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Sometimes reading blogs on the Emergent people and reading various other people's things about their journey I start feeling very lonely. I sometimes feel that there just aren't that many people on the same journey and its devastating at times. You realize that to be apart of one camp or the other you have to give up something. To be honest what both sides would ask me to give up is too great. Although I think both sides have positives there are things that give me such great pause. Right now I just can't compromise. Maybe that is bad of me. Maybe that is hard of me, but every time I think of "selling out" to either side I get a knot in my chest and in my throat.
I can't go fully into the Emerging Church deal. Why?
- Becoming more and more marketed
- The elitist attitude that is more there. They don't realize it is there.
- Increasing acceptance of bad or heretical theology just to save face and be in protest against fundamentalism or any thing that "stinks" of it.
- The militant to Conservative Christians. So bad that slurs are used against them.
I realize that if someone who is heavily influenced by the EC must get hot under the collar when reading this. But if one moment you stepped back you would see this so clearly.
I can't go fully into institutional Church deal or Conservative Church deal. Why?
- Becoming more and more marketed. It is becoming worse actually. It makes me sick
- The elitist attitude. Its always been there, the sad thing is, for the most part they realize it.
- Increasing acceptance of bad theology, even heretical, just to save face and stay in tradition.
- The militant attitude towards any change or any thing outside of their tradition.
I realize that if anyone who considers themselves apart of the IC or of a Conservative Church might be getting hot under the collar as well. But again, if you stepped back you would see the same thing clearly.
I guess you can see by now the things that bother me the most about each group are about the same. I cannot in good conscience deny the character of God either because its cool to be liberal or its cool to be Conservative. Both sides want to compromise the word of God and His character for gain. I cannot be apart of that. Although I maybe guilty of the same, confusion and anger come over me when I even so slightly have interest in accepting one or the other.
I know I'm not fully alone. I know of other's like me. Its just those others are far away and sometimes it would be nice to have that face to face interaction. Sometimes it would be nice to know that in one camp or the other that someone is pushing to something better, something more coming close to the cross instead of something more of the our self made cross.
I'm not sure if this makes any sense to anyone, but myself and maybe that is all it is suppose to be. Just something I needed to say today outside of myself.
8 comments:
we can no more choose to be "emergent" than we chosse to be "modern".
we are what we we are - what life, culture, and God have made us.
when we seek to worship as anything other than a child of God trying their best to follow His Word and His Spirit, then we are lost.
both sides lose.
your are right. although its hard to remember that at times. I just feel like I'm losing at this point.
I guess I'm having a pity party! LOL but I also feel I have something to say and I feel I'm in the silence. that is a frusterating place to be. I think at least.
hey rich!
thanks so much for sharing. I'm glad to hear your church is doing middle ground work. may ask what they are doing exactly? I love hearing what other churches are up to! :)
Jewels,
you said, "but I also feel I have something to say and I feel I'm in the silence. that is a frusterating place to be."
you have a lot say, and the silence is only for those who choose not to hear. As we've discussed before at the MSN church, it's these small vices and quiet people moving forward in their best to serve God who will make the biggest difference in our world and in our churches.
but most prefer to follow the famous and exciting voices. this will probably be true in postmodern world as it is in the modern.
keep talking, people ARE listening.
john
(My Wifey will kill me!)
I do not know you well, but I know of you. I should have read much of your contributions and Blake's (over at shawncuthill.com), but my priorities are messed up -- I am convinced I have no time, no ability -- whatever excuse is handy!
I would like to cheer, and clap, and stamp my feet, and encourage you to keep on sharing!
Lately, I have been very taken with the first commandment (as opposed to the second), upon which hangs all the Law and the Prophets. It exhorts me to love the Lord my God, with all my heart (also translated as 'might' for an interesting possibility for word study), with all my soul, and most important (for me) with all my mind (such that it is).
I get chances to venture into our schools as a travelling and much hated supply teacher, and see virtually NO students willing to think, let alone eager to!
When I do see people whom I admire for their brains, often I cringe at the pride that comes with it. I hope I will not offend anyone -- this is merely a poor man's attempt at a bad example.
When I look at Catholicism, I see an organization that said, "You guys are unable to clearly understand God, and His Will for you. Don't worry -- leave it to us, follow our rules, and your problems will be over.".
And yet Scripture warns us not to add nor remove from the Gospel, and the dire consequences of those who teach falsely, and bring others to belief. I'm not that kind of teacher!!
There is a safety in asking questions... We challenge our minds, and those of others... and we acknowledge our ignorance.
(In 20 years of 'teaching', untrained as such, and blundering along as I do, many years of which I was unsaved, with pride strapped to my back, I still like one line I would use with every new group I would meet. "We were all born ignorant, and we'll all die ignorant." It would just be nice to learn some things that will be truly useful! And the way I read Scripture (ie: the Sermon on the Mount), these best-of-questions, if we ask, and seek, and knock... He shall answer, and show, and open! I'm more than willing to show some patience there, afterall, if we believe Scripture (and upon the Lord Jesus), we have an eternity to learn!
I hope that I will have an opportunity to share with all of you (does anyone have a spare memory pack, so I can REMEMBER some of this stuff??), and that we all keep in mind what you have stressed -- that we are each (if we believe), 'members of Christ', a part of His body, and that, if we remember humility, our great weakness (and only HIS ability to be made perfect through weakness), and our reliance on His Spirit to be made useful for His sake, then:
- pride might take more of a back seat;
- anyone willing to 'teach' His ways would pray more than they teach, and tremble in fear, knowing that should they be wrong, there will be an accounting made at the Judgment seat.
- people might discuss as equals each sharing their varied knowledge, experiences, feelings and sharing their abilities, both natural, and Spirit-breathed, seeking to ask, to seek, and to knock -- and hopefully to recognize how and when His Spirit chooses to give, to find, and to open.
People love to 'love their neighbour', but even there I think we do poorly. For we love our friends, which even the fools do. We love those who do things for us unbidden. And we love those we wish (at the time) would love us in return.
Let us stand and be counted in Christ, and let us not forsake His first commandment, with the great motivator we find in Matthew 5:1 through 7:29.
"And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
I hear you have left Shawn's forums, and I fear Blake might follow. I hope we'll disregard the medium, and concentrate on what I believe... is the reason for fellowship -- to build up our following of the first commandment, wherever His Spirit might lead us.
(I would never have said anything, had my wife not left a window open to this very spot. I should be asleep now, and if S.. she finds out I did this, she's going to be TICKED when I arrive late at work tomorrow. If I said anything worth reading, PLEASE don't credit me, for I am but a great fool!)
Hey!
So many words. Wow. I guess I know now how someone might feel when reading some of my moments before the Lord and all the is coming out of my finger types is what I feel lead to say and then others around me look at me in silence. LOL
I like what you had to share. Although I just want to make sure you know, I do not expect us to take "learned" people of the word only. And I think you understood by talking about the body of Christ. We all need to work together, loving each others gifts, lifting each other up, high lighting where we are strong, high lighting when God uses our weakness for His gain! We aren't a whole bunch of small bodies, NO, we are a body, ONE body! And from what I understand you agree as well. And I'm glad you took the time and your wifey's wrath to post here. ;) And btw: none of us are fools. Maybe me, but certiantly not everyone else! ;) As far as Shawn's site, I did leave awhile back. And recently had asked to be reactived, mostly for lurking purposes, but now Shawn has decided that banning Blake and I is the best thing. Although I'm hurt by it and I'm stunned by it, that was his decision and he will have to live with it.
Anyway, I want you to know, I'm so glad that you shared, if I missed something you were trying to say please come back and please clear it up, because I want to hear your voice! :)
Jewels
You are not alone on this journey, not only is the Shepherd with you, guiding you, but I and others I know have appreciated what you have shared with us, and how you have listened.
I too feel that emergent has become a marketing gimmick, but then I was on this journey long before I encountered that conversation.
Perhaps it seems that the well we rested at for a while has dried up to make us go on.
God bless you and Blake
Andrew
Perhaps it seems that the well we rested at for a while has dried up to make us go on.
I never thought it that way. I like it!
I think that I have been on this journey so long as well, that I have met and scene different parts of the "land" and now its deciding what is next. We shall see I guess. :)
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