Emergent Brethren

I think as we begin this blog….getting it off the ground, it would be helpful to work at a definition of “Emergent” churches. So, what is emergent?

For me, emergent is about being non-traditional in our approach to ministry. It is about being missional — (That might need definition!) about the mission of Jesus. It’s about engaging our full self in the mission of the church, not just a place to go for an hour or two each week, but being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. Being the heart of Jesus in the world…and by world, I mean wherever we are! Emergent is about being incarnational. It’s about an ever deepening connection with God and with other people. It’s about moving boundaries, removing walls, exposing others to the mission, love, peace, and grace of Jesus.

That’s enough to get us started…what do you think? What does emergent mean to you?

I am very interested in hearing from others who have successfully launched a Third Place… Our leadership team is exploring doing just that as a way to connect with our community, provide an employment option for our youth and others, and as a way to fund ministry.

A third place is neutral ground, inclusive and promotes social equality, conversation is the central activity, it is frequented by regulars who welcome newcomers, it is a non-pretentious, homey place that fosters a playful mood. Like Starbucks! Home is a first place, Work is a second place and Starbucks or other cafe’s or places like Barnes and Nobel are third places.

I am interested in feeback from any who have done this successfully. But also offer a quote from Len Sweet’s new book “The Gospel According to Starbucks” for your interaction….

“Church used to be a third place of choice, a meeting house, a sacred place where the community gathered for governing, for mourning, for celebrating, for relationship building. But churches increasingly became not relational space but propositional place. Instead of going there to connect with God and with others in meaningful relationship, people started going to church to be convinced of transcendent truth, or , if they already numbered among the convinced, to have their beliefs and religious convictions confirmed from the pulpit. The church lost credibility as a place for sacred relationship when it chose to specialize in formulating and advancing a better spiritual argument. The result is that people who came to the meeting house got connected with ideas and formulas more than they did with God and with other people.” p 132

What do you think? I think sweet is right on and that is one of several reasons why we are pursuing the idea of opening a third place in our community to do again what the church used to do. And then out of those relationships we hope to make a connection with our new friends to our congregation’s life and ministry. It seems to me that emerging churches must consider options like these that get us out into the community making authentic connections and relationships with people who will not come inside our churches…. Thoughts???

I’m reading an excellent book just off the press by Len Sweet called “The Gospel According to Starbucks.” I’m reading it because our leadership team is interested in opening a third place business in our community. More on that in a later post when I can get it to be the topic….

But here is something Len says that I think we emerging church folks need to think about as we plan ministries and worship gatherings… “Only two things are keeping professional sports going for postmoderns: Fantasy sports and video games. ” The reason this is so, is the HUGE desire to interact with the sport, not just sit and soak! Think of the implications of that in worship and ministry. Getting people involved. Making room for personal connection — personalization is huge. One of the reasons that I like prayer stations and like them centered around the theme of the day and after the sermon sets the stage is the time for folks to personally interact with God in the context of community.

Thoughts????