Perils of the Emerging Church

[olger]

That raises an interesting thought. What would be the opposite of an emerging church?

Without regard to all of the pejorative meanings ascribed to "emerging" in this discussion here is the dictionary meaning:

emerging (adjective)

: newly created or noticed and growing in strength or popularity : becoming widely known or established

And here are some antonyms for "emerging" -

abandoning, decreasing, disappearing, dropping, falling, going, hiding, leaving, lessening, ending, finishing, trickling, fading

There is a real sense of an emerging church as one coming out of another, as in "Come out of her my people." So, the opposite would seem to be a sense of complacency or remaining where or as one is currently. Wasn't the Reformation and Protestantism in general an emerging church? Perhaps much of the resistance to the emerging church movement has more to do with being resistant to change or progress and a preference for clinging to tradition.

Using the dictionary to define the Emergent movement is like saying that "happy & carefree" define the homosexual movement.

These progressive movements conscript good words and ultimately distort their original meanings.

rejoice always,

`G

[CoAspen]

Quote:

These progressive movements.....

So...progress is out of the question? Staus quo is in?

[LifeHiscost]

I wish my church would do some more emerging.

Wishful thinking is less than effective in light of the fact that all are falling short of the righteousness of Christ. We ourselves are asked to be the light that Jesus gives us, not insure that everyone else be the light we don't see in them. Our wishes are best fulfilled by trusting that Jesus will make us the light.

"“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house."Matthew 5:13-15 NLT

And I believe this Word lets me know that if I am willing to receive the gift of repentance for my personal lack, I can still be assured I am numbered among the elect.

"And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you."Galatians 3:29 NLT

God cares!

[ClubV12]

I like that thought Stan, certainly the Adventists of 1844 were "emerging".

But lets not miss the very real threat this current "movement" potentially represents to our Church. By whatever name one might call it. A rose by any other name, still has thorns... :)

[LifeHiscost]

In the 1840's the advent movement may have been the emerging church.. just a thought.

And I'm of the opinion I still have some emerging needed to be accomplished which Jesus will finish in the twinkling of an eye at His appearing, of which I'm satisfied that's "even at the door"

God cares!

[rev184]

Originally Posted By: rev184

Good sermon, I've seen this stuff push people in the direction of jumping out of the boat toward SDR. Watched it on you tube.

Did you mean SRA?

G

Seventh day remnant a splinter church who is like SDA but formed within ours and moved out because certain reasons. I won't go into .

[Tom Wetmore]

Using the dictionary to define the Emergent movement is like saying that "happy & carefree" define the homosexual movement.

These progressive movements conscript good words and ultimately distort their original meanings.

Odd simile that is... Not sure in a free association I would have come up with that as an example... (Of course, I spend far less time thinking about homosexual things than you seem to... So you apparently know a whole lot more about it than I do.)

Seriously though, I don't think it is the Emergent movement, or any other progressive movement for that matter, that distorts the meaning of words nearly as much as their critics. That is why it is nearly impossible to hold a useful conversation about it with critics when simply agreeing to use a common language is out of the question.

[olger]

The homosexual movement took a perfectly good word meaning "happy" and hijacked it.

That's what liberalism often does. For instance, just disagreeing with homosexuality now makes you a candidate for being a "hater." A whole system constructed on hyperbole.

The emerging movement got it's name from the idea that a forest fire needs to burn through Christiandom destroying everything in its path. Then new ideas that are disconnected from the past will be replaced by new growth, substitute progressive seedlings of change. The theological term for this is deconstructionism -- Redefining every doctrine to conform to the sensibilities of modern man.

This theological devastation is a welcome reinterpretation to individuals who have grown weary in well-doing, these agents of apathy. They can invent a wonder world, free of the constraints of Biblical foundational pillars. Thus, EC guiding thinkers like Brian Mclaren can deny the blood atonement of Jesus and put in its place a universalism laced with Catholic mysticism, and actually believe they are doing God a favor.

This is what proponents of the Emerging Church are constructing. If it sounds good to you - have at it, friend

G

[CoAspen]

Quote:

Seriously though, I don't think it is the Emergent movement, or any other progressive movement for that matter, that distorts the meaning of words nearly as much as their critics. That is why it is nearly impossible to hold a useful conversation about it with critics when simply agreeing to use a common language is out of the question.

[Tom Wetmore]

Ger, as with so many other things, oversimplification and pigeon-holing things, at the expense of accuracy and truth.

The etymology of "gay" is nowhere near as simple and clear cut as you think. The gay community didn't originate its euphemistic sexual use. It began as a pejorative. And rather than the homosexual community hijacking it, it was more a case of the opposite. It was used negatively first by those outside of that group but ultimate embraced by them nonetheless.

Don't believe me? Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay .

I am fairly certain, having read a great deal about the Emerging Church and the Emergent Church (they are different) and by authors from both, that you have treated those terms similarly.

Read this to clear some of the confusion - http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=1645

Or perhaps this - http://freduhl.com/2008/09/25/emerging-church/

[olger]

No I don't agree with you, Tom. We have spoken freely with each other and I know where you stand on propositional truth, and you have demonstrated the same openly and visibly on here. And you know where I stand, grateful for the Adventist message as one who came in from a very different seven-generation heritage.

Repent always,

`G

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

This is what proponents of the Emerging Church are constructing. If it sounds good to you - have at it, friend

While I stand behind most of your post Og, the phrase above gives too much room for those who will one day in the not too distant future, take the phrase out of context to prove you encouraged them to follow misguided philosophies.

Just to give note in where we are in our present day societal norms;

Quote:

Walesa wants new secular 'Ten Commandments'

Former Polish President and 1983 Nobel Peace Laureat, Lech Walesa addresses the 13th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laurates in Warsaw, Poland on October 21, 2013 (AFP Photo/Janek Skarzynski)

Warsaw (AFP) - Polish Nobel peace laureate Lech Walesa on Monday called for a new "secular Ten Commandments" to underpin universal values, addressing a summit of Nobel Peace Prize winners in Warsaw.

"We need to agree on common values for all religions as soon as possible, a kind of secular Ten Commandments on which we will build the world of tomorrow," he said in an opening speech kicking off the three-day summit.

Walesa won the Nobel 30 years ago for leading Poland's Solidarity trade union, which negotiated a peaceful end to communism in Poland in 1989.

And guess which day of the week will be chosen for the health and welfare of the general population to rest upon.

God cares!

[olger]

I understand.

And I have done everything but jump up and down and scream to warn people away from the emerging church deceptions. We have a great article on it coming out soon.

[Tom Wetmore]

[Green Cochoa]

Originally Posted By: Tom Wetmore

That raises an interesting thought. What would be the opposite of an emerging church?

Without regard to all of the pejorative meanings ascribed to "emerging" in this discussion here is the dictionary meaning:

emerging (adjective)

: newly created or noticed and growing in strength or popularity : becoming widely known or established

And here are some antonyms for "emerging" -

abandoning, decreasing, disappearing, dropping, falling, going, hiding, leaving, lessening, ending, finishing, trickling, fading

There is a real sense of an emerging church as one coming out of another, as in "Come out of her my people." So, the opposite would seem to be a sense of complacency or remaining where or as one is currently. Wasn't the Reformation and Protestantism in general an emerging church? Perhaps much of the resistance to the emerging church movement has more to do with being resistant to change or progress and a preference for clinging to tradition.

Using the dictionary to define the Emergent movement is like saying that "happy & carefree" define the homosexual movement.

These progressive movements conscript good words and ultimately distort their original meanings.

rejoice always,

`G

Olger,

Even by the "definition" of "emerging," it clearly could not be applied to the Reformation nor to the Advent movement. These were "unpopular" movements which required their adherents to "abandon" and to "leave" their former churches (antonyms for "emerging" per the definitions provided above).

In 1844 the Advent movement was decreasing in popularity, and persecution of the advent believers was what forced many of them to leave their churches. They did not leave by choice, nor because it was popular to do so. Following 1844, the advent group noticeably declined, as many turned away from the truth in disappointment.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

[LifeHiscost]

I understand.

And I have done everything but jump up and down and scream to warn people away from the emerging church deceptions. We have a great article on it coming out soon.

I'll be looking forward to it.

God cares!

[Planey]

We have a great article on it coming out soon.

Who is "we"?

[olger]

You'll find out later.

rejoice always,

G

[Naomi]

anxiously waiting

[Joshua-]

I am very interested in reading it also when it is finished.

I have far too many books open right now but, the more the merrier =)

Lets see.

The consecrated way, AT Jones

Joseph Bates autobiography

God at Risk herbert douglass (and 'why jesus waits' by the same author just waiting to be opened as soon as i'm done with that one)

'Turtles all the way down' by Sean Pitman (one of the best cutting edge books on the topic of evolution i know of so far)

the matchless charms of christ by bill lehmen

the cross and its shadow by sn haskell

and i just found out about something i wish i would have known about ages ago:

the journal of the adventist theological society

this stuff is intense research. i have one from 1992 and one from 2004. i want them *all*

next on the list is going to be the two republics by at jones and truth triumphant by wilkinson... come to think of it i still need to finish our authorized bible vindicated, speaking of wilkinson...

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

The phrase has become a 'catch-all' for anything people disagree with, waiting for the nodding of heads! Really???

Whatever God asks of me, whether found in a "catch-all" phrase or not, will give deliverance where needed and accepted. Some just won't believe it's God's desire without their approval. God doesn't have to go through me in order to accomplish His ends, and He's told me through His Son, the Holy Bible is where I'll receive the best instruction from Him.

"Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body.

There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death."

Proverbs 16:24-25 AMP

God cares

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

#671404 - 21/10/2013 21:54

Gotta agree with it in entirety.

Took me awhile to get around to this one but that comes when your overextended and can't afford a gallon of gas to get to town and back.

OOps! I went back and found I'd already addressed that one. Oh well, it needed a second Hoorah!

God cares!

[olger]

I am very interested in reading it also when it is finished.

I have far too many books open right now but, the more the merrier =)

Lets see.

The consecrated way, AT Jones

Joseph Bates autobiography

God at Risk herbert douglass (and 'why jesus waits' by the same author just waiting to be opened as soon as i'm done with that one)

'Turtles all the way down' by Sean Pitman (one of the best cutting edge books on the topic of evolution i know of so far)

the matchless charms of christ by bill lehmen

the cross and its shadow by sn haskell

and i just found out about something i wish i would have known about ages ago:

the journal of the adventist theological society

this stuff is intense research. i have one from 1992 and one from 2004. i want them *all*

next on the list is going to be the two republics by at jones and truth triumphant by wilkinson... come to think of it i still need to finish our authorized bible vindicated, speaking of wilkinson...

http://advindicate.com/articles/2013/10/25/interview-with-steve-wolhberg-on-the-emerging-church

[CoAspen]

Quote:

The phrase has become a 'catch-all' for anything people disagree with, waiting for the nodding of heads! Really???

Whatever God asks of me, whether found in a "catch-all" phrase or not, will give deliverance where needed and accepted. Some just won't believe it's God's desire without their approval. God doesn't have to go through me in order to accomplish His ends, and He's told me through His Son, the Holy Bible is where I'll receive the best instruction from Him.

"Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body.

There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death."

Proverbs 16:24-25 AMP

God cares

What? are you trying to address the quote? ?????

[TruthWave]

Amen,Deb!