UNDERSTANDING THE EMERGENT CHURCH

Coming up with a definition for the Emerging Church movement is essentially impossible. There are many views, beliefs and practices that have been incorporated. Our goal over the next two weeks will be to provide an overview by quoting various leaders. Stay tuned.

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Attempting to come up with a definitive explanation to describe all that is happening in the Emerging Church movement is an impossible task. Probably the best way to do this would be to examine the numerous books that have been written on this topic and come up with some general trends that seem to be consistent. This series of programs will attempt to do this.

One thing I want to make clear from the beginning is the approach we will be taking. I will be quoting various promoters of the Emergent movement. Sometimes authors are offended and upset when they are quoted. The quotes that we will use are not something we have invented.  We are going to present the Emerging Church based on the words of those who are advocating that the Emerging Church is the direction Christianity should be headed in the future.

Further, it is not my objective to examine the personal motives of the individuals who are the promoters. I have had dialogue and discussion with several leading Emerging Church authors about our differences in opinion. In every case, they indicate to me their sincere desire to reach this generation and provide a relevant form of Christianity.

My greatest concern about the Emerging Church is the overall direction that I discern it is headed. This direction, in my opinion is away from a faith in Jesus that is based on His Word, to a faith driven by experience and headed towards Roman Catholicism.

When I have pointed this out to Emergent leaders, they insist that they are not part of this agenda. While I find this very difficult to understand based upon what they are saying and doing, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

My purpose in documenting facts that I believe show the Emerging Church is “another Road to Rome” will be based on the words Paul wrote to Timothy regarding how we are to confront those who have been sidetracked by Satan’s devices and don’t know it:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. [1]  

Paul’s words, inspired by the Holy Spirit, provide the strategy we are to take in order to point those who have been misled from God’s Word back to the truth. Satan’s plan is to convince sincere Bible believing Christians that the Bible is no longer our foundation for faith. Obviously, deception occurs when one has been misled without realizing it has occurred.

In order to salvage those who have been caught in Satan’s trap, we are to reach out with humility, gentleness and patience and pray that minds will be opened to the truth and the pathway to deception will be blocked.

I am Roger Oakland. This has been a biblical perspective to help understand the times.

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