I haven't been blog posting too much as I am working on wrapping up my next Zondervan book - as usual it is taking longer than I thought in the rewriting of a couple very difficult chapters to write about (homosexuality, literalism and the Bible, world religions) but I am happy how it is coming out. It is written more like when I teach in our church - as it is my first "trade" book. A trade book is a book for a general audience, not specifically church leaders like all my other books have been. So I get to include some narratives that I normally haven't been able to in church leadership books.
I am heading out also this week to speak at the Youth Specialties convention in Los Angeles. I love, love, love being around youth leaders. I am doing three things there. One is about theological topics important to be teaching youth prior to graduating. Another on creating a culture for artists in your church. And then I am doing what they are calling a "Fishbowl" discusson about hell. Hell is one of the topics you don't hear a lot about - and when we do it is normally extreme liberal views or a hard literal interpretation. I believe in an eternal hell, not being in God's presence for all eternity - and it is so horrifyingly sad, I have to talk about it. But how we do and when we do is very, very important. So I shall be having a hell discussion in LA.
Then I head to Houston the following week to speak at Presbyterian conference for a day. I will be focusing on tradition not getting in the way of mission. They are asking me to stir things up in the Presbyterian conference to the leaders. So I certainly shall be very happy to do that in a gentle and loving way. Then on Sunday I am preaching at a Presbyterian megachurch (normally you don't see those two words together) and look forward to being there with them as I hear great things about that church.
The cover of the book "Deep Church" is what you see up at top and is why I called this blog entry "the best (and hopefully last?) book studying the emerging church" - is a great book. I have a stack of books that are about reports and studies of the emerging and emergent church that is probably over a foot high. Some have been very helpful and insightful, some have been totally crazy and almost comical to read due to the inaccuracy and hyper-stereotypes. As I have shared before, I really don't use the term "emerging church" anymore because of it being so different than when I was first using it.
But this book is helpful and to me almost a great wrap up of the past 10 years and a hopeful way of looking to the future. I think we have reached a point to where things in river of the emerging church world have dissolved into individual streams which are quite diferent. My original passion and why I got into the emerging church world was for the hope of seeing emerging generations come to a saving knowledge of God's grace, forgiveness, salvation through the cross of Jesus - and then join in the mission of serving the world in His name. That is why I am so excited about Origins, as that is going going back to a passion for evangelism and mission to emerging generations.
What brings this book credibility that most of the other books out there don't have - is that Jim actually took the time to go and visit various churches. Instead of just hearing that there is some sort of voodoo magic being practiced in all "emerging" churches - he went to see for himself. He then talked in person to several of the key leaders. He came to Vintage Faith Church and we went out to dinner after. So he does write about us in the book and his visit.
Jim is Presbyterian, so you do find that a lot of his leanings and conclusions point towards Presbyterian to some degree. I don't see Presbyterian as the "third way", and I don't think Jim does either. But you have to keep that in mind as you read it. Jim also writes in the book about "tradition" and we do have some differences of opinion on that. IFor one, when you say "tradition" - what tradition do we turn to? Tradition from the 1500's AD? Or should church tradition really be defined from the pre-300's AD? Or tradtion can even be 1980's - depending on the church. I do feel that if tradition gets in the way of mission and people coming to know Jesus, then it is sin. I also believe that almost all we have in our churches (pews, how sermons are preached, the the aesthetic, so much of the vibe of meetings) is not from Scripture - but it was developed from a specific culture and time period. Which isn't bad as it was very important and useful in different time periods. But then it became "tradition" and for some, to change out of these traditional formats is criticized as being trendy. But I would challenge that because tif you believe that, then you would also to say that when the organ was added into the church, that was then trendy adopting a instrument used in the culture of that time period. Or when pastors started wearing robes, that was trendy - as the robes were significant in the culture and what they represented. All those things were birthed from a specific time period and they meant something specifically to that culture when change was needed to communicate and live out the gospel. I bet the same people who brought in those traditions would be breaking out of them today. Because they were passionate not about the tradition they were creating, but about the people they were desiring to see know Jesus. I am not talking about the theological Creeds or our historical orthodox theology - I am talking about how we go about "church" with what I am viewing as "tradition".
Anyway, I disagree a bit with Jim in some of that. I also would challenge Jim a bit to say I think we need more than only the Creeds in terms of essential doctrines. The reason I say that is because some of the most extreme liberal churches use the Apostle's Creed and Nicene Creed. There are some other critical doctrines I would think would be important to include as essentials. But it is a really great book. It is balanced, rich, and I trust Jim.
To me it feels like a closing chapter and a new hopeful one moving ahead and now beginning. This is the book I will now recommend to anyone wanting to know history and insight to what the emerging church was and is. And hopefully the last book as we have so many out there now. This one points to a hopeful future - a third way which I love thinking and dreaming about.
OK. I write long posts. I guess I don't write too frequently, so when I do they are longer. But now dashing to meet with Josh Fox and then we have our church Leadership Council meeting tonight. And then I will come home at 10:30 PM and stay up till 3 AM working on the book.
