What is an emergent church?
 

Could someone tell me how to identify an emergent church congregation?

What is different from ordinary churches? Is it doctrine? Style of worship? Is it schedule of services? Is it standards? How can I tell if a church is "emergent"? Is it all the above?

Can you tell me the name of one? Windsong??? Seems like many churches are adopting Windsong's style of worship.

I realize there might not be a monolythic answer to my question. Thank You!

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

There's your answer.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

I suppose a church would be labeled "Emergent" if they emerge from their traditional counterparts.

Needless to say the term is subjective, and could mean something entirely different for a conservative Pentecostal church than for other Evangelical churches.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Do you have the name of one? By definition Martin Luther would have been an emergent leader?

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Bro Larry, do a search on posts by Innocuous. He gave some good explanations of the emergent church movement on this thread, http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...ad.php?t=21788

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Thanks All. B/L

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

I done stopped believing in the "ee-mergent church" when they done brought DRUMS into it and made it into a rock-n-roll den of iniquity!

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

I agree with you

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Awww...I feel the love! :)

Larry, an emerging church will probably be a church that focuses almost exclusively on reaching post-modern unbelievers (which makes it a younger church for the most part), who are asking serious questions about religious tradition and process, and who make their local community a primary focus in terms of service. As such they usually will focus on themes other than doctrinal formulations and denominal distinctives and instead will focus on Christian ethics and focus those ethical endeavors on issues dealing with social justice, the environment, connecting in real ways with their local community.

Many people think that 'emergent' is a style. But that's not necessarily true. While it's true that many emergent churches have a laid back, casual, unstructured style and that the visuals and music appeals to the younger crowd if a church does these things it doesn't necessarily mean it's 'emergent', it's just hip and attempting to be 'relevant if it doesn't have these other philosophical values'.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

I guess you mean Hillsong (?)

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

You might hear the hinges on a few closet doors as they swing open.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

No drums in the Church?

What about the Apostolics who have been called "Drum Jumpers" (a Louisiana term) because they jumped up and down to the beat of the bass drum?

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

My church during the 80's didn't allow them. Of course this was during the "Steve Timons"/backward masking/subliminal message/anti-rock and roll era as well.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

ahh yes...the typical 80's youth conf. that would feature at least one speaker who would try to scare the "devil" out us young heatherns by playing Black Sabbath backwards. Good times. :)

I did learn in one of these sessions that certain instruments belonged to God and certain ones belonged to the devil. If I can remember right...God got the organ & accordian...the devil got the drums, bass, and electric guitars.

IMHO...I think God got the worse end of this deal.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

You know what happens if you play a Country song backwards?
you get out of jail
your wife takes you back
your girlfriend takes you back
your truck comes back from the bank
your dog comes back from the dead
you sober up
Mama comes back from the dead
Daddy retires
your brother comes back from military service
the saloons stay open
the juke box lets you play it for free
etc.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

I hope your burnt all your old Slim Whitman albums! Una Paloma Blanca was a particularly nasty track from him!

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Rob Bell is kind of the "guru" of the Emerging Church movement. He wrote the book Velvet Elvis, and several others. Some of what he says is good, but he is kind of into the "no absolutes" - let people figure out for themselves what is right and wrong. I can agree with that to a certain extent, but IMO, he takes it too far.

Eddie just read a book by a guy refuting the whole Emerging Church movement that he said was very insightful. I'll have to try to get the name of it, because I forgot the title.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Rob Bell one voice in the EC, although he'd deny being EC. Rob is less EC than he is just a cool, hip traditionalist. He's the celebrity de jour for the blue jean and goatee crowd that more 'relevant' oriented than they are EC.

How can a single book refute the entire EC movement when the movement is so dynamic and tough to even define?

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

I know of pastors like that. They abdicate their God-given responsibility to teach whats right and wrong based on scriptural principles.

It becomes a slippery slope:
Don't tell Bill being gay is wrong. Just let him figure it out.
Don't tell Sarah that living with her boyfriend is wrong. Just let her figure it out.

Once that kind of permissive attitude sets in, it becomes hard to turn it around.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

If you guys have ever heard Rob Bell's actual teaching at his church you'd not say he was a man with no absolutes and preaches a 'let them figure it out' gospel.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Well his books sure don't indicate that.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

What did he say in his books that make you think that?

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

This is interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z6jAXuSaYI

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

Was the book called faith undone.

Re: What is an emergent church?
 

I remember going to a Dr Dobson seminar in the early nineties & the speaker said that if you play Black Sabbath backwards people would hear it say, "we worship Satan" "okay, he said, "let's play it forward."
"Kill your parents!":nutso

Made sense. Black Sabbath backwards or not is bad!