Failing its basic mission
Jordon Cooper writes an open letter to denominational and church leaders:
The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things and expecting a different result. That doesn't seem to be a great use of time, energy, or resources. A desire to change is what Sider is talking about in The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience: Why Are Christians Living Just Like The Rest Of The World? is what drives a lot of the emerging church. While we still love the church, we see the church having failed it's own basic mission. I wish I could hear a big Amen at this point but the reality is that not everyone sees it that way. I have colleagues in ministry that point to the Sunday attendance of their churches and their building programs and tell me that everything is going great and they criticize those of us that go in a different direction. All denominations deny this but the sweet allure of success is just too powerful, successful and big churches drive the agenda's of many denominations, either formally or informally. Success is largest impediment of change, which is why most downtown cores of cities across the United States and Canada are full of massive church buildings that were the megachurches of their day. What made them successful made it very hard to change from that. Change and new initiatives don't traditionally thrive in most institutions and need to be nurtured and protected at times.
Just read the article and the comments Darryl.
The thing I find so missing from the emerging church "conversation" is a call back to holiness and right living.
They might be doing a new thing but the compromise with the world is where they lose me.
I was just telling someone last night that if you look at ministries where God is at work big time changing lives you will always see a call to holiness and right living. Not from a legalistic viewpoint but out of a heart of gratitude for what God has done.
The emerging church talks a great story about social justice issues but very little about Gospel proclamation. In so many ways I'm am left with such an impression that it is all about their works that they believe justifies them.
George:
For better or for worse, we're all in this together. I don't think it's emerging vs. evangelical; it's about the church.
Sider's book says that churches aren't producing disciples whose lives are being transformed. The real issue seems to be how to move beyond religious activity to real transformation.
I guess that's my point, I'm not seeing that or reading about that from the emerging church.
I don't read stories of how God is at work in those places. I read how man is at work but not about how God is at work changing people. How God is using the emerging church to bring about that transformation.
Again, I think that has so much to do with holiness and right living.
You say we are all in it together. The all would be those who are truly in Christ. There are many who profess to be, but do not show evidence of their profession in terms of holiness and right living.
That's been my observation as I've taken in some of what they are saying on their blogs and in their books.
George:
I really have no interest in defending or attacking any part of the church, emerging or not. The fact is that the North American church overall is not doing well by almost any metric. Continuing as we are isn't an option. More of our churches need to wrestle with this and find our way back to God.
Darryl,
Thanks for posting this. What I especially appreciate is the statement, "The fact is that the North American church overall is not doing well by almost any metric. Contining as we are isn't an option."
Unfortunately, many, many churches are a long way from admitting that--yet.
But it is the truth and an important statement.
Hey Darryl,
I posted this on dashouse, but it's probably more relevant here:
Darryl,
Now that my time in organized church is over I've come to so conclusions. Church works for those people it works for. They tend to equate Christianity with the way they've done church and they're not going to change.
In the end I left church because it seemed that it wasn't worth the effort. My in-laws are mad at me because our children don't go to church. Many of my old friends don't talk to me anymore. (Too busy in church to have time for friends outside of the organization).
But none of it compares to the horrible feeling I got on a Sunday morning sitting in a church service. I'll take the knocks from my in-laws, and I'll survive the loss of a few friends because it's not fair to ask them to do the changing. The fact is that I changed. Over time I fundamentally changed my view on many issues they hold dear.
I guess my overall question for you is where do we go from here?
Rob
Darryl,
Now that my time in organized church is over I've come to so conclusions. Church works for those people it works for. They tend to equate Christianity with the way they've done church and they're not going to change.
In the end I left church because it seemed that it wasn't worth the effort. My in-laws are mad at me because our children don't go to church. Many of my old friends don't talk to me anymore. (Too busy in church to have time for friends outside of the organization).
But none of it compares to the horrible feeling I got on a Sunday morning sitting in a church service. I'll take the knocks from my in-laws, and I'll survive the loss of a few friends because it's not fair to ask them to do the changing. The fact is that I changed. Over time I fundamentally changed my view on many issues they hold dear.
I guess my overall question for you is where do we go from here?
Rob
Rob,
We take our place ushering in the church of the next generation. We listen to God as He teaches how church is meant to be. This process is not easy. There is much internal conflict because we are moving against culture and tradition. We have to separate our ideas from God's ideas. Our perceived calling does not always look like God's actual calling on our lives. We have to believe and understand what we are doing completely so that we have the resolve to be the agents of change.
Mel