring all things postmoder and emerging I find it hard to see any writing or concrete comment on this subject (maybe conrete isn’t the correct word - as I’m learning there is a lot more grey than black and white).

Internet Web 2.0 technology may find its way into the history books as having as much, or more impact on the Christian landscape as the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press in the 1440’s. The printing press released the power of human communications and therefore changed human history, especially the Church. Today, Christians all over the world are fast discovering the power of the internet, which may prove to be a ministry tool that revolutionizes the way we think…and do church for generations to come.

People live in a world that is quite different from the world just 20 years ago. Things are rapidly changing. Our society is feeling the pain of an increase in immorality, dysfunctional relationships, and spiritual bankruptcy. People are ravaged with insatiable appetites for money, sex, and power. Can the Church do something about this?

The most popular concept that has been used – even over-used – to describe effective Christian ministry in recent years is that of ‘Incarnational Ministry’. Many books have been written, many articles posted on the Internet, to explain the concept and explore its implications for contemporary cultural missiology (Google it and see!). Richard Passmore, in his book Meet Them Where They Are At, is perhaps the most pragmatic exponent of this view. Pete Ward, in Youthwork and the Mission of God and Danny Brierley in Joined Up both explore the same idea, as does Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Church, albeit within a wider ministerial context than the previous authors.