Jason Clark blogged about FutureGen 2005 and the post-emerging church, which prompted a bit of discussion on his site.

Jason had commented on this before; Darren Rouse actually predicted the post-emerging church on 30 January 2004 and just last month, Graham Old said it would arise in 2 years.

What is the relationship between "church," "emerging church," and "post-emerging church?"

Perhaps it's most helpful to think of the emerging church movement (Emergent likes to call it a "conversation;" Bill Bean prefers "phenomenon") in the same spirit Richard Foster of Renovare displays when he discusses The Six Traditions of the Church in his wonderful Streams of Living Water. (These traditions are also listed and described on Renovare). I think this approach brings humility, a character trait we could well use in this discussion.

I suggest that those of us in the emerging church conversation err badly if we come to the point of thinking that we're the ones with the best bead on things. At the same time, I further suggest that on some matters it very well may be that we are riding at the top of the some of the Spirit's waves.

Just as it's easy for a member of Christ's church to believe that the expression of her own God-gift is the most important activity for the church today, I suggest a local church, a denomination, a parachurch organization, or a movement can make the same error.

I, for example, have a passion to see the church operate well as an organization, balancing both executional excellence with holistic spiritual relationships. All the time I'm thinking about mentoring, coaching, leadership, effective meetings, how to run projects well, etc. But I don't delude myself into thinking that organizational excellence is the issue today that's nearest to God's heartbeat. I am but a cog in a larger Kingdom-machine.

Similarly, consider Jason Clark's recent post of "summary of outcomes" stemming from an emergent leadership gathering that occurred near the end of August. Jason lists:

1 - gender diversity,
2 - racial and ethnic diversity,
3 - denominational diversity,
4 - church tradition diversity,
5 - internationalization, and
6 - justice

among some other internal concerns.

Are these important issues to consider? Yes. But where is the gospel? Where is spiritual formation? Why didn't they merit a mention? I suggest it's because the leaders of emergent don't see emergent church and church as a tautology. Their organization addresses very specific concerns that their leadership believes are worth addressing.

Similarly, I suggest that the emerging church - by the very definition of "emerging" - is not an enduring phenomenon. It is addressing very specific concerns in a very specific season of the church's history.

Ironically, it is a modern impulse for us to rest calmly within the parameters of emerging church concerns and circles: we've figured it out; we can rest; we blog and convention and read and hang out and surf with the coolest folks in the church today and we have the most turbocool thoughtleaders. Now we should, of course, celebrate and joy in our friends and leaders, but we must watch out carefully for complacency and inclusiveness.

I recently visited a church that was following the Willow Creek Seeker Model. When I made an appreciative comment about the church being more traditional, one of the elders of the church looked at me quizically. "Traditional?" He didn't realize that the Willowesque non-denominational church is The New Traditional and that many are moving beyond its comforting confines into more uncharted territory. And uncharted territory has a tendency to become charted.

Now I don't mean to imply that the emerging church phenomenon has necessarily reached its fullest maturity in all quarters, but I do suggest that the post-emerging church is an inevitability. The church will become or is becoming post-emerging (and, of course, different parts of the church will do this at different times or not at all). And we should celebrate that transition with the same enthusiasm as when we sense our own spirits entering a new season where we find ourselves emerging farther up and deeper in.

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What to do when hesitant to reconcile
by Steve Cornell, senior pastor
Millersville Bible Church

1. Be honest about your motives -Make sure that your desire is to do what pleases God and not to get revenge. Settle the matter of forgiveness (as Joseph did) in the context of your relationship with God. Guidelines for reconciliation should not be retaliatory.

2. Be humble in your attitude -Do not let pride ruin everything. Renounce all vengeful attitudes toward your offender. We are not, for example, to demand that a person earn our forgiveness. The issue is not earning forgiveness, but working toward true reconciliation. This demands humility. Those who focus on retaliation and revenge have allowed self-serving pride to control them.

3. Be prayerful about the situation -Jesus taught his disciples to pray for those who mistreat them (Luke 6:28). It is amazing how our attitude toward another person can change when we pray for him. Pray also for strength to follow through with reconciliation (see: Hebrews 4:16).


4. Be willing to admit ways you might have contributed to the problem –“Even if you did not start the dispute, your lack of understanding, careless words, impatience, or failure to respond in a loving manner may have aggravated the situation. When this happens, it is easy to behave as though the other person's sins more than cancel yours, which leaves you with a self- righteous attitude that can retard forgiveness (i.e. relational forgiveness). The best way to overcome this tendency is to prayerfully examine your role in the conflict and then write down everything you have done or failed to do that may have been a factor.” (Ken Sande, p. 168). Such a step, however, is not suggested to promote the idea of equal blame for all situations. (See: Matthew 7:1-6) (Italicized words added).


5. Be honest with the offender -If you need time to absorb the reality of what was said or done, express this honestly to the one who hurt you. Yet we must not use time as a means of manipulation and punishment.

6. Be objective about your hesitancy –Perhaps you have good reasons for being hesitant to reconcile, but they must be objectively stated. Sometimes, for example, repeated confessions and offenses of the same nature make it understandably hard for trust to be rebuilt. This is an objective concern. Clearly define your reasons for doubting your offender's sincerity.



7. Be clear about the guidelines for restoration -Establish clear guidelines for restoration. Requirements like restitution can be clearly understood. Others include financial accountability, holding down a job, and putting away substances.

8. Be realistic about the process -Change often requires time and hard work. Periodic failure by an offender does not always indicate an unrepentant heart. Behavior patterns often run in deep channels. They can place a powerful grip on a person's life. A key indicator for change is the attitude of the offender. While you may proceed with some caution, be careful about demanding guarantees from a person who has truly expressed repentance. If the person stumbles, the process of loving confrontation, confession, and forgiveness may need to be repeated . Setbacks and disappointments are often part of the process of change. Don’t give up too easily on process of reconciliation. Keep the goal of a fully restored relationship open.

9. Be mindful of God's control –“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). “We know that God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). “When you are having a hard time forgiving someone (i.e. being restored), take time to note how God may be using that offense for good. Is this an unusual opportunity to glorify God? How can you serve others and help them grow in their faith? What sins and weaknesses of yours are being exposed? What character qualities are you being challenged to exercise? When you perceive that the person who has wronged you is being used as an instrument in God's hand to help you mature, serve others, and glorify him, it may be easier for you to move ahead with forgiveness (i.e. restoration)" (Ken Sande, p.165;cf. Hebrews 12:7;I Pet.2:23b; 4:19). (Italicized words added).

10. Be alert to Satan's schemes -In Ephesians 4:27, the apostle warns about the possibility of giving Satan an opportunity in our lives. Significantly, this warning is given in the context of unchecked anger. A few verses later, the Apostle wrote, " Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 4:29-5:2). Meditate on these words and put them into practice! (See also: II Corinthians 2:14; Hebrews 12:15).
--Steve Cornell ( s dot cornell at millersvillebiblechurch dot org ) on 3/16/2006; 10:32:20 AM

TypeThe Emergent Church- A new wave of evangelical identity

The purpose of this article is to critique a relatively new wave of Christian identity known as the Emergent Church. It is a rapidly growing network of individual believers and Churches who would prefer to be understood as a conversation or a friendship rather than an organization. Yet due to overwhelming interest, those who have joined the conversation have found it necessary to organize and designate leaders on the national and international levels. Other titles associated with Emergent include: post-evangelical, post-conservative, post-fundamentalists, post-foundationalists, post-propositionalist, and younger evangelicals. www.emergentvillage.com is a primary web site for emergent.



Emergent Church leaders


The late Stanley Grenz has been recognized as the professor of post-conservatism. Roger Olson and Robert Webber have been branded the publicists of post-conservatism. Tony Jones is the U.S. National Coordinator for Emergent and Brian McLaren is arguably the most popular name associated with the work of emergent. Other names include: Leonard Sweet, Erwin McManus, Spencer Burke, Edmund Burke, John Franke, Rob Bell, Mike Yaconelli, Chris Seay, Carol Childress, and Dave Travis.



Critical assessment of Emergent

Before offering critical assessment of Emergent, it is wise to remember that such analysis should never be approached lightly. We are all one body. “We have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

Yet our spiritual unity does not preclude our responsibility to critique new movements within the body of Christ. New waves of teaching and identity must be evaluated by the faith that was- once for all -- delivered to God’s people. The New Testament warns about the danger of being easily enamored with novel ideas. When believers are not firmly grounded in biblical truth, they vacillate like susceptible children who constantly change their minds about what they believe because someone has told them something different.



Emerging in reaction


Emergent, like most new expressions within the Church, is partly a reaction to existing identities in the body of Christ. Some of the most influential leaders in Emergent have emerged from conservative and fundamentalist approaches to Christianity. It is apparent from their writings that these leaders feel betrayed by their upbringing. They reject the simplistic, biased and judgmental way they were taught to look at people in the world --many of whom seem more pleasant, humble and nice than the people from their fundamentalist Churches. Reacting to this background, they are determined to transcend the separatist spirit of Christians who seem to have nothing more important to do than to defend how right they are and how wrong everyone else is. With a chastened spirit of repentance, they reach out with open arms of tolerance and acceptance to those they were warned to separate from.




The Emergent offer


Emergent offers what they believe to be a more generous orthodoxy. Commendably, they believe the Church should be a welcoming and authentic community of creativity and learning—a place where people with different views are treated with the utmost respect and dignity (rather than being looked down on). They offer an eclectic use of traditions in worship—candle lighting, prayer stations, liturgy, symbols, meditation, sermons, songs and conversations. They desire to move beyond a creed-based identity to a spirituality-based identity. They recommend embracing and celebrating the mystery of the world, life and God rather than conquering it. They prefer theology as a quest for the beauty and truth of God rather than a search for propositional statements, proof texts and doctrinal formulations ----used to measure those who are in and judge those who are out. Committed to what they call a missional focus, they see the world as something to reach out to not something to hide from and arrogantly renounce.



The Emergent overreaction

Those who share a common conservative background (especially younger leaders) will be drawn to the concerns raised by Emergent. Conservative and fundamental Church leaders have been guilty of reactionary extremes. Yet, as is almost always the case, reactions to reactions swing the proverbial pendulum to opposite extremes. Sadly, in the case of emergent, the desire to be perceived as accepting and non-condemning is being taken too far. In their effort to avoid being misunderstood by nonbelievers, they soft-pedal around the exclusivity of salvation through Christ alone. They are evasive on teaching about eternal punishment. They blur Scriptural condemnation of homosexual behavior. In the end, one is left to question the extent to which they embrace Scripture as the authoritative, univocal divine revelation for humanity.



Emergent’s limited generosity

The welcoming spirit of emergent is commendable but it is generously extended to everyone except conservative Christians. The best example of this is found in Brian McLaren’s, “A Generous Orthodoxy.” Mimicking the spirit of the culture, McLaren offers everyone (except conservative Christians) large doses of tolerance. Parroting the academic community, those considered liberal or on the left receive the most generosity from McLaren. This is significant because emergent is built on the assumption that evangelicals (of both the conservative and pragmatic stripe) have made far too many concessions to modern culture. It is often the case that the things we condemn in others we are guilty of in other areas. Evidently, McLaren doesn’t recognize how cynical, sarcastic, and condescending he sounds toward those he deems old fashion, non-emergent Christian modernists.

The Emergent overstatement

Emergent leaders emphasize a need for radical reform in the Church based on an understanding of postmodern culture. They operate on “the assumption that postmodernism has effected such a gigantic and irreversible shift in people’s thought patterns that the Church is faced with a fundamental choice: adapt so as to respond better to postmodernism, or be relegated to irrelevance” (D.A. Carson, “Becoming Conversant with Emergent”).

In this area of emphasis, emergent leaders should be cautioned against the kind of overstatement they deplore in other twigs of evangelical identity. First, the nature of the shift from modern to postmodern is highly debatable (see: D. A. Carson, Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church). Is post-modern actually most-modern? Perhaps we should really be talking about what Paul Vitz identifies as a Trans-modernism culture.

Secondly, while it is true that many spiritual leaders do not adequately understand the cultural changes that have occurred over the last several decades, many others have faithfully and effectively addressed those changes before Emergent ever emerged. I fear that Emergent, in an effort to emphasize the urgency of their mission has inadvertently disrespected the outstanding work of many leaders and ministries in this area of concern (see examples below).



Emergent and postmodernity

A more troubling possibility is that Emergent leaders are not really interested in thoughtful biblical critique of postmodernity. Is it the Emergent enterprise to seek a better understanding of the shift to postmodernity and address it as a communicational challenge for the gospel? Or, have the Emergent leaders embraced the values of postmodernity because they actually consider them superior?

The most important value of postmodernity is the inadmissibility of all totalizing ways of viewing any dimension of life. Postmodernity, as a theory, refuses to allow any single defining source for truth and reality beyond the individual. The gospel clearly contradicts this value. While Emergent leaders raise legitimate concerns about adding too much to the gospel, they also must be careful not to reshape the gospel to accommodate this primary value of postmodernity. If the gospel is held hostage to the restrictions of postmodernity, it ceases to be good news. For further analysis, see: Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church, D. A. Carson, Zondervan, 2005.





Suggested reading:

The Gagging of God: Christianity confronts pluralism, D. A. Carson, Zondervan, 1996.

Postmodernizing the Faith: Evangelical Responses to the Challenge of postmodernism, Millard Erickson, Baker, 1998

Truth Decay: Defending Christianity against the Challenges of Postmodernism, Douglas Grouthuis, IVP, 2000

Truth or Consequences: The promise and perils of postmodernism, Millard Erickson, IVP, 2001

Preaching to a Postmodern World, Graham Johnston, Baker,2001

Reclaiming the Center: Confronting Evangelical Accommodation in Postmodern times, ed. Millard Erickson, Paul Kjoss Helseth, Justin Taylor Crossway, 2004





Steven W. Cornell

Senior pastor

Millersville Bible Church

58 West Frederick Street

Millersville PA. 17551

717-872-4260

s.cornell@millersvillebiblechurch.org




your comment here
-- ( s dot cornell at millrsvillebiblechurch dot org ) on 10/17/2005; 8:42:08 AM

I've got a couple of religious theorys that are "alien" related and would be very controversial. I'm not well known or even little known, but I need to get in contact with someone that is compitent and credible, to run my theorys by them and see if they are plausible. I already have found a couple holes in them, but it's all so confusing, and even the currently christian accepted theorys and translations have holes. I just need someone knowledgeable to discuss and speculate with. I'm wondering if there are already simular theorys, and what is the possibilty of my own "gaining steam"? Please respond if interested, or willing to accomodate these needs.

Thank you, Ethan S. Hart
(Hartmck@juno.com)
--Ethan ( Hartmck at juno dot com ) on 12/6/2004; 1:09:55 PM

Thanks Mike! Good thoughts.
--Stephen Shields ( sshields at faithmaps dot org ) on 10/24/2004; 7:42:48 PM

This looks good - especially the balance between organizational excellence, and being flexible with the leadings of the Holy Spirit.

I would add a component of economic intelligence and awareness. A great deal of "middle class protestantism" is driven by the two income trap.

"Emergence" is not "new", much of what is discussed here and on other sites is stuff we've been talking about for three decades. And, I'm sure there are those who have been doing this for longer than three decades.

Like the Willow model, our present emergent models will become tomorrow's "traditional church". However, Willow is still relevant - their model will still reach their fraction of humanity. And our models will too! We just won't be able to call them "emergent" in two decades.
--Mike O ( modorney at aol dot com ) on 10/20/2004; 11:23:09 AM

excellent! I like your thinking ab this!
--stephen shields ( sshields at faithmaps dot org ) on 10/6/2004; 8:23:25 PM

My initial reaction is of agreement. Certainly the emergent church will be outdated. We have seen a devisive movement from the traditional to contemporary. But with the movement over the past few years of the emergent church, we have embarked on a new movement. But why do we have to fall into such rigid structures and definitions. It seems that we have obviously forgotten the reformational dictum of "ecclsia reformata, ecclesia semper reformanda"...The reformed church is always a reforming church...Are we such? Are we perpetually changing? Or do we too easily define and lock ourselves into rigidity. Rather than defining the emerging church as a period of reform, it should be the continually emerging church. With this, there is no need to be post-anything. The emerging church is...always.
--ryan ( proudestmonkey75 at hotmail dot com ) on 10/6/2004; 2:44:30 PM

Hi Bill!

My concern comes from what I read. I mention in my one of my Delights and Dangers articles (which appeared in NW a few years ago) reading an article from a man I respect who nonetheless seemed to be pretty much invalidating 2000 years of Christian reflection. Bill, I think we're *very hungry*; no new insight here, but Augustine, CS Lewis and, well, Jesus (!) refer to an incredible thirst that only God satisfies. I think it's very easy for me to *think* that Calvinistic Theology, or speaking in tongues, or the pomoChurch phenomenon can satisfy that thirst. Similarly, a new theology or a new way of doing church might also present an illegitimate path. I'm not indicting any of these things but cautioning that we can invest too much importance in any of them. And - concomitantly - charismata, theological reflection, or a desire to ensure that women are treated as fellow recepients of Grace can all be beautiful, lovely, balanced expressions of love toward God. Bill, I just want to make sure that we KEEP OUR EYES ON THE BALL. Hope this helps and thanks! Feel free to push back if needful!
--stephen shields ( sshields at faithmaps dot org ) on 10/5/2004; 6:03:26 PM

S, do you think most or a significant portion of those we might put in the emerging church category are merely interested in the nouveau? Do your concerns stem mostly from what you see/hear via blogs and conventions?
--bill bean ( billbean at indychurch dot org ) on 10/5/2004; 2:17:19 PM

Thanks Rex! Sometimes I become concern that a focus on the nouveau and the merely revolutionary can eclipse a focus on our Divine Lover. In Him truly all *is* new *and* revolutionary! But without Him it's all spit and polish!
--stephen shields ( sshields at faithmaps dot org ) on 10/4/2004; 10:03:13 PM

Stephen - keep nudging us back to a discussion about more substantial issues of holiness and grace. Our narrow focus on message of "salvation" ignores the admonition to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I appreciate your inclusion of issues like justice, diversity and mercy.
--Rex Miller ( rmiller at millenniummatrix dot com ) on 10/4/2004; 8:18:24 PM