The Critique of Emergent Church | Six things We Can Gain from Emergent Church to Make us Better Christians

For all the criticism of the Emergent Church, what can we learn about them to help make us better people and Christians? How can they help us a) follow the Gospel and b) show love to our neighbor better c) and spread the word more?

I recently read an interesting piece in the Gospel Advocate by Phil Sanders criticizing the Emergent Church. Although, I felt the piece was less than objective or fair and think he leaves out six crucial principles in his analysis, that many Christians and churches could benefit emmensely from:

• First, Emergent Churches often go after those sinners who currently don’t feel comfortable in church (and that we don’t feel comfortable bringing in the church walls) (Parable of the Lost Sheep, Matthew 18: 12-13) (Woman at the Well, John 4: 1-42)

• Second, Emergent Christians are re-examining the text in light of new questions and perspectives. That’s making the scripture the living word. And that’s also what faith is all about. Emergents seem to avoid the error making current practices of church liturgy a sacred cow. Religious practice is just that unless it has a scriptural basis (either in spirit or word). Finally, when reading the scripture its important to understand that Christ existence on earth 2000 years ago pre-dates the Enlightenment values and interpretative structures we bring to the text by 1,500 years. Thats a 1,500 year divide in terms of culture and understanding and interpretation As such, the people of Jesus’ day came to the text with a fundamentally different worldview an interpretative framework than our. Ignoring that fact of interpretation is flying blind.

• Third, the Emergent’s emphasis on examining the text in light of an emotional metaphor, rather than a legalistic metaphor. God made us storytellers and emotional beings for a reason. Its in our spiritual DNA. Also, faith transcends reason. I won’t go so far as saying that means anything is game, it just means that certain principles are far more important than quibbling legalists give the text credit for.

• Fourth, Emergent Christians seem to have a fuller appreciation of the arts and using them to praise God. With the lone exception of singing, the arts are rarely used in formal worship. This allows a fuller use of talents and greater church leadership. Perhaps this would even give us a better understanding of the God stories in our lives (so we could share them more effectively) and help us understand how the metaphors we encounter are part of a larger vision and (His)story.

• Fifth, humility in interpretation. Its easy for nuances of Biblical interpretation and hermenutics to get a little testy. The model of Christ’s humility suggest that the call of Ephesians for unity as well as CS Lewis’s call to have unity despite interpretative differences in the church may just be the best courses of action for a moral and prudential perspective (E Plurbus Unum Yo)

• Sixth, and perhaps most importantly the use of small groups as a formal part of the worship, which many churches have neglected since the first century. Not to mention a deeper understanding of the word, and more open and honest relationships. I’m not trying to cast stones here, just trying to point to alternatives that are perhaps more consistent with the text.

I will soon do a follow up which discusses what Sanders is correct about…along with a more detailed discussion of the article.

Note: if I have missed something or mis-analyzed something about Sander’s article or Emergent Christians, please feel free to leave a comment and add to the conversation. Really, if you disagree with me (or agree with me) for whatever reason, please leave a note in the comments section.