Emergent Church
 

Just writing to talk about my feelings regarding the emergent church and would like to hear other peoples opinions.

Recently I heard that some people I respected, one of them a Pastors daughter that I highly respected are attending one of these new emerging type churches. The first I heard of it was that she had cut her hair and I confirmed that her hair was trimmed from her dad. Then I went to there church website and saw that it was really into the relevent type church thing. Rock band, jeans and tee shirts, some dressed like an apostolic and some not even close.

Now I have entertained thoughts of letting go of things in the past and getting to the heart of what the church should be about and that is reaching souls. But once I see Apostolic UPC friends doing these things I am not so sure if I could completely let go of my teachings, and yes my traditions and feel comfortable completely leaving the standards I have been taught. And I am somewhat of a moderate liberal. lol


So why am I afraid of it when I see it face to face? I just can't see going to a church with my current Pastor and his wife wearing jeans and flip flops to church and a rock band leading praise and song service. Seeing my Pastors wife cut her hair would freak me out.

But on the other hand seeing people I never knew it doesn't freak me out at all.

Anyway I really don't know how to completely express what I am feeling. But does anyone hear say to themselves "why don't we reach more souls?" Are we doing something wrong? And you see one of these new fangled services packing it out and it makes you wonder if they are doing something right.

So let me just end this because I really can't frame my thoughts but I'll ask this last question. Is this relevent/emerging thing the future of the Apostolic church or is it just the latest fad that will soon pass away. Seeing those very close to me involved has caused a controversy in my soul and I just needed to express it outwardly. I can't talk to my Pastor because it is to close to home for him.

Any thoughts on this movement? I am totally serious in asking this question.

And I probably did not clearly express my thoughts so please don't try and nail me on on inconsistent statement I just want to know what others perceptions are of this movement.

Re: Emergent Church
 

I really don't care for the movement from what I've read about it. Some of the things that they incorporate in their services is not bibilcal

Re: Emergent Church
 

What do they do? I am not really hip to what is going on. I did not read anything at all that alinged them to the UPC in there what they believe page in the church I was talking about.

Re: Emergent Church
 

They accept the teachings of different religions They replace bible study with studying someones book. And most emerging churches are big on contemplative prayer.

Re: Emergent Church
 

I know nothing about the movement here in Brazil...

Re: Emergent Church
 

I honestly don't know much about it. I saw on a particular chuches website that is UPC that half the congregations ladies wear pants and trimmed hair and that the preachers/pastors are in jeans and tee shirts.

Nothing regarding Apostolic message anywhere on there website. Lot's of videos on YOU tube.

Re: Emergent Church
 

If Jimmy Swaggart's wife would call it false doctrine, then it is surely false doctrine to me as a oneness 3-stepper.

Re: Emergent Church
 

I don't really go for the "trendy" things. And make no mistake, at one time our "traditional" Pentecostal thing was "trendy" too. In fact, I still buck against the trend of calling ourselves "Apostolic" all of the time. I'm old enough to remember when this was introduced (reintroduced).

In fact I was standing just inside the front doors of the WEC (UPCI headquarters) once almost 30 years ago when a dear sister started to instruct me about why she preferred "Apostolic" to "Pentecostal" in a voice so loud that I knew she intended it to be heard by others. My feeling then, as now is "Give me a break!"

Stuff comes and goes and it's often good for the church to be "relevant" and whatever is "emerging" may in fact be something truly awesome. But in the mean time I would recommend that you always touch base with the tried and true Gospel - faith in the work that Jesus Christ did for each of us - and the fact that He did it inspite of ourselves.

Re: Emergent Church
 

Maybe are emergent and relevent churches the same of different. I heard some in the UPC were drifting towards relevent. This church is UPC but it looks like an AOG service.

Whis Jimmy Swaggarts wife referencing a Apostolic emergent church?

Re: Emergent Church
 

You put that much stock in Mrs. Swaggart? Or do you just pick and choose from her teachings cafeteria style?