The emerging church movement aims to make churches more relevant and address why many young people are leaving churches. It discusses three factions within the movement - Reconstructionists who want to reform church structure but keep conservative theology, Relevants who aim to modernize worship styles but keep traditional theology, and Revisionists who want to challenge traditional theology. The document expresses a desire to see churches become true communities that bring generations together and welcome diversity, and to separate conservative political issues from Christianity in order to focus on Jesus' message of love.
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1. the emerging church
movement
a social movement that promotes change. 1
1 (Harper & Leicht, 2011).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_embedded&v=Wf79xW6RAh4
2. history
● In the mid-1990s
● At a conference for churches
● Discussion about reaching the current generation with their message
● Conversation changed to identifying problems with the current structure of
the church.
● Ended with envisioning themselves as a church in an emerging
postmodern culture.
"The general consensus among us was that a transition within the Church was taking place...Out of
that conference a small team was formed to continue conversing about postmodernism and the
overarching concern of what mission work would look like in the United States, including the
implications for how theology and church are done" (Driscoll, 2006)
From those conversations, three factions formed:
Relevants, Reconstructionist, and Revisionist
3. three categories of
emergent church 1
Reconstructionist
Interested in:
evangelical theology
informal churches
organic churches
Not interested in:
current models of church structure
1 (Driscoll, 2006)
Relevants
Interested in:
updating worship
services
updating preaching
styles
updating leadership
structures
conservative theology
Not interested in:
reshaping theology
traditional worship
services
ideas of new ways to
heaven
Revisionist
Interested in:
challenging key evangelical
theology
liberal theology
critiquing the appropriateness of
some theology for the postmodern
world.
Not interested in:
traditional theology
4. Aware of the issues
#1 - The New Exodus
"Six in 10 young people will leave
the church permanently or for an
extended period starting at age
15, according to new research by
the Barna Group".1
1. (Reed and Kinnaman, 2012)
why are they leaving?
isolation
from culture
shallow
& boring
anti-
science
sex exclusive doubters
5. Concerned with the idea of young people leaving the
church in great numbers. Church organizations, across the
nation, find innovative ways to communicate the message
of Jesus to this generation.
response to the issue
VS
Traditional Emergent
6. I chose this movement:
To help future generations
understand their faith
To make myself aware of the social
issues within this movement
To make people aware of the issues
7. additional issues -
the movement:
Highlights
Forgiveness, love, creativity, blessings, messages are
geared toward life experiences, a new theology
(postmodern).
Suppresses
Sin talk, consequences of sin, hell or heaven, Jesus as
the only way to God, churches involvement in
traditional conservative social issues (like abortion or
marriage).
Opposes
Some oppose hell as a destination after death, oppose
traditionalism, ideas of exclusivity of the church.
Click the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf79xW6RAh4
8. my connection
I used to work for a relevant church model.
I would categorize myself as a
reconstructionist.
They tried too hard to be relevant, they lost people
They had a misguided approach to fighting human rights issues
- focusing energies by taking political stands instead of
reaching out to teach church people about their religion in
action.
The church organization is supposed to equip the church
people for works of service. Instead, churches are becoming a
service of works for church people.
Frustrated at the current church model
Would like to see a REAL community based
church model. Like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJP35eEKGls
9. personal beliefs
1 (Driscoll, 2006)
CHURCH AS A SHOW
CHURCH AS COMMUNITY
CHURCH AS A BUSINESS
● The cultural context is in transition from modern to postmodern.
● A culture war is being fought to regain a lost position of privilege in culture.
● Pastors are CEOs running businesses that market spiritual goods and
services to customers.
● Church services use 1980s and 1990s pop culture such as acoustic guitars
and drama in an effort to attract non-Christian seekers.
● Missions is a church department organizing overseas trips and funding.
The current church structure is a model of:
Church should be a
place of community
as described by
Ephesians 6:12- 16
1
10. personal beliefs continued...
Surface community -
surface issues, feel good conversations,
unchallenging relationships.
Chaos community-
the place we keep our secrets, our
burdens, and accountability of our
faith from each other.
Real community -
Community that is invested, forgiving, and
maintains a interconnectedness of trust.
Take the Dive
Break through the
chaos
11. I hope to change
community
● Bring generations together
● See a diversity of people
● A place people can be real with each
other
● Church as a living organism not
organization of people.
culture
● Church leaders as facilitators instead of
supreme spiritual authority
● Congregants as active agents
● Wide acceptance of people and diverse
backgrounds
● Inclusive religion.
issues
● The message of Jesus first
● Separate conservatism from
Christianity
● Teach - Jesus solves all social issues
goals
● Close the gap between
Reconstructionist and Relevants
● Dive into true community with friends
● See Jesus first, practiced in churches
● See the end of conservatism
in the church
17. Action plan
continued...
Develop
PLACES
WHERE
PEOPLE CAN
HAVE TRUE
COMMUNITY
PEOPLE
THAT KNOW
WHY WE
STRIVE FOR
TRUE
COMMUNITY
MESSAGE
THROUGH
DIALOGUE AND
COMPARATIVE
STUDY OF THE
BIBLE
IDENTITY
IDENTIFY OUR
COMMUNITY NEEDS &
SEPARATE
CONSERVATISM FROM
CHRISTIANITY
18. i envision
community invested in one another
● A community where young and old are the example of
● Jesus Christ to the Earth
● A Community of diverse people working to make God famous
● A place people can be real with each other
.
issues reexamined
● Believers who understand that Jesus didn't come to rid the world of non-
conservative values, He came to bring hope, mercy and grace. His
message is simply that of deep love.
● People would be looked at as the church
and not just church attenders
19. i envision
culture renewed
● Church leaders as facilitators instead of supreme spiritual authority of the church. They act
as studied individuals of the bible. They help start questions and don't end them.
● Congregants as active agents of the gospel.
● The Christian culture as diverse in understanding
● Wide acceptance of people and diverse backgrounds
● Inclusive religion is preached, as we are the only religion
that requires people to just believe. Other religions
require good behavior, sacraments and deep understanding.
goals fulfilled
● Relevants would cease their cool church approach and realize that people are seeking
something real. Church structure must change and be reconstructed to allow true
community
● People who are willing to open their lives and secrets to one another and dive into Chaos
community.
● See Jesus first, practiced in churches
● Show the world the church is not supperior to them
but is here to serve them.
20. Allowing the Church to Emerge
Realize the Church is living organism
GROWS
DEVELOPS
ADAPTS TO CULTURE
THE CHURCH HAS A PURPOSE
21. cite page
Driscoll, M. (n.d.). A pastoral perspective on the emergent church. (2006). Criswell Theological
Review, 3(2), 87-93. Retrieved from http://bobfranquiz.typepad.
com/bobfranquizcom/files/32_apastoralperspectiveontheemergentchurchdriscoll.PDF
Harper, C. L., & Leicht, K. (2011). Exploring social change: America and the world. (sixth ed., pp. 143-
145). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Reed, E. and Kinnaman. (2012, January 23). Six reasons young people leave the church. Christianity
Today: Leadership Journal , 2012(Winter), 1-2. Retrieved from http://www.christianitytoday.
com/le/2012/winter/youngleavechurch.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Wf79xW6RAh4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf79xW6RAh4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJP35eEKGls
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204:12-16&version=NIRV
