Emergent churches

Old school. I grew up old school. I tend to struggle with old school to some degree because in their own right, it is a clique.

 

I have never been a part of any "emergent" fellowship, but from what I have heard about them I have some serious concerns.

I would encourage anyone checking one out to be very very discerning...and test everything against the solid truth of the scriptures.

God bless,

Mike

 

It has a hypersensative view of culture. Which has been used as an excuse to have a free for all. "I can do what I want because its culutre". As if culture is a biblical standard.

 

I am a Southern Baptist "Old Schooler" just like Saggy is an Old School Fundy

I preach SB "Old School" sermons----the WHOLE council of God---by the Book---book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, word by word---IF you know what I mean!!!!!

 

If Rick Warren is the Warren you are referring to, he isn't considered emergent/emerging. For some emerging Christians, Warren represents the anti-thesis of the emerging church which in some ways was a reaction against the marketization of church found in the megachurch model.

I'm probably one of the more pro-emerging church members on this board but have never attended a church that identifies as emerging. The one I currently attend is probably more anti-emerging than pro-emerging from the few insinuations I have heard from our senior pastor.

 

Warren is SBC.

 

I would like to the same. I keep hearing this term but I am not even sure I understand what all it means.

As far as tradition and "old school" we all have traditions and tradition itself can be good or it can be bad.

The key is to make sure our traditions are Biblical.

 

That is a correct assumption. They are two different things and they cannot all be lumped together into one group just as all baptist cannot be lumped together as one.

 

I was going to say the same thing that has already been said. We have to be very careful here in our terminology.

Looking for new ways to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ (ie we may meet in a warehouse or have a street ministry) is very different from the EMERGENT movement.

 

I see this many times with every preacher at times, including Macarthur, Piper, et. al.

I'm not worried about his message in the least. He preaches salvation by grace through faith in Christ. What is to worry about that?

 

Because of controversial books and theological views by Brian McLaren, some emerging Christians have tried to distance themselves from that by saying that those associated with Brian McLaren and Emergent Village are labelled as Emergent. The primary promoter of this separation of Emergent and Emerging is Mark Driscoll. However, there are many emerging/emergent Christians who predate, these two personalities and the conflict between them who do not mind associating with either term, particularly in other parts of the world besides the US.

The controversial views of McLaren are not related to taking out sin, the cross and blood and focusing on good feelings and happiness. That would be closer to the criticism of the megachurch model and particularly Joel Osteen.

The Emerging Church has many reasons for existence.
1. One of them is a reaction against megachurch model as the epitome of "modern church" where church and theology is effeciently marketed, packaged and systematized.
2. Another is to cater to postmodern Christians and reach out to postmodern non-Christians by "missional living". Alternative methodogies, music and media are often associated with this goal.

There are many more but I will try to keep it simple and refer to those issues already brought up in this thread.

 

I grew up very Southern Baptist back in the day when it was a great thing to be hired on by the BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD.

Of all the churches I have been a part of that I have felt reached out, the music varied in the same church and in different churches as much as the east is from the west of using hymns to using contemporary. Back when I was young, the "new music" which is now old music to me was from the Jesus movement and is still in the church today. The preaching was as varied (even in the same church) as much as the east is from the west on some shallow sermons to very rich and deep sermons.

It is a different day of doing church. If the doctrine is sound and the gospel is preached, run with it.

I guess I am really tired of seeing the "old people", which could include me, complaining about how "the young people" do things, or doing what will draw "the young people" in. Any more, who wants to go to a business meeting where you complain about this or vote on the color of the carpet. Who the heck cares? If you want to talk shallow, I know more "shallow" people in the old church where they expect to be hand fed all the time, and they have been in church for years. GET OUT OF THE POCKET AND DO SOMETHING!!!!! Ack. You have done got me started.

 

Emergent church

D.A. Carson has recently written a book: Becoming Conversant With The EMERGING CHURCH in which he says that "emerging and emergent have become strongly associated with an important movement that is sweeping across America. Many in the movement use "emerging"or "emergent" as the defining adjective for their movement."

Brutus