What is an emergent church?

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Bro-Larry

Could someone tell me how to identify an emergent church congregation?

What is different from ordinary churches? Is it doctrine? Style of worship? Is it schedule of services? Is it standards? How can I tell if a church is "emergent"? Is it all the above?

Can you tell me the name of one? Windsong??? Seems like many churches are adopting Windsong's style of worship.

I realize there might not be a monolythic answer to my question. Thank You!

You might hear the hinges on a few closet doors as they swing open.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I done stopped believing in the "ee-mergent church" when they done brought DRUMS into it and made it into a rock-n-roll den of iniquity!

No drums in the Church?

What about the Apostolics who have been called "Drum Jumpers" (a Louisiana term) because they jumped up and down to the beat of the bass drum?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Sam

No drums in the Church?

What about the Apostolics who have been called "Drum Jumpers" (a Louisiana term) because they jumped up and down to the beat of the bass drum?

My church during the 80's didn't allow them. Of course this was during the "Steve Timons"/backward masking/subliminal message/anti-rock and roll era as well.

[edjen01]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

My church during the 80's didn't allow them. Of course this was during the "Steve Timons"/backward masking/subliminal message/anti-rock and roll era as well.

ahh yes...the typical 80's youth conf. that would feature at least one speaker who would try to scare the "devil" out us young heatherns by playing Black Sabbath backwards. Good times.

I did learn in one of these sessions that certain instruments belonged to God and certain ones belonged to the devil. If I can remember right...God got the organ & accordian...the devil got the drums, bass, and electric guitars.

IMHO...I think God got the worse end of this deal.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by edjen01

ahh yes...the typical 80's youth conf. that would feature at least one speaker who would try to scare the "devil" out us young heatherns by playing Black Sabbath backwards. Good times.
...

You know what happens if you play a Country song backwards?
you get out of jail
your wife takes you back
your girlfriend takes you back
your truck comes back from the bank
your dog comes back from the dead
you sober up
Mama comes back from the dead
Daddy retires
your brother comes back from military service
the saloons stay open
the juke box lets you play it for free
etc.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by edjen01

ahh yes...the typical 80's youth conf. that would feature at least one speaker who would try to scare the "devil" out us young heatherns by playing Black Sabbath backwards. Good times.

I did learn in one of these sessions that certain instruments belonged to God and certain ones belonged to the devil. If I can remember right...God got the organ & accordian...the devil got the drums, bass, and electric guitars.

IMHO...I think God got the worse end of this deal.

I hope your burnt all your old Slim Whitman albums! Una Paloma Blanca was a particularly nasty track from him!

[Sherri]

Rob Bell is kind of the "guru" of the Emerging Church movement. He wrote the book Velvet Elvis, and several others. Some of what he says is good, but he is kind of into the "no absolutes" - let people figure out for themselves what is right and wrong. I can agree with that to a certain extent, but IMO, he takes it too far.

Eddie just read a book by a guy refuting the whole Emerging Church movement that he said was very insightful. I'll have to try to get the name of it, because I forgot the title.

[Innocuous]

Rob Bell one voice in the EC, although he'd deny being EC. Rob is less EC than he is just a cool, hip traditionalist. He's the celebrity de jour for the blue jean and goatee crowd that more 'relevant' oriented than they are EC.

How can a single book refute the entire EC movement when the movement is so dynamic and tough to even define?

[TRFrance]

Originally Posted by Sherri

Rob Bell is kind of the "guru" of the Emerging Church movement. He wrote the book Velvet Elvis, and several others. Some of what he says is good, but he is kind of into the "no absolutes" - let people figure out for themselves what is right and wrong. I can agree with that to a certain extent, but IMO, he takes it too far.

I know of pastors like that. They abdicate their God-given responsibility to teach whats right and wrong based on scriptural principles.

It becomes a slippery slope:
Don't tell Bill being gay is wrong. Just let him figure it out.
Don't tell Sarah that living with her boyfriend is wrong. Just let her figure it out.

Once that kind of permissive attitude sets in, it becomes hard to turn it around.

[Innocuous]

If you guys have ever heard Rob Bell's actual teaching at his church you'd not say he was a man with no absolutes and preaches a 'let them figure it out' gospel.