Reflections on emerging Churches

Gibbs, Eddie and Ryan K. Bolger. Emerging Churches. Baker Books, 2005.

Chapter 1:
Gibbs and Bolger exemplify that there is a desperate need for “culturally appropriate church practices” (15). The culture in the U.K and U.S. has abandoned its spiritual heritage and there is a new challenge to embody the gospel incarnationally amidst post-Christendom and post-modernity.Through reading this chapter I became aware of ways that my home church in England is culturally irrelevant. For example, in general we still expect people to come to the church in order to receive Christ, even though “postmodern generations have simply chosen to ignore organized church as irrelevant to their spiritual quest”(21).
Chapter 2:
Emerging churches are defined as “communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern cultures” (44). Practices that are culturally outdated are purged. Gibbs and Bolger present a challenge to decipher elements of ecclesiology that are culturally viable, as well as a challenge to “mine the riches of many traditions” (39). The need to analyze the cultural relevance of the church is apparent.
Chapter 3:
It is easy to be distracted and preoccupied with the form of the church (49). However, emerging churches endeavor simply to be signs of the kingdom. They have returned to Jesus’ example and hence, retrieved the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel is no longer constrained to salvation alone, but serves to provoke all to participate with God in the fullness of His mission (64).
Chapter 4:
Emerging churches promote sacralization in which every area of life is appreciated as sacred (66). This opposes the sacred secular division prevalent in modernity and in turn, the church satisfies the desire for holistic spirituality, which is prevalent in the postmodern culture. With the extreme desire for holiness, I have found that my tradition almost advocates for the sacred and secular division. This is corrected by emerging churches who exemplify that it is possible for all areas of life to be appreciated and become holy, rather than simply rejected.
Chapter 5:
Unlike my home church, emerging churches understand church as people, or a community, rather than meetings and fellowships in addition to the weekly services. Emerging churches base the principles of the community life from the life of Christ and hence, the practices of the kingdom that He exemplified.
Chapter 6:
Hospitality is a central principle in emerging churches. Emerging churches are purposefully inclusive and embrace the outsider, extending the boundaries of the faith. They are open and receptive to people of other faiths, and “even seek to be evangelized by them” (134). “They do not believe in evangelistic strategies, other than the pursuit to be like Jesus in his interactions with others” (134).
Chapter 7:
Hospitality in emerging churches also includes serving the outsider, without any hidden motive, or expecting anything in return. Through serving others, relationships naturally become opportunities to point to Christ. Therefore, evangelism is through embodying Christ and demonstrating His love, rather than proclaiming the gospel. This is completely different to the tradition I am a part of in which proclamation of the gospel is emphasized and relationships are treated as a means to convert people.
Chapter 8:
Consumerism in our culture has promoted passivity. In contrast, emerging churches emphasize participation of the entire congregation. Worship is a corporate experience in which everyone is able to act as a producer. This reveals how worship can be unintentionally imposed on people, if only one person is leading, and provides an alternative expression of worship to the traditional mode with which I am acquainted.
Chapter 9:
Emerging churches have recognized that creative acts of worship, by the whole congregation, are necessary in order for gifts to flourish, for “worship to remain indigenous,” and for the priesthood of all believers to be fully practiced (179). The fact that people are made in the image of God and therefore, are creative, is valued in emerging churches (179). They understand that creative acts are part of redemption, in which things are made holy.
Chapter 10:
Emerging churches have developed a different paradigm for leadership. The leadership avoids any form of control and instead, is expressed through servant-hood and following the consensus (214). Room is created for everybody’s voice to be heard. This serves as a “prophetic witness” because of the sharp contrast with the “competitive and polarized” leadership that is common in society (214).
Chapter 11:
Corporate and personal spirituality is stressed in emerging churches as well as meeting the search for spirituality that is apparent in culture. Ancient liturgies are embraced to enable the church to be “rooted during a time of profound cultural upheaval” (226). I come from a church which is almost completely void of liturgies, yet desires to be spiritual; perhaps they could adapt the emerging churches’ appreciation of the liturgy too.