First off, please understand that this is mostly toungue-in-cheek. So, please don't take offense. We have enough offense-taking in the Church and para-Church, Psuedo-Church world...
Anyway, I've been thinking about why I'm so terrible at participating in the emergent church movement, and I think I've devised a list of reasons. I plan to list these rather than finish my Christmas Day sermon right now...
So. Here goes. Reasons why I'm terrible at Emergent Church Stuff.
1. I have escaped Protestant Evangelicalism with very little baggage.
2. I continue to find the questions posed by popular emergent church thinkers to be answered by many ancient and early church thinkers. I suppose the issue is really a marketing one.
3. I refuse to believe that the answer has to include acoustic guitars, praise songs, or "contemporary services." I do think it has everything to do with learning why we do what we do--and if it still doesn't fit, find out how to make it fit.
4. Church never was and never will be about me. I have a relationship with Jesus Christ and therefore his Church. This also means responsibility to those relationships. It's up to me to make right what's wrong, not pout. It's not about how I feel, it's about love, loving and being loved--that's where transformation happens.
5. I think the term emergent is now irrelevant. The proverbial cat is out of the bag, and cats should not be kept in bags. The question now is how do we build something in the image of the Body of Christ without tearing it down, and without cloning something that looks like it, but isn't it. Freakin' cats...
6. I am terrible at blogging. Simple.
7. I'm paying attention, but am still not morally outraged--at least not with Church stuff. Now, there are certain brands of Christianity which can fire me up, but I think what the emergent church movement was about was saving those poor souls from those brands of Christianity which fire me up. *pause to catch breath*
8. I'm relatively young, but not hip. I wear scarves outside of their appropriate seasons and I wear t-shirts and jeans a lot. But it's not really a statement about my theology, it's just the way I like to dress. I got nothing to prove, so take that establishment!
9. Sexuality, doubt science v. religion...meh. Not really issues to me.
10. The types of soap I use do not come in the necessary packaging to hold my weight. However, I do have some pretty strong core values, and if you cross me I will probably invite you into a relaxed discussion so that I can try to understand your point of view. Don't mess with me! I will probably even provide the coffee, tea or pint.
Yes. I admit that I am an Episcopalian and to use the wrong fork is advocating anarchy. But you can trust that I'll always wave to you at the liquor store. Thanks for reading if you did.
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