Will the Emerging Church Fully Emerge?

I happened across this article on Eddie’s site the other day. I remember starting on this journey about 5-years ago and coming across Present Testimony Ministry and not understanding where they were coming from. Times have changed…

I would like to make a few comments about the article entitled “Will the Emerging Church Fully Emerge?”. Let me say a few things upfront. When I first heard of the concept of the “emerging church” I was intrigued. I knew that my church experience was missing something and I am not one that is afraid to try new things. I was drawn to the concept of “house church”, missional Christianity, and the emphasis put on community. Yet, I have hesitated to call myself part of the “emerging conversation” for several reasons. I think it is time to flesh some of them out, and I’d like to use Frank Viola’s article as a starting point.

That said, I think that Frank has a fairly limited definition of what he considers an “emerging church” and I really don’t want to get caught up in all the fuzzy language that comes into play when trying to define what this emerging thing is. So if the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t put it on. I think the principles still apply. Please take some time and read the article. My comments are based on it, and you may misunderstand what I’m saying if you don’t read it first.

Frank applauds much of what the emerging church stands for, but I think his critiques are valid based on the many conversations and blogs that I participate in. I’m not going to address them all.

While the emerging church phenomenon has placed a much needed emphasis on the Jesus of the Gospels, it has focused on imitating His outward conduct instead of exploring His internal relationship with an indwelling God which was the source of His conduct.

I don’t know exactly who are what Viola is critiquing here, but I agree that this always a danger. Let me say that I think one example is the emphasis that many emerging leaders put on liturgy. I was raised in the church. I haven’t experienced a whole lot of high-church, so I really don’t relate a whole lot to whole liturgy thing. I understand it is supposed to form us by forcing us to read through various portions of Scripture on a regular basis. I’ve tried it. I’ve even tried to enjoy it. I’ve tried to convince myself that it was good for me. I wanted to be like my emerging brothers and sisters who claim it connects them to Christ. I felt out of place and awkward because it just doesn’t work for me. I don’t buy the garbage that “we don’t know what is forming us” either. I know what connects me to Christ. I know what magnifies Christ in my eyes.

I think the issue is that an exploration of our internal relationship with Christ can express itself in a hundred different ways outwardly. It seems like that was one of our critiques of the modern church: One size fits all worship. Do it our way or no way. I fail to see how forcing a group of people to follow a liturgy is respectful of the myriad of ways that Christ expresses Himself in us and transforms us into His likeness.

The emerging church phenomenon has wonderfully articulated some of the major flaws of the modern church, yet like all of its predecessors, it has failed to identify and take dead aim at one of the chief roots of most of its ills. Namely, the modern pastoral office.

Frank points out that the modern concept of the pastoral office, and role of pastor, is fraught with issues.

My experience in this country and overseas over the last seventeen years has yielded one immovable conclusion: God’s people can engage in high-talk about community life, Body functioning, and Body life, but unless the modern pastoral role is utterly abandoned in a given church, God’s people will never be unleashed to function in freedom under the Headship of Jesus Christ. . . The reason is that the flaws of the modern pastoral role are actually built into the role itself.

Now we get to some meat and potatoes. The role of the pastor, and leadership in general, is talked about a lot in the emerging church scene. We seem to be very concerned about our role in the leadership of our churches. We talk about leading from “along side” instead in “the front.” We try to define the role of a pastor in such a way that avoids any appearance of the power-hungry people that many of us have served under in our institutional experiences. We go to great lengths to avoid any appearance of power or control.

I have wondered if the issue really isn’t how we define, or execute the role and office of pastor at all. Maybe we are still defining the role of pastor based on our modern assumptions and putting way to much emphasis on the function. Why is there so much discussion about OUR role as leaders, when it is really Jesus who is The Leader? How many discussions are having about the Headship of Christ? About how to help our friends know, see, hear and follow Jesus?

I’ll confess. I like to be needed. I like to feel like I am helping others. I like to feel like I am contributing to the spiritual health of my friends. The problem is that most of our friends are conditioned by modern assumptions what it means to “do church” too. They are very likely to rely on the pastor, no matter what the context, instead of the leading of Jesus.

Frank says, For the last seventeen years, I have been gathering with Christians outside the organized church. Without exception, all of the groups that I have gathered with or have worked with personally have known the pains and joys of community life in bed-rock reality, they have all had consistent meetings under the Lord’s Headship without a leader or facilitator, they have made decisions together, and they have solved their own problems . . . all without a pastor, or a group of selected men to rule them, and without a song leader or worship team.”

Is this possible? Groups of people dealing with pains and joys of community life, meeting consistently, making decisions, solving problems. . .all without a pastor? I think it is if we are putting Person of Jesus Christ at the center of all we do, and let him run the church as He sees fit.

Additionally, I don't think we are doing those we lead any favors by calling ourselves pastors. Read this article to find out some more information about church history and role and office of pastors. Warning! You may never look at your pastor the same. . .

The emerging church phenomenon, like all preceding reform/renewal movements, has emphasized a bundle of Christian “its” and “things,” instead of the Person of Jesus Christ.

In my opinion, if we were to examine the broad canvas of Christian movements and denominations throughout church history, we would discover that each one paints with a very fine brush. For one movement, the brush is evangelism. For another, it is social justice and acts of mercy. For another, it is praise and worship. For another, it is Bible study and doctrinal/theological accuracy. For another, it is the power of God, the gifts of the Spirit, signs and wonders. For another, it is changing the political system. For another, it is spiritual warfare and intercessory prayer. For another, it is personal prophecy. For still another, it is end-time theology (eschatology). And on and on it goes. All of these brushes represent Christian “things.” And they are just that . . . “things.” They are Christian “its.” Subjects about the Lord with which to become engaged, at best. Or with which to become obsessed, at worst.

This hits the nail on the head for me. I think Viola says something to those on the emerging journey that expresses what I’ve felt. For all the talk about community, community is not Christ. For all the talk about leadership, our leaders are not Christ. For all the talk about Postmodernism, it is not Christ. For all the talk about liturgy, liturgy is not Christ. For all the talk about our “contexts”, they are merely the expression of a group of individuals filled with Christ. Without Christ, our context means nothing.

My own critique inserted here is that we are much more likely to quote McLaren and Nouwen then we are Jesus. If you don’t believe me check your blogs.

In conclusion, I guess I don’t consider myself “emerging”. I think some of the people that consider themselves leaders in the emerging church are awesome people on a deep journey with God. But, I don’t care for some of the forms, rituals and obligations that those leaders espouse. The expression of the fullness of Christ that resides in me can express itself in any number of ways and I refuse to limit it by slapping a label on it. I am a Christ-follower. Plain and simple.

If some of this is incoherent, I apologize. Much was written at work in the middle of the night.... I look forward to wrestling through these issues. . .