Thoughts from an Emergent Christian...

Since the early years of my college career and even the ending years of my high school one I have identified myself in the camp of Postmodern and Emergent among other labels that tend to follow suit with those two. Often times as I have progressed in my walk many have wondered why I call fall under such labels, especially the Postmodern and Emergent ones; these questions often lead to more questions on what is Postmodernism or what is the emergent church? Which very early on in my life I have realized these are not simple, easy answers. In fact I think the fact that postmodernism is not defined by a simple, trite sentence is a very postmodern answer. So I would find myself in situations where I would decide it best to explain my own personal beliefs and whether or not they decide to label that postmodern or emergent was up completely those listening. 

Recently, however, I stumbled upon a book in a local Ollies entitled Hipster Christianity: When church and Cool Collide by Brett Mccracken and as cheesy as the title sounded there was a part of it that enticed me. As I began to shift through the pages I began to see phrases that I had been prone to say flash out at me, then as I took a deeper look I realized this guy knew what he was talking about. This book was not just some cheesy attempt to look at many who fall under the label of "christian hipster" but it actually revealed a lot of insight about my generation that I would attest to being true, at least in that particular subculture. All this to say, as I was reading through this book, I stumbled upon a section where the author had put 7 key assertions of the emergent movement that is meant to be a brief summary of the movement. I have found this section to be one that lines up with some of my own beliefs so I am sharing it in the hopes to portray why I identify myself with this movement, whether or not the label "emergent" is dying out.

"Seven Key Assertions of the Emergent Movement: Excerpt from Brett Mccracken"

1. Modernism is lame: In the first place, and above all, emerging is a response to modernism. It is postmodern (more or less). Emergents contend that modernity has set the church off track, which has, among other things, turned the Christian faith into little more than an "x+y=z" ticket to heaven. Christianity is bigger and more complex than the self-help, "this is how you can live your life best now," cosmic ATM that modern evangelicalism sometimes makes it out to be. It can't be understood in one prayer or in forty days of purpose, they say. Jesus simply cannot be domesticated...the emerging church disdains rigid, systematized ways of looking at things...emergents suggest that modernism is too analytical, too trusting of science and rationality, too arrogant in the face of a world that seems to always end up being more mysterious and powerful than our intellects can comprehend...

2. Christianity is edgier and less safe than most people think: ...Emerging church leaders felt strongly that Christianity--the things Jesus did and called Christians to do--is way more dangerous and edgy and countercultural than recent church history would suggest. As a result, the prevailing tone of most emerging rhetoric is decidedly provocative and prone to hyperbolic statements meant more to shock people out of their comfort zones than anything else. Every emergent leader has a cadre of one-liners that typically blast the establishment church in some strongly worded manner.

3. The Church Gets in the way of the Gospel: ...for emergents, the church today embarrasses them because it is irrelevant, out of touch, and busy answering questions that no one is really asking. It has a reputation for being hateful, bigoted, stodgy, legalistic, and lame. But above all, emergents argue, Christianity is getting the gospel wrong.

4. Dialogue and Conversation are better than argumentation and apologetics: the emergent church emphasizes community and relationships. The church, emergents argue, should never have turned into such an individualistic pursuit wherein the most important thing is one's solitary decision to convert and follow Christ. On the contrary, the church is called into community and away from individualism. It should be about relationship and dialogue with one another rather than theologizing our ways into heaven by way of our own individual cognitive devices...when emergents dialogue, they don't think in terms of winning and losing. They value the process above all, the community based pursuit of a new understanding of God.  Their broader view of theology reflects this: it is not fixed or static but rather localized and fluid. They love talking theologically, but their theology is malleable and context-specific. Everything they say invites debate and should be discussed, all for the benefit of learning together and sharing openly whatever convictions, uncertainties, or doubts one may have. They sometimes call this a "humble hermeneutic."

5. Story and Narrative are better than Propositions and Systems: ...Emergents are highly suspicious of systematic theology. God did not reveal a systematic theology, they argue; he revealed a storied narrative. As Scot McKnight puts it, the emerging movement tends to believe that, rather than a systematic theology being the final word, theology is rather more like an ongoing conversation about "the Truth, who is God in Christ through the Spirit, and about God's story of redemption at work in the church."

6. Binaries are too Simplistic: Emergents do not like binaries. The idea that something must be this or that, and cannot be both, troubles them. A great fault of modern Christianity, they argue, lies in its emphases on certain binaries: in vs. out, sacred vs. secular, good vs. evil, and so on. Though in truth, binaries may sometimes exist, they are never as black and white as modernity makes them out to be. Thus, while many emergents acknowledge a distinction between Christian and non-Christian, they are very reticent to assume any sort of final judgment as to how or where we can draw such a distinction. Their emphasis is not on who is saved or unsaved, in or out, but rather on the transforming power of the gospel for everyone.

7: What we do is more important than what we think or say: One final assertion of the emerging church--and a very important one-- is the idea that praxis (the living out, daily embodiment) of Christianity should be as ore more important than the way we think or even talk about it. How do we live out the gospel? What does the church look like in practice? These are important questions for emergents. For the emergent church, the proclamation of the gospel must always be accompanied by the living of it. It's not enough to just say "Christ is risen." We must live in such a way that demonstrates this life-altering fact. A major outgrowth of this idea is the missional movement...


I am sure there are many more assertions and definitions of one who is emergent, but that is the brief summary that I have wanted to share. Reading a majority of that felt like I was reading my own thoughts put into paper. Many in my own generation (and others) have felt and acted in these emergent ways, however, just because someone is a millenial, does not mean that they are or will become emergent. I hope to help give clarity to those who wonder what I believe and why. 

But at the end of the day, despite all of these, my hope is to be known as someone who loves God and loves People through my actions in all that I do. These are simply the thoughts from a man made from dust.

And now we process...

Beep, Beep, Beep! 6:30 AM time to get up...The creaking of the shuttle up to the Arch...the sizzle of the taco meat every Tuesday...The 80 acres of smells...the community of STL...all gone.

I am now sitting back in my families home in PA, after an amazing summer working with YouthWorks! The last two weeks in STL were some of the craziest weeks, yet I was reminded constantly how God's grace is sufficient and helped us through. We had to deal with the tragedies of losing our site director, adjusting to a new Utility staff, adjusting to staff members from Cairo, IL, and finishing out our last weeks with participants. This entire summer was filled with grace and crazy late nights, but in the end it reminded me why I want to go into youth ministry. Every night when I would give my talks I just felt confident and empowered with what I shared and it was even more encouraging to hear and see the impact it left on some the teenagers. Every Sunday when we would start at 4PM and every weekday starting at 6:30AM was worth it. Everything we did, saw, and experienced was more than worth it. I saw God move in STL and I know that as the great song says, great things are yet to come to this city.

As our last group left everything quickly came to an end. We finished cleaning the church, our summer home, and all drove off to Nashville for that Saturday evening. As I drove into the city of country music, listening to country, I contemplated all that I had experienced that summer: from Ms. Nadine Rice and her amazing compassion for others to Martha Rice & New Life Evangelistic Center to the bonding that my team and I experienced, they are all memories that I never want to forget. As I was dwelling on these memories I kept thinking that I do not want these to simply be memories. I want to stay connected with my team, to stay connected with STL, and to let the journey continue. To be exploring ways to serve God and others in my own communities that I live just as I taught each of the youth every single week this summer. I pray God will continue to guide me in loving others to do amazing things.

After spending the evening with our Area in Nashville, we drove another 3 hours to arrive back in Birmingham, AL. Here we had what we called Exit RAMP (Regional Area Mission Prep) where we all got to debrief, worship together, and receive a bunch of free Youth Specialties & Youth Works gifts. It was a fun time to relax after a long, exhausting (yet worth it) summer and then Monday night we all said goodbye, hoping and wishing that we would one day reconnect with each other. Bright and early Tuesday morning, I left for the airport and got to say one last goodbye to some of my team because there were YW staff all over the airport waiting to board.

I have now been home for a day and half and it feels so weird. Half of my family met me at the airport with signs in hand and asked me a little about the summer, but then just returned back to every day life. It is the weirdest situation going from constant ministry to feeling like there is nothing to do. To avoid feelings of nothingness & boredom, I am working at my mother's daycare school age program, but even that is a weird transition from working with teenagers. I know after awhile I will gradually shift back into routine, but until that happens it will be hard. I went from constantly being affirmed of my calling and getting hands on experience to 20 days of being at home and working at a daycare. I pray that God will show me how He is using me here in this small town as well. As I am processing my summer there is one thing I know for sure, spending my summer doing Youth Works made it one of the best summer's of my entire life and I hope to do it again next year; but until then I will be ready for whatever adventure God has next for my life.

Here's to YouthWorks!

Here's to an amazing summer with YouthWorks where I have been greatly impacted by God and others, I have grown so much, and I have been affirmed of my calling. I will post more about the end of my summer in the near future, but here's to the great Area I could ask to serve God and others alongside of. This is the body of Christ, putting aside our denominational differences and simply loving as Jesus loves. I praise our wonderful Creator for one of the best summers of my life.