Missional in the Suburbs – Part 5: The Emerging Church

I just finished viewing the two part PBS special on the Emerging Church. They are viewable here and here. I felt that both accounts were credible. It did not appear to be a hatchet job on either side. However they made it abundantly clear that there are differences in the two viewpoints.

One of the most striking things about the Emerging Church movement is that it is so diverse and so varied that it is difficult to pin down. What do they believe? The answer is “yes,” it would appear. Before going any further, let me say right up front that in many respects my church falls under the emerging church banner – whatever that banner is. We do not advertise ourselves by that moniker, nor do we resist it when brought up in regard to us. I have attended some of the Emergent national gatherings, read their materials, and ascribe to a great deal of what they believe Jesus says the church should be about. I visit the web sites often for a kick in the seat of my pants on justice issues or social concerns that many Evangelicals simply overlook. I love the experiential aspect of worship Emerging Churches espouse that probably has seeds in the “Bapticostal” church of my youth.

In many cases I fit better in the Emerging Church mold than I do in the mold of my own denomination, where I have heard my beliefs (especially eschatological beliefs) and my very personhood and character publicly ridiculed. I have not yet heard anyone at an Emerging Church gathering ridicule anyone’s beliefs or character. Now some of the critics will say that this is because the Emerging Church does not believe in Absolute Truth, so there is no right to ridicule. Although there may be some in this broad umbrella that believe that, none in my circle fit that caricature. And that is what I think it is in many cases. If we can say that someone does not believe in Absolute Truth, we have labeled them and they are outside and “not us.” My friends who hold some of the Emerging Church beliefs all believe in Absolute Truth and are probably in the Evangelical Camp for most theological discussions. (I say most because a broad sweeping discussion like this is not easily generalized.)

I resonate with the Emerging Church for a reason that may surprise you. I am by all accounts what the media would call an Evangelical Christian. In my past I was a fundamentalist – a very rigid fundamentalist, well to the right of Jesus, Paul and Peter. As I have matured in my faith, I am 51 years old now; I have fewer answers and more questions. Yet I am more assured about the basic tenants of Christianity than ever before. One of the drawing cards for my acceptance of the Emerging Church is that I find it to be less condemning. I get very weary of having my “card punched” at the latest Evangelical gathering to be sure I am on the right side of whatever their latest issue is.

[Side Bar: I wonder if the early Reformation was not caricatured in much the same way as the Emerging Church leaders are today? Hm-m-m-m.]

However, here is a primary reason I am drawn to a lot of the Emerging Church discussion: I see them as being more missional than where I usually tread. Their compassion and care for the oppressed, their desire to be the church wherever they find themselves resonates with me and my Evangelical heritage. As much as a disjointed movement can appear anything, the Emerging Church really does seek to be the church in whatever venue it finds itself. This does not mean it is without those who are along for an experiential ride. Everything Christian will have "riders" who do not get the true purpose, but are in it for themselves. However, more so than most Christian groups I have been a part of, the Emerging Church does seek to keep the missional element at the forefront and remind adherents of that purpose.

One person who is being lifted up as a speaker for this colletion of churches is Brian McClaren. Please do not quote me as saying I believe everything Brian McClaren teaches. I do not. I don’t believe everything anyone teaches today, me included! I like a lot of what Brian does, but I think he simply raises some issues filling his role as a prophet to call folks to question the status quo. Quite honestly, I think some of what he says, even he does not believe. (Now, do not quote me, he and I have never talked, and probably never will. This is just my take.) My first pastoral mentor told me in 1976, Terry if you believe everything the same way today that you did five years ago, you are backslidden. There is a right and wrong way to question I have learned. Brian loves to push that envelope and thereby freak some folks out.

I have to be honest; the term Emerging Church has become so loaded that it is hard to be used by some of my ministry colleagues who clearly fit here. You can spend time defending yourself rather than advancing mission. I see myself and my church called to be missional first. If we are true to the mission of our local culture and our greater culture, whatever additional label winds up on us, just ends up there.