Emergent Church

I found the following statement on the emergent church from the Board of General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene to be reassuring. One of the main values of this article is that it helps us understand that we cannot paint all who use emergent language with just one brush:

Friday, August 27, 2010
Global Ministry Center
http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?id=10009517

As a denomination of 2 million members in 156 world areas, there are conversations on a variety of topics taking place within the Church of the Nazarene.

One discussion centers on "emergent" or "emerging" churches. This subject creates confusion and conflict in some circles. There are several issues related to "the emergent church." Some are helpful and positive; others are problematic and troubling. This is compounded because those who self-identify as "emerging" reflect a wide array of positions and perspectives and differ among themselves. There are authors with a significant readership who readily identify themselves as "emergent church leaders." They are aware of the Church's need to increase its engagement with society. Some are completely orthodox in their theology and views of Scripture, but others embrace positions that the Church of the Nazarene would view as unorthodox and therefore unacceptable.

Some of our pastors, superintendents, and lay members believe that there is a certain segment within the Church of the Nazarene who is embracing a new movement" filled with risks to our theological coherence as a denomination. They fear this direction will only serve to undermine the Church of the Nazarene with heresy. Their concerns are seemingly reinforced by a few "emergent" leaders who have made statements that to them are troubling. These comments reflect theological positions denying several of the basic tenets of Scripture and orthodox Christianity as held by the Church of the Nazarene in our Articles of Faith.

There are others within our denomination, including pastors, superintendents, and scholars, who view the concept of an "emerging" church as a positive and hopeful expression of what it means to be the Church. They are seeking to genuinely come to terms with ministry in a complex and rapidly-changing culture. Their goal is to demonstrate the relevance of biblical truth through incarnational and transformational living. This latter group is deeply committed to the authority and infallibility of the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives, communities, and nations. They are often engaged with the brokenness in society through active, compassionate ministries working diligently to bring renewal, conversion, and transformation.

The Board of General Superintendents neither endorses nor affirms "emergent churches" or leaders who are not orthodox in their theology. The recent statement issued by the BGS clearly articulates the position of the board in completely embracing the Articles of Faith, the values, and the mission articulated in the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene. (See "BGS Statements" on the nazarene.org web site.) The involvement of many Nazarenes in this conversation reveals a sincere desire to embrace our missional objectives. They are attempting to reach the emerging cultures around us while clearly articulating an orthodox interpretation of Scripture and theology.

John Wesley, founder of Methodism and a firm believer in the power of the Holy Spirit to sanctify and cleanse the heart of all unrighteousness, was intentionally and forcefully engaged in the social needs around him. In that same tradition, P. F. Bresee established the first "Church of the Nazarene" with a focus on both the physical and spiritual needs of people while calling men and women to make a total commitment to Christ and to the fullness of the Spirit in cleansing and heart purity. This is the objective toward which Nazarenes, including those engaged in ministry to emerging cultures, are committed.

Any conversation of this nature carries with it the risk of being misunderstood or being classified with positions that are not healthy or appropriate. Issues involved in discussions such as these are often complex. The communication is sometimes at inappropriate volume levels. Nonetheless, it is our hope and prayer that those in the Church of the Nazarene who are engaged in this conversation will do so with grace and humility. We believe it is possible to move beyond mischaracterizations, embrace what is legitimate, and reject any unorthodox positions without hesitation. The Board of General Superintendents is engaged in study and conversations with numerous Nazarene scholars, pastors, districts superintendents, and laity on this subject. Each general superintendent continues in prayer and in a careful search for what is true and best in all things related to Scripture and mission. While the Board does not embrace anything that is heretical it does encourage healthy conversations among Nazarenes who are part of a holiness and Great Commission church. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ who lived, died, and was resurrected to save the lost and broken of the whole world. He is coming again, to set to right all things. The mission He gave to His Church was to announce and embody the Kingdom, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and to visit the sick and imprisoned. His mission is our mission as well.

Unity before during and after Diversity

For 40 days, I have been immersed in what I have come to call "The Promise of July 2, 2010." On That date - in my morning prayers - God spoke to me (not in an audible voice, but I'm just as certain it was him!) the word: "The kingdom of heaven is near." Since that time, He has been confirming and defining just what that means. It is exciting to see the picture develop before my spiritual eyes.

As I prayed earlier this week, God used some passages from Romans 4, The Message, to encourage my faith: "He [Abraham] didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. he plunged into the promise and came jup strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said... Abraham entered into what god was doing for him, and that was the turning point."

At Bethel Nazarene Church we have been praying about obtaining two modular classroom units. At a meeting leading up to our decision, I was asked, "How will you determine what God's will is?" To which I reponded, "I must trust the Holy Spirit to speak to and through The Church.

There is a process that we have been going through:

• The leadership was made aware of the availability of the modular units.
• The board was given all available information and asked to pray in prepration for a board meeting.
• The congregation was informed and asked to pray as well.
• An informal committee worked together to gather details and costs associated with moving and setting up the modular units.
• The board the was given that information and they were asked to vote on what to do. The board voted to recommend to the congregation that we procure the units. The date was set for the congregational meeting.
• We are now waiting for the congregation to speak (vote) to the issue.

At the board meeting, I shared with our church leaders the following...

It is important that - whatever we decide tonight - we remain united. I must trust that the Holy Spirit speaks in our deliberations and decision as much as He does in my own personal opinion. You must trust that the Holy Spirit speaks in this process as much as He does in your individual opinions. We must respct the Holy Spirit in each other and ultimately in us as a group.

As I have oten said, we must guard against "sanctifying" our opinions." Then, if it doesn't go "my way" I can be OK with it. I can rest knowing that the Lord has revealed His will through the collaboration of the Body. That is how I can then say, "I support the board fully in the direction we have set." And, I can say it honestly. As a matter of fact,I must say it honestly. There must be full support of all our decisions by every member of the board - even by those who are absent! That is how much we must trust the Holy Spirit's work in us. We owe as much to the church. For, if we cannot surrender our wills, how can we ever expect our congregation to do so?

Our people deserve to know that each of us has had a chance to:

• pray
• think
• consider
• express and
• participate (vote)

Then, they deserve to know that the Holy Spirit is so at work in each of our hearts that we - after making a decision (voting) - can set aside human opinions in favor of diving wisdom.

We will be reaching a conclusion tonight about these modular classrooms. Before we do so, however, we must all reach the conclusion that - whatever the outcome - we will wholeheartedly support the will of God revealed through The Church.

Some of you may be thinking,"OK, Pastor, but what do you think? We would like to hear." (Or maybe not! It's a dream all pastors have!)

I have hesitated to express muy opinions too strongly on most issues. I am new here at BNC. You have been here much longer than I and know the people and the community. I have to trust you - and the Holy Spirit in you - to help me hear from God. That said, I don't want to use it as a cop-out either. I will tell you, then, that I am in favor of obtaining these modular classrooms. i feel that God - through the growing awareness of "The Promise of July 2, 2010" - has indicated to me to go ahead and get both units.

Now, we may arrive at a different conclusion tonight. But wherever we end up together I pledge the full force of my support behind the decision that you make.

That concludes my remarks to the board before we entered into the discussion about the modular units. And, as I indicated above, the board voted overwhelmingly to obtain the units.

Now it is up to us - the board and pastor - to reiterate the same sentiment. We have done our best to arrive at a recommendation. You have helped us by your prayers. We must now surrender even this decision to the will of God as revealed through His Church!

What a place to be! What release from worry! What relief knowing that God has it under control. Hallelujah! What freedom is ours in Christ!

Where art thou?

In the beginning days of human history, God went looking for Adam, calling out "Where art thou?" (Genesis 3.9, KJV). Has the questioned changed much over the course of human history?

This past Sunday I referenced Mark 1.21-22 in my sermon: "They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching..."

"They went into the synagogue…" They went to the place where God’s people were meeting. We approach church attendance so lightly these days, but I believe Jesus still has the same habit and pattern: he goes to church on Sunday!

"The people were amazed at his teaching..." Who was amazed? It was the people "in church" on the Sabbath! Now, I know that the church service is not the only place we will find Jesus. But, our casual approach to the services of the church belies an underlying sentiment that missing church is not such a big deal. We won't miss much.

That is troubling on a couple levels. First, it is an indictment against the leaders of the church. It should cause pause to pastors, board members, Sunday school teachers, praise team members. Those of us who pray, plan, and present the services of the gathered Church must feel the sting of rebuke.

But, it is also an indication of spiritual hunger and thirst on the part of this generation. It seems we don't care if we miss Jesus! We know that Jesus said that when even just two or three gather together in his name he is there in the midst of them. But we - for some reason - choose to limp along in our spiritual lives… It’s because we are not serious or we’re not hungry enough to go where Jesus said he would be…

Oh Church! We want to be amazed, but where are we when our Amazing Lord shows up? Like an old preacher friend of mine used to say, “I don’t want to miss. I’m afraid they will ‘cut the cake!’”

They say it’s a generational thing or a post-modern thing… But, I say it has more to do with our spiritual appetites! The early believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching… But within a generation the church had to be chided: Do not forsake assembling together as some are in the habit of doing…

You want God to bless your house? Sundays ought to find you in his house! You want to be amazed at Jesus? You need to be where he is! With the Church!

Where art thou?