AN EMERGING CHURCH IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Want to hear what the Emerging Church believes in their own words? Click the link below to view an 11 minute video featuring people from an Emerging Church. Listen as they talk about focus on "community" over Christ. Listen as they say that if Jesus were on earth today he would concerned about justice and environmentalism. No mention of His concern for the lost and calling people to repentance. Listen as they describe their theology and philosophy. Many things come to mind when viewing this video but one of the strongest messages I get is: rebellion. This looks and sounds like a coffee house from the 1960s that is filled with a group of liberal hippies. 

We could take you to thousands of churches throughout America that look and believe just like this one. Just because you may not have heard of the Emerging Church or don't understand it, does not mean it is not a huge movement. Most Bible-believing Christians will wake up to this movement and what they are doing to their kids and grandkids long after it is too late.  

Please view this video and then post your feedback on our website. You will need to come back to this page to do so.

Their description of this video is as follows:

"Tired of the right-wing monopoly on faith in America? Here's a group of Christians who look at theology and life through a postmodern lens, offering a different vision than you might see in the media." 

http://www.current.tv/watch/21674856

By Brannon Howse Email: Brannon@worldviewweekend.com Click here for bio and archived articles

Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 03/26/07 09:38:17 AM Age 36, MO Scary. Some quotes I found most disturbing: "Everyone has the right to speak for God." "People are all that matters." "I have no agenda to convince people of what they don't want to believe." "The bible is changing." "We have no set doctrine that enforces one specific belief." I believe Jude 1 references this type of deviation from the Truth. Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 03/21/07 12:51:10 PM Age 32, NY Wow! There seems to be a lot of people who have posted responses here who are able to judge the hearts, minds, souls, intentions, and actions of thousands across America in the "emergent" churches by watching an 11 minute video made by one of them. As I read I'm saddened by all the fear and anger that this article has seemed to generate. I'm still trying to find that section of scriputre where Jesus asks us to pick up a stone and throw it at someone. Seems to me Jesus interacted more with the people he saw as "lost" and "borken" by the world then he did hurling insults at them and spreading fear about thier ways of life. Maybe we could understand the "emergent" church more (what it belives, where it is going) if we actually interacted with them as loved children of God. Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 03/03/07 09:20:15 AM Age 45, AR There is something wrong with the link you have posted. I was given a message that said "video not found". Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 02/24/07 12:07:34 PM Age 57, MO I found the 11 min. video almost enviously energizing (in places) and i so wish we didn't have to accept the "packaged meals" he described in churches today-- why can't more of us who are supposedly true believers think more out of the box as these in Solomon's Porch?! I do realize & agree there is little to unite with as any true believer might want to in their particular community. Sometimes, i think conversation would be EXCELLENT in the middle of a sermon (NOT all talking at once mind you)- it would keep some power-lusting pastors on their toes as well as those they are speaking to. People learn best when there is interaction, not just being preached at... and "the spirit of the prophets would be subject to the prophets" so i somewhat look forward to the day when some of the emergent church's methods spill over... in my wildest dreams. I can't help but think it a bit overdramatic to say this movement is "dangerous" -- except that it is obviously unbiblical in a lot of its understanding (lack of) and yes, all those points you make are pretty blatantly glaring - VERY little salvation (the one girl even admits that we're all pretty screwed up - and seems content to leave it at that!) I so love the LIGHT that the scriptures shed on our lives! I'm just a tiny bit concerned that some of the "radical methods" might be thrown out, just because the group is so unbiblical - but i can't help but think that Jesus WOULD be going to coffee houses and parks and bringing in harvest or planting seeds there at least! I especially agree with the girl who says Jesus would be more liberal than conservative if he were here in flesh now. I did see a bumper sticker to that effect (Jesus is Liberal) in our neighborhood and after the initial shock wore off, tend to agree...He is liberal with His Grace! Jesus might not be seduced into trying to feed masses in Africa (but then again, he might) and would probably definitely see through the politics of global climate change & environmentalism... but he just might recycle! (actually, I think He would steer a path not allowing himself to be labelled ANYTHING! but Savior & Lord (halleluliah! Well, enough said, you get my idea... lets throw out the dirty bath water and try to salvage some of the more positive aspects of this movement - FOR JESUS sake. Re: Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 02/19/07 03:22:55 AM Age 59, AZ These folks seem far more concerned with the pseudo-intellectual psychobabble pouring out of their morally confused minds steeped in their liberal world-views than with the absolute truths of the Word of God. Seems man is prone to worship his own mind rather than submit it to the One who is God and worship Him. I think the more we grasp the truth that He is God and we are not, the more our foolish ramplings are stopped. Re: Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 02/18/07 02:41:06 PM Age 55, FL Feedback to this post. Love is Biblical. It starts in Genesis 1:1 and ends in Revelation 22:21. The only difference is that it is GOD'S Love not man's love. It is only through GOD that man is capable of True Love which is AGAPE Love. Of course the only way that we can truly love is when we become born again through our Faith in JESUS CHRIST which you did state in your feedback. GOD Bless, Candy Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 02/18/07 02:28:20 PM Age 55, FL They remind me of my hippie days when I wasn't serving JESUS. Yes, JESUS is concerned about the poor and needy but they forgot how to meet the most important need, the spiritual need and how to reach out the the lost and dying world. It grieves me because they don't mention how a person can be saved from eternal damnation and how they can have a personal relationship with the Heavenly FATHER, through JESUS CHRIST. They themselves need to become born again and make disciples. They don't realize that we can't show love by our own imperfect human efforts that it can only be done by the love and power of THE HOLY SPIRIT. Yes, churches have failed in the past because of imperfection however there are churches and Messianic congregations that are living according to the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST (YESHUA HAMASHIAC)and touch people's lives both spiritually,mentally,emotionally, and physically. We have to pray for these misguided people that are a part of these Emerging Churches and coffee houses. I agree with what Brannon Howse and others of Worldview are saying about the Emergence movement. I will pray for them. Sincerely, Candy Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 02/18/07 05:08:30 AM Age 29, NC Having listened carefully to the presentation I believe that most of what the leader/presenters said was not so much false as it was incomplete. Notice that they are willing to take direction from authority figures (i.e. the head speaker), but not until they are assured that they are already accepted for who they are. That sounds pretty Christian to me. What they need is to add a depth of understanding to their zeal for Christ and community. It has been pointed out in other responses that all of them are young people, and I would point out that ALL OF THEM ARE YOUNG PEOPLE. The solution to zeal without knowledge is knowledge. I think a thoughtful evangelical community could bring these churches into the fold, not by chastising them, but by providing wisdom to their leadership. In a world where many are actively hostile to the message of Christ, the fact that these young people are willing to take a step toward God is a positive thing. We simply need a mature evangelical community to come alongside these kids to help them grow in the right direction. I think in this way they will leave some of their rebellious tendencies behind. After all, who rebels against wise patient kindness? Sermons We See Posted On: 02/16/07 10:58:24 PM Age 48, CO You don't get it because.... Id rather see a sermon than hear one any day/ Id rather one would walk with me than merely point the way. The eye is a better pupil and more willing than the ear/ Fine counsel may confuse me but example is always clear. And the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creeds/ For to see the good in action is what everybody needs. I can soon learn how to do it if you let me see it done/ I can watch your hands in motion but your tongue too fast may run. And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true/ But Id rather get my lesson by observing what you do. For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give/ But theres no misunderstanding how you act and how you live...just in case you are one of those that needs a Bible verse before you allow yourself to believe the TRUTH of these simple words, then I suppose you could check out James 1:22 or Romans 2:3-4 or a whole bunch of other verses you might not realize were there in the text all along. Emergent folks admit their sin and their short-comings which is a whole lot more than what most of you have printed in here. And they cry out long and hard to Jesus and they understand more than you could ever realize their utter brokenness before the cross of Christ...but you would never know that unless you took the time to really be around them and to observe them or to pray with them or to possibly make a friend among them. You read a few of your fearless leaders' vindictive statements against them and off you go spouting off the same diatribe calling it the TRUTH of God when you really have not taken the time yourself to investigate the so-called accusations of them being nothing but hippie communes full of peace, love, dove stuff. You yourselves seem like the hypocrites...have you all ripped out the book of Esther from your Bibles? Why don't you...because no matter how hard you look you will not ever, never find the word "God" mentioned nor any other reference to God such as Father or Almighty, etc., etc., etc. in the entire book. So, are you gonna bad-mouth Esther because it doesnt contain the particular religious buzzwords that you configure to be the gospel? Don't you get it? It's a story...that we have to use our brains and the intelligence that God gives us to see Him working all in-between the lines. And many Emergent folks are doing a similar thing. But you just bash em sitting in judgment from your high thrones evidently because they didnt say jesus saves enough for you. Emergent folks are actually trying to follow Jesus into the highways and byways of life looking for the neglected and marginalized (quite often by the self-righteous people in an institutionalized church) and seeking to love them first before bashing them over the head with a church membership clipboard. How in the world would you ever know them by their fruits when most of you are probably too busy sitting on your fat butts in a pew trying to memorize another Bible verse meanwhile Emergent folks are outside in your neighborhoods giving a cup of water in the name of the Lord to those you would never want to really associate with and in places that you would never go. But that wasnt on the video! you exclaim. How about thishow about you ask the leaders of this website if they know the context of that video?who was actually shooting the footage and toward what purpose were they editing it?was it a part of a series emphasizing a certain angle or aspect of the particular church in Minnesota that was featured in itsay, something like community or being a part of Gods family, for instance? How much would this group say they represent the so-called Emergent church movement? I suspect that the leader who pointed out this Emergent video clip to yaall doesnt have a clue about answering any of those questions. And then you need to ask him if CONTEXT is an important part of any communicative act. Maybe youll get some honest answers and maybe you wont. Re: Re: Re: An Emerging Church in Their Own Words Posted On: 02/16/07 02:25:51 PM Age 71, FL I wanted to reply to your comment regarding the "emergent" church. You asked whether or not it was, in your words, "necessary" for emergents to believe Jesus was the son of God. Well, I think we just take the for granted. If Jesus wasn't the messiah, then what're we all doing sitting around talking about following him for? Notice we didn't say we were unitarians who believe anything and everything, we said we were christians, so we just assumed people would know we believe in Jesus as the messiah, because that's what christians believe, pretty much regardless of denomination. So, I just thought I'd make that clear. I hate having to constantly defend myself, but oh well. The darts are flying so I need to put up a shield I guess. The other thing that I wanted to comment on is that you said we shouldn't confuse our "humanism" Christianity...no where in the video does it say that we are "humanists," on the other hand though, aren't we all? Christians historically have cared about the poor, have cared about being good stewards of the land etc. Those are humanist concerns. You can be Christian and be humanist...humanism isn't necessarily opposed to Christinity...it would depend who you talk to. Maybe an athiest humanist woudl be opposed to it, but that would have to do with his or her atheism. Not humanism. Hope that make sense, and feel free to disagree, I won't judge you and condemn you to hell...God is the ultimate judge and I would feel sacriligeous if I tried to take God's place in that capacity. God Bless and thanks for your comments, they were helpful in thinking of what people might've misunderstood about "emergents" or whatever term you wanna use.