Like you, Keith, I like the same things about Emergents that I
liked about Boomers--when we were younger!
Beatniks, hippies, yippies, Jesus
people--we all started out hip but wound up square--just like our parents.
Why will this generation be different?
Nathan
Crawford said...
Coach D,
I think that emergents will be different. Mainly I believe that because I am
this generation. I have no boomer in me. However, it seems to me that we have
been taught by those who still hold to that "idealism" - the Drury's,
Bence's, Bounds', etc. This "idealism" has
become much more real to us. We didn't think it up, but it was just given to
us. It's not revolutionary to us, but is actually what we are supposed to do. I
think that will be a bit different.
IMHO, this is the most accurate and insightful post you have
ever written! From a tail-end boomer, I believe that you hit the direct center
of the bullseye and I agree with you 100%!!!
The AJ Thomas said...
Good stuff. I don't have anything intelligent to add, just good
stuff.
Matt Guthrie said...
As an early Gen X'er, I'm more Boomer
than Emergent, but I too really like a lot of what I see in the Emergent crew.
I feel more at home with them.
It will be interesting in 30 years when at General Conference I get my 40 year
service medal and I look at the then current leadership. Heck, will there even
be a General Conference once the Emergents take over? But I digress. I appreciate the warning
against individualized spirituality that comes at the intentional neglect and
avoidance of the church. I see that move a natural result of the "give me
what I want" mentality of the Boomers. I don't think it will happen. I
think the authenticity and desire for theological correctness will win the day
as we see a real NT church emerge. Then again, that's what all of us have said
we were creating, isn't it?
I didn't realize until reading this article that this was
strictly a generational movement. As a former bell-bottomed high-school Jesus Freak who's now a grandmother, most of what I've heard of
the "emergent movement" sounds to me like solid biblically based
church.
Our congregation had the privilege of being pastored
a few years ago by a 30-year-old "intentional interim" who pointed us
back in the direction of what God's Word has to say about being reconciled to
God and one another, and being formed by Christ into His Living Body - a true
Christian community. It wasn't until after this young man had completed his
ministry among us that our church began to learn that his teaching was called
"emergent". All we knew was that we had been reminded that Christ
needed to transform us to love Him and one another fully, and our old
stick-in-the-mud church was alive again. God bless these folks - I trust His
Spirit has the capacity to guard them from error, and I pray that the
"emergent church" remains willing to submit to Him.
JohnLDrury said...
Thanks for the shout-outs to Barth and Bonhoeffer.
I agree that this is the more crucial reading material to which we should turn
after having been "turned on" to theology by McLaren,
Pagitt,
Barth's "Humanity of God" is a great place to start to find his mix
of the centrality of Jesus and a world-affirming spirituality.
The last chapter of Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of
Discipleship" is all about the church, and he saw it as the
"point" of the book. "Life Together" also describes this
vision of church life.
Thanks for the warnings and the suggesting guides!
Laura you raise an excellent point--what Drury describes here
(perhaps all "generational" movements?) is more than an age-related
phenomenon. It may have started out as a generational thing, and it might be
led by one generation, and it might be more common among the “emergents” than
others, but as I see it many of these shifts are where the church at large is
headed. Does God use “generations” to correct the church? I mean, when the
boomers were “emerging” was God just as powerfully at work correcting and
adjusting the church with their emphases ad He is now doin
with emergents? If so then no generation can “own” for long these shifts…and
curiously this shift might just wind up being led by boomers who have always
been fast on their feet to adopt whatever is new and novel. That would be a
hoot—what will we younger ministers do when the gray-headed boomers start
spouting this sort of stuff? My guess is many emergents will have to find other
characteristics to tout so we can be unique and different from our boomer
senior pastors. -JustKara
sally apokedak said...
great post. great points. great
warnings. I agree with your likes but would have given in to the temptation to
hedge each one a bit, probably.
I must say, I find it incredible that you have to warn people, though, that
there is no Christianity without Christ. I think you do need to warn them but I
wonder why that is. Why do they not know that, do you suppose?
daniel said...
@Sally,
I think we all know there's no Christianity without Christ. The thing is, when non-believer's say things like, "So, you think Gandhi
is going to Hell?" Nobody wants to say, "Yes, I think Gandhi is
condemned to live an eternity in torment." ... and then see the forthright
roll of the eyes and hear the inevitable, "that's ridiculous"
muttered under their friend's breath.
matt said...
coach,
First of all, this hits too close to home to merely be the perspective of an
"outsider" looking in. Which is why I'm convinced
that "emergent" church theology/ecclesiology has a lot less to do
with age than we think. Sure, there may be generational tendencies, but
in my experience working in a local church, I run into many 20 year olds who
think some of the items on this list are completely heretical. And at the same
time I run into lots of people who are more than twice my age who it completely
'clicks' with. Great insights. Carder
David Drury said...
This is good to read as the emerging church is beginning to
"pop out." Last week at www.next-wave.org Tony Jones (the Emergent
Coordinator) said that 2006 was the year of criticism for the emerging church
(a confirmation of Brian MacLaren's earlier
prophesy). It's nice to get your constructive criticism wrapped up neatly in
some affirmations.
Such an even handed "1 for 5" approach is a style we all could learn
from in giving our points. Glad to know there are a few "grey heads"
like you are still into what we're saying. Of course, last I checked Len Sweet
was grey and MacLaren was bald. So perhaps age has
little to do with it.
By the way = Laura's note here in these responses is so incredibly cool. What
an amazing anonymous story. You ought to pass that note out to your students so
they know how they can make an impact with a christ-like
attitude merged with an emerging ministry mojo.
Dear Grandma Laura,
I had the same feelings as a boomer Grandpa! Let's encourage every Christian to
allow Christ to emerge as central to every relationship in the church and
outside the church; especially us old white haired boomers (if we have hair
anymore)!
Come to think of it I know some emergents who no longer have hair!
Jo said...
It's so REFRESHING to hear affirmative comments about we emergents from someone with influence. Thanks! I get so
tired of trying to fit a description of my faith-action into either "the
box" or "outside the box" categories (boomer enjoy categories
ever so much). For God there simply is no box, and there never was one.
Jason said...
Great post Coach. One question though: (and this is coming from
a youth)
- In your viewpoint, what did your generation succeed at? We like to look and
see all of the things that we didn't like, the things that didn't work, and the
new ways of making something better. But we seem to do that and forget that in
some areas, the wheel ain't broke. I would love to
see a post from you about a couple main successes that must be carried through
in this generation, not just changes, but continuing a powerful ministry that
is already in place. What do you think?
-Jason
Rev. C. S. Roberts said...
I will only say that I am tired of
apologizing for all the mistakes and crap the boomers have done to the Church.
I just wrote about this on my blog.
I also know that my generation, gen-x, will make our
mistakes in the church. Yet, I have hope that even
when we do... the mistakes won't be as "absolute." We emergents have
backed ourselves into a corner by having that A/B approach to ministry.
The journey is good but Keith the journey is tough out here in the cornfields
of
And don't worry about Jesus and the Church -- pluralism won't polarize us or
cripple us like it has the boomers.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006 12:55:28 PM
Thinking in
Ohio said...
I'm grateful for your article. I found your praises to be
encouraging, concrete and affirming. Unfortunately, your
warnings all too serious.
One point you made about the process as opposed to the crisis of evangelism
sparked a thought. I may be wrong, but... it seems to me that 50 years ago
there was a "foundation for evangelism" set by family, church and
culture. It made evangelism as crisis possible and frequent.
Today I'd argue that the foundation has been smashed to pieces (occasionally)
but more often than not, never laid to begin with--especially within the 40 and
under crowd. This primarily due to secularism, pluralism (and with it a
diminished view of scripture) and the lack of family discipleship (due to
divorce, apathy, time-constraints, whatever).
In most cases today, the foundation must be reset and re-laid through what
emergents would call "spiritual frienships".
Then the crisis may occur.
It seems the apostles faced the same obstacles when introducing a new faith to
a pagan world, but as I study the book of Acts "signs and wonders"
often accompanied the proclamation of the gospel thus compelling men to
believe. I don't see the signs and wonders in the church today like in the
I believe what Dr. Drury is saying at the end of his post is
that left to our own devices all good ideas and things come to ruin. As an
early boomer I've seen plenty of it.
Tom
Kris
said...
nothing to add or ask, right on though.
Ryan Schmitz said...
From some of your descriptions about Emergents I think that we
sound extremely confused, but the good thing about them is that we are brave enough
to admit it. I guess that's true, I still spent a lot of time around future
pastors and I worry about their understanding about the Church, the authority
of scripture and absolutes, but they do admit to their lack of understanding.
Maybe students are doing themselves and disservice in their studies. After
sitting in class at IWU, this is what I can remember:
- Bible classes were about sharing student opinions with each other. I don't
ever remember anyone being told that their opinion was wrong.
- Theology classes were about students arguing with each other or with a
professor.
- Practical ministry classes allowed students to complain about the past or
current problems in ministry, but rarely offered new ideas as replacements.
- And Church History, well most students slept through Church History.
I am probably guilty of most of these, but Church History was one class that I
hated missing. Maybe that is why I thought the Creeds were such a big deal.
Didn't the Church put a lot of emphasis on Creeds to limit the amount of
confusion faced by the Emergents in the early Church?
I don't know how old Ryan is but this is not the IWU I attended
-- Church History was my most interesting course of all. Bounds' theology was
rigid in insisting on classic orthodoxy and was certainly not
just students arguing in ignorance, Coach D's practical courses may have
even offered TOO many new ideas to ever apply in an average church. Smith and
So I didn't have a similar experience to Ryan's. If anything I found the
program unrealistic in being TOO spiritually minded--I've found the church to
be far less spiritually-minded than IWU--that has been s a real adjustment for
me. minded. So, either IWU has changed a lot since
Ryan attended, or maybe different students have widely varied experiences
attending college and describe them as if they went to a totally different school.
-J
Ryan Schmitz said...
J,
I think that you misinterpreted where my frustration was directed. I am not
complaining about the quality of the professors or the education provided by
IWU (I did say that I would never want to
My frustration was with a lot of my fellow students and with current ministry
students. Of course there are many exceptions and it sounds like you are one of
them.
I think that many students are missing out their education because they don't
think there is anything spiritual about excelling. Or they pick and choose with
classes are worth their time and effort and this results in missing classes,
sleeping through class, or getting excited when a prof.
cancels class.
Again this may not be you J, but there were several student
that fit this mold in the late 90s and I see these students today.
Ryan - Class of 2000
D.M. Rose said...
Coach,
As always, I enjoy being prodded to thought by your writings (as over the top
as they are at times). I do have a concern with the emergent church. I too have
a catholic spirit- I want to see less denominational division and more of a
universal church. On top of that, some of my colleagues are correct;
Christianity is about the deeds- how we live and by that who
we influence. Yet I fear that the emphasis on the creeds is so lacking at times
that we may forget the errors and sins of our fathers (Count Zinzendorf,
anyone?).\
Wasn't it Christ who said, "I have not come to
bring peace but a sword to divide...?” The message of Christ is not one of
peace but of "falling off the log" and division. Si vis pacem
para bellum.
This post has been removed by the author.
blind
beggar said...
Keith: Wonderful and well stated.
Being a "child" of the 60's and influenced by the Jesus Movement of
that era, I can relate to many of the elements the Emerging Movement espouses
including a holistic view of the role of the church in society and a belief in
the journey of faith, both individual and as a community. Many were exploring
and practicing them as part of the JM and we still adhere to them today. I’m
pleased to see you pass on your wisdom and only pray they have “ears to hear.”
I had the same desire and posted on four lessons I thought emergents could
learn from the JM of our era.
scott m said...
I guess I need to note that the 'not-boomer' line, however it is
drawn (and that varies), never includes me. And I'm not just north of 30, but
actually 40 and nearing 41. And I'm the child of boomers who were definitely at
the more extreme edge and a parent of adults and a grandparent ...
With that said, I greatly appreciate your validation
of our ability to hold apparently opposing views simultaneously. I can't
explain it either. But I appreciate that someone who doesn't experience it sees
it and affirms it.
Interestingly, I strongly affirm your "journey" comment. And I was
not one of those raised in a "good, Christian home". Trust me. It's
mostly journey.
And I strongly empathize with your appreciation for our ability to integrate.
That does seem the point, doesn't it?
And I actually don't understand how it is possible to read the NT and have
anything other than a catholic spirit. I mean, it's what the text says, isn't
it?
I'm not actually part of any "emerging" church. That's not where God
wants me. And believe me, I have no intention of
losing Jesus or the Church. I hope we are able to recover both.