Emerging Thoughts

I have landed, in more ways than one.

I am back home after a full, thought provoking, prayerful, and at times painful weekend.
It all made much more sense after reading Phyllis Tickle's book, The Great Emergence, upon which the three days of sessions in Memphis were based.

In her book Tickle examines major cultural and historical shifts that occur about every 500 years that prompt a response and reshaping of Christianity. The most recent upheaval was during the Reformation. (This is a less than Cliff Note version...) We are now entering that next time of upheaval, which has been called The Great Emergence, and while Protestantism came out of the Reformation, no name other than Emerging (not to be confused with Emergent) has been given to the form of Christianity resulting from the current cultural shifts. More recently perhaps also referred to by some as Missional Churches responding to a Post Modern Culture.

I am still trying to process what that all means, but have landed solidly in the space of committing myself to following Christ as best I can, taking His commandments seriously and paying close attention to what the New Testament has to say. I would say I am a mid line emergent, not nearly as far left as some, but trying to walk very carefully in the way of Jesus. Humility and service to the poor (both poor in spirit and poverty stricken) are two attributes of how I see that being lived out. It probably puts me into a non-fundamentalist, more moderate theology with Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo as writers worth reading and speakers worth listening to. I know some may view them as left, but believe me, there are plenty to the left of them.

I did make it back for a prayer meeting tonight involving a non-traditional church plant in our community, and God has seemingly landed me there as well. This is a church that would specifically minister to the poor in our community, the poor that don't yet know Jesus. I have sensed God calling me to this, but with upcoming writing commitments it didn't look like it was going to fit. Now that that has taken care of itself, I find myself firmly landing back in that place of church planting, so it will be interesting to see what other doors God opens and closes over the next few weeks and months.

I am glad to be home with my family. I thank God for His love.

Peace.

Weekend Musings...

Yesterday I spent ALL day getting from the West Coast back home. I was hoping to be bumped (again, OK, so call me greedy...) but wasn't successful. But I did have really interesting conversation in Chicago during a lengthy layover.

It was just what my soul needed. I called a friend to talk about some of the amazing thoughts, ideas and beliefs reverberating inside my head and mentioned Erwin McManus' name on the phone. Well, it turns out someone who wasn't even supposed to be in the Chicago airport at that moment in time, let alone within ear shot of my conversation overheard me simply mention my name and decided to hang out and introduce himself. His name is Jeremy and he was just on his way home from Amsterdam. He had worked there as a missionary and church planter for eight years and as a matter of fact knows Bob and Mim Phillips, missionaries our church supports. We had a wonderfully encouraging conversation that was a blessing to both of us.

Then I also had a conversation with a couple of guys from a United Church of Christ that a pretty fundamentalist guy eavesdropped on and made his opinions known. It didn't represent the love of Christ to me and left me feeling very awkward. It just didn't seem quite right to be finger pointing so early in the conversation...

I was happy to hug it up with my family when I got home. The house did look like a category five storm had swept through and I have the pictures to prove it, too, but decided to pass on those for the time being.

Worship was magnificent this morning, but soul piercing for me. I have come away from the last three days with a much deeper appreciation for how much God loves me, and how pathetic I am at sharing that love with others. It prompted me to decide that I think I may agree to share one morning while our pastor is on sabbatical about love and I Corinthians 13. Bart Campolo's tag line on his blog is: Love God. Love People. That's all that matters. What are your thoughts about that? Too little? Does it cover it all? But raw love that is patient and kind, doesn't hold a grudge and doesn't keep score of wrongs is a rare thing.

And then in the evening I participated in a prayer and discernment gathering for a non-traditional church plant that a group of us from my church have been gestating for nine months now. I am dancing the Moses Dance big time, let me tell you... Who me?A church planter? No thanks, I don't think so...but the more I immerse myself in this process the more strongly drawn I feel. Big sigh.

In the meantime I have scheduled two writing days a week at a local basilica as my retreat home not too far away from home.

Peace.