I have a growing unease about much of the emerging scene. It is one of those nagging but growing feelings. I like the co-operation and much of the generosity both in terms of theology and ideas but the growing shape and organisation seems to be turning quite product focused. I think the initial questions of what is church and mission in contemporary culture has been replaced with how do we worship in ways that reflect our culture, perhaps with the assumption that this will answer the mission question. In an earlier post I likened the emerging church to a bonsai tree that was top heavy. I wonder if the way the current conversations around are adding to this. There was a good post on simple church a while ago that I agree not to organise check out the comment. The unease is growing and I think we may miss the mission along the way.
SUNDAY PAPERS – THE SUPPLEMENT
A CO-OPERATIVE LOOK AT LIFE, MISSION, EMERGING CHURCH AND ALL THAT
Interesting points. I worry that we have focussed on a narrow and Old Testament concept/implementation of Worship and too much emphasis on cultural style which can cause exclusion rather than inclusion.
I’m growing to love the idea of a community with a little less legal structure and organisation and a bit more fluidity and responsiveness.
Easy to say, but not so easy to get on and do…
I agree and Annie threw me a curveball, when discussing the inclusive “kids” time and if doing so was just proping up a defunct stucture of church.
Yeah Richard, I share some of the concern but find myself slightly encouraged by the quite recent growing interest in mission and social action on the emerging scene. I think a redressing of the balance is slowly underway
I totally agree Richard, a couple of years ago I went to a conference on “Emerging Church” in Paris and it rapidly became clear that there were (at least) two understandings… 1) Church that emerges of out a group of Christians+ seeking a more culturally relevant expression of church/worship and 2) “Church” that emerges from people who are drawn together through mission to seek and grow together as they explore God. Both expressions can be missional. Personally my passion is for mission and encouraging and enabling Church to grow from the culture of the people who come to seek. Ketser Brewin asks the question whether alt.worship and other forms of new churches are really emergent – not that he or I take anything away from what they are doing at all just trying to clarify language and nature. Perhaps we need to make a disticntion between “Fresh Expressions” and “Emerging/ent Church” I don’t know?
The other question is, is “Missional” Church church that grows from mission or church that has mission at its heart? I guess I’m soon to find out 🙂