The Emerging Church Movement

[GymRose]

I'm glad my topic turned hot overnight and got moved to the Inner Court. I suppose proponents of The Emerging Church have valid points. It's good that there is a church that appeals to the unchurched. Maybe they will find Christ...

As for me, I just want to be true to my school. I wasn't taught any of this Emerging Church stuff. But at least I can discern that. As for the rest of them, I'll let God decide.

Here is Ecclesiastes 12, which rings true in this matter for me:

Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember your Creator

in the days of your youth,

before the days of trouble come

and the years approach when you will say,

"I find no pleasure in them"-

2 before the sun and the light

and the moon and the stars grow dark,

and the clouds return after the rain;

3 when the keepers of the house tremble,

and the strong men stoop,

when the grinders cease because they are few,

and those looking through the windows grow dim;

4 when the doors to the street are closed

and the sound of grinding fades;

when men rise up at the sound of birds,

but all their songs grow faint;

5 when men are afraid of heights

and of dangers in the streets;

when the almond tree blossoms

and the grasshopper drags himself along

and desire no longer is stirred.

Then man goes to his eternal home

and mourners go about the streets.

6 Remember him

[psalmone]

I hope this Emerging Church Movement is credible. Many developments of the Christian Faith get criticised so you can't always heed that and should check for yourself.

I acknowledge those who stick with the Word preached uncompromisedly as in the Holiness movements and the like, where it was a 'no frills' process, persuaded that if your soul was being drawn of God that you'd have ears to hear and would be convicted of the word and respond.

I wonder though if it isn't inspired of the Holy Spirit to make the approach to Christ easier for the youth's sake and those of alternative experiences that Christ 'might gain the more'. As I observe something needs to be done because godliness is more alive than this, and not only in appearance, but in genuine passion for the Jesus gospel and it's fruitfulness.

[artsylady]

And Artsylady Jesus didn't come to bring joy, as you said, He came to take away the sins of the world so that we could be reconciliated to the Father.

Well it may not have been his first priority, but He does bring joy.

He gives it away freely. There are

14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

Acts 2:28

You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'

Acts 13:52

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 13:51-52

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So if I walk out of my church being joyful, I really don't think that's a problem. I think it's a good thing. Even in conviction, there can be joy, because it means that there's growth and that the Holy Spirit sees fit to convict you. Can there not be joy in that? There are 70 references to joy and it's never a bad thing in any of the contexts. Always a good thing to have joy.

[artsylady]

Sorry to spoil the fun, but in my own opinion, people should leave a church meeting feeling humbled, not exalted. People should leave a church meeting wanting to get closer to the God wants to forgive you for your guilt and your burden of being heavy laden down by sin. Church is there to tell you there is no other way you can have eternal rest with the Lord without repenting of your earthly life style and turning to the only way to get the father is through Jesus Christ, who gave His life so you could live. Anything short of that is not good enough

Psalm 100

A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

2 Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

3 Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;[a]

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

5 For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

But leave with a heavy burden and heart of conviction?

Jesus said his yoke was easy and his burden was light, and that he did not come to condemn.

Are there ever times you leave your place of worship feeling joyful?

It's almost as if you don't hear yourself. You sound depressed and downtrodden, weighed down, when that is not what Christ wanted.

[Emily~Anne]

Jesus's yoke is light and his burden is not heavy because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

J~Jesus

O~Others

Y~Yourself last

[OneLight]

No matter what we hear, if it is about God, it has to be inline with His word, or it is not of Him. In order to be satisfied in Christ, to be more like Him, one has to start by getting to know Him, through study, prayer and worshiping Him for who He truly is ... God. There is no "new" or emergent way to Him, but only one way, through His Son, Jesus.

What is attracting many to the emergent church is their quest to find a new way, being discouraged and turned off by people who called themselves Christians, but did not have the love of Jesus to even care for them. In the late 60's there were the Jesus People, a group of young people who were seeking a different way to Jesus. The phrase, "What would Jesus do?" came from them and lived on for many years. This way of thinking started in the right direction, but many got led astray as they tried to blend the hippy lifestyle into their faith, so to "feel" right with God and to have love for each other. It lasted for awhile, then as the Jesus people became mature (those who stood true to Jesus), they realized there was only one way and it was in front of them all along.. I would dare say that there were many many who were there as the seed in thorn.

If anyone is interested in what the emergent church is should pray that the Holy Spirit brings truth to them about this new way of finding Christ and not just follow they hype. As it has been mentioned, in the last days, there will be a falling away. Why and how would this happen? Because they are looking for a new way to find Jesus. Many will come in my name and say I am He. There will be false teachers and false prophets.

Know who God truly is before trying to find another road home.

[jadams_4040]

The New Age movement and the Emerging Church movement are creeping in everywhere. They embrace all religions -- all roads lead to heaven. It is so important to study our Bibles and know what God says. You were very wise to not buy into the preaching from that pulpit.

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Nathele

Excatly! what ever happened to the biblical verse, "till we all come into the unity of one faith, one lord and one baptism? We dont need "another" religon.

[artsylady]

I haven't studied anything on the emergent church at all but will do so when I have a bit more time.

[Trusting Jesus]

Here is a link to quite a few articles and audio from The Berean Call regarding the emerging church. And again I suggest getting a copy of "Faith Undone" by Roger Oakland. You will learn a lot.

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Nathele

Oops --- edited to add the link! http://www.thebereancall.org/search/node/emerging+church

[jc49]

For the past several weeks, I have been going to a church I was attracted to just because they had a ministry for my age group. Turns out that church is part of the Emerging Church Movement, a New Age movemenet that appeals to the masses, especially the unchurched or post-churched. I guess I know why I didn't like the sermons, now.

NewAge in the church,mysticism,Rccatholic heresies,dalailama..Islam..junkerella......crapperella..

Back to The Bible and forget the rest....

Shalom