emerging missional churches

What is emerging?

websites Emergent-UK.org Brianmclaren.net Amahoro.info

Emerging Churches By Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger (Baker, 2005)

1.Recentering the gospel on Christ and the Kingdom of God 2.Engaging culture without a sacred- secular dualism 3.Doing life together in community between Sundays 4.Listening with openness, including the outsider 5.Serving those in need without ulterior motive

6. Involving participants actively in worship 7. Valuing creativity in the image of the Creator 8. Leading through networks, with or without hierarchies 9. Integrating ancient and avante-garde in spiritual formation

Three ways to think of “a generous orthodoxy” and the emerging missional church (or the church that is emerging) - As center a… a fringe a stage a n d a r a n g e.

As center

Liturgical Charismatic Social Action Evangelical

a fringe

Is this “the emerging church?” A new “slice of the pie?” catholic Anglican baptist pentecostal

Or are these the churches that are emerging? A new ring on the tree… catholic reformed baptist pentecostal

Or are both forms of the church that is emerging? catholic reformed baptist pentecostal How will they relate?

a stage

Consider that we live in at least three worlds. Pre-modern world Modern world Emerging world 2006

The church that is emerging in the aftermath of … -The Enlightenment methodology of Rene Descartes -The Mechanistic universe of Sir Isaac Newton -The Colonial Project of Europe (and the U.S.) -The Holocaust and 2 World Wars - Industrialism and environmental crisis

The church that is emerging in the aftermath of … -The rise of the Religious Right - the collapse of secular left -The end of apartheid - Sept. 11 and resurgence of nationalism - the rise of consumerism and theocapitalism - the internet and virtual reality - religious broadcasting - absolutism and relativism - AIDs and global climate change

Old Paradigm Early Transition Late Transition New Paradigm

Old Paradigm Early Transition Late Transition New Paradigm

The Churches We Know The Churches that are emerging The Churches of Tomorrow

The Churches We Know The Churches that are emerging The Churches of Tomorrow The Churches We Love and Respect

a r a n g e.

DEEPECCLESIOLOGYDEEPECCLESIOLOGY Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Anglo-Catholic Anglican Lutheran Presbyterian Methodist Baptist Pentecostal House, Cell, Storefront Micro, quantum, liquid, ghost, ephemeral, unconscious, etc.

DEEPECCLESIOLOGYDEEPECCLESIOLOGY Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Anglo-Catholic Anglican Lutheran Presbyterian Methodist Baptist Pentecostal House, Cell, Storefront Micro, quantum, liquid, ghost, ephemeral, unconscious, etc. NOTE: Protestant History - Downward Expansion Power becomes more widely distributed; control is increasingly limited.

DEEPECCLESIOLOGYDEEPECCLESIOLOGY Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Anglo-Catholic Anglican Lutheran Presbyterian Methodist Baptist Pentecostal House, Cell, Storefront Micro, quantum, liquid, ghost, ephemeral, unconscious, etc. QUESTION: What happens when various levels learn from one another? What happens when people inhabit various levels at once?

emergence and convergence

Modern Crisis Medieval church Conservative way Liberal way from Nancey Murphy, “Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism”

Modern Crisis Medieval church Conservative way Liberal way Increasing Polarization

Modern Crisis Medieval church Conservative way Liberal way Increasing Polarization

Modern Crisis Medieval church Conservative way Liberal way Postmodern Interruption The Post-Liberal, Post-Evangelical Convergence

Modern Crisis Conservative way Liberal way A Generous Orthodoxy? A Missional Church?

Modern Crisis Conservative way Liberal way

Emerging theology: What is “missional?”

Our contemporary gospel is primarily INFORMATION ON HOW INDIVIDUALS GO TO HEAVEN AFTER DEATH with a large footnote about increasing your personal happiness and success through God. with a small footnote about character development with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.

self church world

self church world

Provocative Question: Does Christ’s church have a message of the kingdom or … Does Christ’s message of the kingdom have a church?

Making “disciples of Jesus” means forming people who live in the way of the kingdom … Gathered as disciples - Sent out as apostles.

How does this process work? -Apprenticeship - Community of practice - Presence of example - “elbow knowledge”

What will happen?

What will you and I do?