The Emerging Church ~ Not all it's cracked up to be

For the past couple of days I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about the Emerging Church. I originally really liked its basic principles and wholeheartedly agreed with most of it! ... But there *were* some little "red flags" going up in my mind about parts of its claims.

Much as I agree with the ideas of using more contemporary methods to reach out to the population and bring them to Christ... evangelism... I don't agree with the EC people that claim that the Bible isn't wholely true (it is), and who say that Truth can't be known (it can -- John 8:32).

I read a couple of articles that really had me wondering:

* The Emergent Mystique (by A. Crouch - Christianity Today)

* Emerging Confusion (C. Colson - Christianity Today)

* Evangelical Drift (C. Colson - Christianity Today) ... not necessarily about EC, but still somewhat related.

But, it was this review that really clinched it for me. I am not fully going to buy into the Emerging Church "conversation" (as they call it).

I cannot condone a method that denies the absolute inerrancy of God's Word (the Bible), or that questions the basic foundations of the Christian faith.

I do agree that certain aspects of how we do church need to be changed. The church has, as the ECers say, "become a place where we go to get our needs met". It has become a place where people are afraid to step on other people's toes, so-to-speak.

I really like what Steve Brown writes in "A Scandalous Freedom", "go ahead ... upset people!"

I like the ideas of using PowerPoint presentations, narrative stories (sometimes), poetry, art, and other means to make worshipping God more "attractive" to those who are seeking. We shouldn't be "stuffy" and "unapproachable". That's probably why I like the church I'm in now... they use an overhead projector for the song lyrics, instead of using hymnals (though, the hymnals are still present in the pews). And, they have a nice blend of contemporary music and the older hymns. The pastor isn't afraid to be "real" with his congregation... he readily admits his failings & shortcomings right up there in the pulpit! :o) And, one of the things I love best about my pastor? He reads books like Rob Bell's "Velvet Elivs" -- even controversial ones like Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code"! -- and isn't afraid to say he likes them! :o)

I can't deny it -- I still love books by the Emergent Church "followers". I loved "Velvet Elvis", "A Scandalous Freedom", and "The Barbarian Way". I'm currently reading one called "Jesus, Mean & Wild" by Mark Galli. I'll continue to read them. And, I love the idea of challenging "the static orthodoxy" (quoted from this article). But, only to an extent.