Emergent Church - Fair Shake

Recently I read two separate articles in the Treasure Valley Christian Newspaper about the Emergent Church. In each of these two articles, the subject of the Emergent Church was discussed. But in both of these articles - the Emergent Church was not given a fair shake at all.

The authors of these two articles both decried the Emergent Church Movement. Yet their reasons were completely generalized, off-base, and non-understanding. The articles listed off certain beliefs of the Emergent Church and why they were spiritually and Scripturally wrong. It explained the roles of Brian McLaren and other top leaders in the Emergent Movement and how their teachings and thoughts were completely wrong. Both articles listed out all of the reasons why the Emergent Church was incorrect and dangerous.

Yet the entire tone of these two articles was marinated in ignorance and judgment. Am I being too harsh? Probably not harsh enough. It was plain to see that the authors had pre-supposed dispositions to the Emergent Church movement gathered from prooftexting books, sermons, and blogs most likely. Their information was scarce and unrefined. They used specific small information to cast conclusions on general substances. I am sure that the articles resonated well with traditional Christians who want to hear the simple and the clean-cut. But for those of us living in reality, these articles were another example of the Church missing an opportunity to connect with those outside of its walls and demographics.

To clarify, I am not proposing that the Emergent Church is perfect. By no means. But I am propounding that the media and everyone else can at least give the Emergent Church Movement a fair shake. Here is what I am talking about.

The Emergent Church is so young that it has not been fully defined or developed. It is still changing and adapting; therefore, it is premature and unwise to state definitively something about it. Also, the Emergent Church Movement is much bigger than the leaders that supposedly started it. McLaren and others are simply a small part of the larger whole. In fact, the Emergent Church Movement is not so much a set of specific beliefs as it is a concept and a mindset. It is the concept and mindset that we need to use different means of sharing the same Message of Jesus Christ in order to reach a new generation living in a new society. There are thousands of good things coming about because of Emergent Churches and Emergent movements around the country and around the world.

Yet the articles mentioned nothing about these things. It simply took the bad theology from specific individuals that are associated with a small part of the Emergent Church. It did not give the Emergent Church a fair shake at all. The authors' attitudes, demeanor, and stance were arrogant, ignorant, and narrow.

Maybe that is why we have a Church that is trying to emerge from this...