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Christianity Today, February, 2007 |

Five Streams of the Emerging Church

Key elements of the most controversial and misunderstood movement in the church today.

Scot McKnight | posted 1/19/2007 08:46AM

It is said that emerging Christians confess their faith like mainliners—meaning they say things publicly they don't really believe. They drink like Southern Baptists—meaning, to adapt some words ...

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Jarrod McKenna

Posted: February 02, 2007 10:29 AM

I really like Scot McKnight. I think he is intelligent, prayerful and playful. For me that’s an exciting combination and this is an excellent summation of the U.S. Emerging Church sence. Here in Australian I'm not sure if all of Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger's 9 identifiers are evident in the 'EC' (unfortunately). I also sometimes feel concerned that criticism of Brian McLaren's (review of his book here: http://gatheringinlight.com/2007/01/08/brian-mclarens-the-secret-message-of-jesus/) theology sometimes drifts dangerously close into scapegoating. Glad to see McKnight avoids this.

T. Craig

Posted: February 02, 2007 8:29 AM

I enjoyed/appreciated this article for the most part. I agree with the others who posted about the possible need to use less complex terms to express things. That said, I appreciate the fact that he DID define most of his terms. Maybe in the future, though, some of the proponents of simple church could flow in the stream of simpler language? :-) Overall, I believe this article can give readers a general view of what's going on outside the old familiar structures--and I think that's a good thing.

Andre

Posted: February 02, 2007 7:31 AM

I would not be surprised that in a few years from now, the emerging/emergent churches will be the fastest growing sector of Christianity. That is what hapened to the Pentecostals who were unaccepted and doubted by the mainline Christians in the beginning only later to become a major force in Christianity. If God is teaching us something about how to win this generation through the emerging churches, then we better be open and willing to learn.

Philip Miller

Posted: February 01, 2007 2:53 PM

Thank you. Excellent article helping me shape my interaction with the emerging church. In so many ways, many of us are already in sync with these streams as laid out by McKnight. I have heard the fears, I have read the conversation bewteen McLaren and Colson and am convinced that fear of one another contributes to our talking past one another instead of with one another. Christ is the head of His Church and I am sure He will guide our constant renewals and reversals and (if need be) repentance as we deny ourselve and take up our crosses and follow. These types of discussions can only strengthen the Church.

Angelo

Posted: February 01, 2007 1:54 PM


"At its core, the emerging movement is an attempt to fashion a new ecclesiology (doctrine of the church)." There is no new ecclesiology worthy of replacing the original "doctrine of the church" given to the Apostles by Christ. The new wineskin is as old as the Church ... and always new.

Wayne

Posted: February 01, 2007 10:38 AM


very Interesting. I agree with most of it. I still think we need to present the gospel in its simplest form. ie. The good news is God wants to save the lost. Its a little to gray for me to assume everyone who isn't actively against Christians is fine. You can stand up for truth without being a "Bible thumper"

Joy	Posted: February 01, 2007 10:37 AM


Very timely and informative.

Lisa	Posted: February 01, 2007 10:04 AM

I first heard these ideas a few years ago from a friend who was not a Christian but a follower of New Age and Secular Humanist beliefs. Later I began reading material from and on the Emergent Church. The ideas were very similar except with a Christian lilt. The Emergent Church movement is doing stereotyping as well, regarding evangelical Christians. Example, Rob Bell’s Bull Horn Guy video: http://www.pinpointevangelism.com/Bullhorn.htm . It targets street evangelists. What about John the Baptist? A good response can be seen at: http://www.wayofthemasterradio.com/video/friel_bullhorn_response.wmv I am sure there are good ideas it has to offer but it rings way too much of the world. I think of what 2 Timothy 4: 3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Heath

Posted: February 01, 2007 9:33 AM

This article was a little difficult to follow and a little hard to swallow. It struck me that as long as emergent didn't forget to be evangelistic it was okay with the author. I find it hard to understand how the emergent movement CAN be evangelistic when they question what truth is, whose truth is accurate or that truth exists. The real issue is that, should the evangelical church do what it is supposed to (evangelize, be missional and live a lifestyle conforming to the words of Christ who said, "If you love me, obey my commands") then the emergent movement would lack some of its attractiveness.

LTBILL

Posted: February 01, 2007 7:30 AM

I thank the author for his in sight. I found myself engaged in his discussion. My only contention is that as Christians in this culture of today we need to focus on the truth and only the truth, something I even struggle with. The truth is that GOD created us for him (relationship), Gave his life for us (Forgivenss), and continues to live (ressurection); to live out his commands; Love God and Love Others as He has Loved Us. This is the simplist and most evangelical way for us to live. We really need to stop trying to analysize GOD and keep it simple. "LOVE - OBEY - ACT" just as Christ did.

Keith L. Griffin

Posted: February 01, 2007 12:49 AM

As a church historian, I see many familiar good strains in the above destinctives of the Emerging church 'movement'. Some, perhaps, are needed correctives to the average evangelical congregation. But I also see some seeds that, if not pruned when they sprout, will inevitably derail their movement. If the gospels' historical narratives are not accepted as fact, i.e., absolutely true, then there is no basis for playing church, emerging or otherwise. The greatest "slow" poison that has attached itself to some in this movement, is that all languages are merely socially constructed symbol systems (many post-modernists would say, in order for the upper classes to manipulate the lower classes to serve them). If the words of the Bible are only that, and not God's chosen words, then we can twist them any way we want to, and thus, teach anything we'd like, as liberals have done for decades. Real belief leads to real praxis--I think Paul said something like that...

kimangu

Posted: January 31, 2007 11:52 PM


i did not understand a word i read. sorry.

Alyson Lucas

Posted: January 31, 2007 8:32 PM

I probably should have read this with a dictionary,Im sure it would have made more sense if I did. However while obviously not an acaedemic, I have experienced provactive statements about Jesus and who he would and would not like and find them offensive and extemely hard to sustain in the light of the fact that it is not about us but about God and His work on our behalf to stand justified before Him. At the end of the day I worry more about what is the focus. The very clever thought provoking provocative preacher or the gospel

Judy Marks

Posted: January 31, 2007 7:00 PM


If the "normal Layperson" is supposed to understand all this it needs to be made a WHOLE LOT simpler! I found the entire article very difficult to follow.

Judy Marks

Posted: January 31, 2007 6:59 PM


If the "normal Layperson" is supposed to understand all this it needs to be made a WHOLE LOT simpler! I found the entire article very difficult to follow.

Anonymous

Posted: January 31, 2007 6:01 PM

I appreciate the article; however, I wonder how an effective ecclesiology can be restricted to the teaching of Jesus in the gospels; isn't Paul's interpretation of the gospel the proper basis? I didn't find a definition of the gospel--what do these people say it is? I'm left with Paul's words to Timothy in 2Tim.3:16,17. The Word of God comes to us in human words, however restrictive they may be; and Timothy was commanded to hold to the form of "sound (healthy) doctrine". T. Gerald Wheatley

Larry Brown

Posted: January 31, 2007 3:55 PM


The "old Church" isn't broken, so don't "fix" it!! The Bible is very clear on how Christians are to act and behave. Group discussion will not change God's Word nor His wisdom. Christianity is NOT a democracy!! God IS the majority of ONE, and He still RULES from His throne!! Jesus IS, WAS, and WILL ALWAYS be the King of kings and Lord of lords- FOREVER- AMEN!!!!

Jeff	Posted: January 31, 2007 3:41 PM


Scott has done a great job of summarizing the emerging movement and the next generation's feelings about the established church and how to live the life of Jesus. Well done!

titus

Posted: January 31, 2007 3:24 PM


Government is to form the framework within which society can operate. Not do the job for us! Christains and whomever else wishes to are who should be helping the poor etc. NOT GOVERNMENT! Geesh! and hooray for "Blah, blah, blah" :>)

Paul R. Waibel

Posted: January 31, 2007 1:51 PM

Scot McKnight articulates what many of us Christians who feel disillusioned, disappointed, and frustrated with contemporary evangelicalism sense. We are troubled by our brothers and sisters who have embraced uncritically a radical rightwing economic and political agenda and materialistic lifestyle. We hunger for genuine. We want to relate to God with both our intellect and our emotions. Perhaps there is something of value to be found in the emerging church movement that we should consider.

Matt Dodd

Posted: January 31, 2007 12:51 PM


Postmodernism is a dangerous movement trying to undermine and soften the truths of the Bible. The Bible is very clear, as stated in 1John 5:11-12 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life". Jesus is the only way to redemption and salvation. Period.

Tom	Posted: January 31, 2007 12:09 PM


In my own church we have a group participating in this and I now have a better understanding of what it is, and I'm curious as to how this will and probably has creeped into our contemporary service. Our worship services are done with the shades down to make the room darker for instance. While I know there are some truths, I believe the discussion can be meaningful.

LLM	Posted: January 31, 2007 11:46 AM

This is the most distorted and unencouraging article that has ever been received from Christianity today. The people that take the effort, sometimes very sacrificially to their own welfare (headahces, etc.) to go to Church..do not deserve to be trashed in such a way. If this is the way that people are turning out..they must be going to a different type of Church then you have named in such derogative terms. I have found people to either agree or disagree. If they choose a different lifestyle, they don't flaunt it. Sin is to be repented of and not to declare that we have a different way to believe. Sin is always destructive to our life, not to be called an acceptable lifesyle...i.e. 'emerging Church'. They need to know the sinless Christ as their Savior and be born again. When you do, your whole outlook on everything is changed. To know that you are now a child of GOD is enough to do that.

Jack Hutson

Posted: January 31, 2007 11:24 AM


Thanks for the article. It was very informative. I always enjoy articles that make me think and evaluate my own relationship with Christ.

Geri	Posted: January 31, 2007 11:04 AM


Lost interest in this article, finding it difficult to understand.

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