I am inadequate to the task of dissecting the emergent church movement. I haven't read as much as I should. It's apparent to me that Chalke's church style and McLaren's church style are very different from each other because they live and minister in such different contexts. That's part of the point, I think. The emergent church movement sounds, to me, like a call for authenticity .The question you may have is, "Is there a church movement that doesn't at least say it values authenticity?" No. We all say we want authenticity. Maybe the better word for what they value is holistic. Chalke's ministries in England are doing their best to transform neighborhoods by providing educational opportunities, mental health care, physical health care, and the opportunity to work alongside people who are dedicated to the mission of Christ.Chalke mentioned that he dug up the 100 year old records of one of the churches he was serving. In 1906 that particular church had recorded the number of babies they delivered, the number of minor surgeries they performed, the number of people they educated, and other services they provided . . . services now associated with the state, not the church.
When the state took over those functions, Chalke said, the state found themselves overloaded. The government is now failing "as we in the church sing our meaningless songs, entertaining ourselves to death."
His vision is to do the work of the kingdom of God, invite all-comers (regardless of faith) to help, and then to keep inviting them into the kingdom.
The emergent church movement doesn't appear to be about worship style. I wouldn't guess any that an emergent church would sing hymns accompanied by organs, but that issue is so far in their rear-view mirrors as to be invisible. Any church fighting about worship style probably has too narrow a view of what worship is. The emergent church types appear to be weak on--or unconcerned with--ecclessiology. For them three people at Starbuck's (as long as those three people have longevity and accountability as a group) constitutes a church--all the rest is cultural baggage. I wouldn't go as far as that--unless, of course, that was the best that could be done.
You might ask what, if anything, is controversial about the emergent church. Their critics, in the evangelical church (mostly), take issue with the emergent view of scripture. That view of scripture shapes their belief that the traditional Christian view of hell is a construct more of Greek, not Christian, thought. It also leads them to de-emphasize the cross (in the minds of some) in order to emphasize the Resurrection. It also leads them to be more willing than some to live with the messiness of immorality.
McLaren said that he has now been contacted by two or three leaders of mega-churches who are concerned about their churches for a couple of reasons. First, one of the leaders discovered that when he hand-picked his successors none of them wanted the head-aches of leading a mega-church. They keep saying no. "Help me understand why they don't want to lead this great church." McLaren was asked. The other concern McLaren heard from the same minister was that the average age of his church members was getting more than a year older every year.
McLaren believes that mega-churches will be around for a long time, but that we appear to be entering a new era when the "flash and show" (my words, not his) of the mega-church don't appeal to younger people.
One more quote from McLaren that I found interesting and helpful:
"The pre-modern world was about authority. The modern world was about the institution. The post-modern world is about networks."Well, that's an all-too-brief attempt to crystallize some of what they said. I think my favorite comment by Chalke was that he invites people to begin sharing in Christ by asking, "If you could know what God is doing in the world, and then join in that work, would you be interested?"
Great question. We meet with them again on Wednesday night.
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