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Alan Wharton looks at the Emerging Church
It’s a difficult era for those of us brought up to believe that doctrine and truth need to be carefully defined and refined. We often feel out of our depth in discussion with people whose thought processes are rooted in what they have experienced rather than what has been handed down. Words and phrases become slippery and have a multitude of meanings according to who is using them – try asking several people to define ‘post-modern’.
Another slippery phrase is ‘emerging church’. Many people see in it a part of the answer to the failure, in mission terms, of our received ways of being Church in the West. Yet in answer to the question ‘what is it?’ one prominent website answers ‘The truth is nobody really knows. As the name suggests it is currently defined by what it is moving away [emerging] from, rather than what it has become. At its heart is a realization that the way we currently do church isn’t working for many people...’
But there is substance behind the phrase. The attributes of ‘emerging Church’ are more concerned with new ways of reaching out in mission when compared with developments in the ‘Inherited Church’, which are more likely to be concerned with improving things to attract people to what is already here. And ‘emerging Church’ concepts would have us see Church life more as a 24/7 pursuit, rather than a Sunday pastime. five picturesWhen I think of ‘emerging Church’, several pictures come to mind: the timorous door mouse emerging from its nest; the chick emerging from its egg; the motorist emerging from a foggy patch; Excalibur rising from the lake. Using these images as prompts, let us consider how the United Reformed Church might be helped to engage with the unknown and unfamiliar, in order to be more effective in reaching the people of this and the following generations, without losing our roots, or for that matter, our branches. a fragile nestThe sleepy dormouse looks cute as it sniffs the air, checking for danger before it ventures out from the supposed safety of its fragile nest. As we grapple with the many issues of the Catch the Vision process, there is a real danger of us being seen as ‘cute’ as we trying to avoid the dangers of being ‘out there’ with the rest of the world?
Catching the Vision means emerging from the false security of our buildings, liturgies — even our hymn sandwiches. Our calling is to be ‘out there’, or, as John Houghton so refreshingly suggests, ‘out here’. There is much excitement in living out our faith in the fields of our everyday life, so that we make an impact for Jesus in ways that are both natural and effective. The adrenalin is bound to run, but our calling is to go into enemy territory to be the broadcasters of good news, to release captives from their bondage, to heal the sick, to proclaim that God is favourably disposed towards humanity. As alert and expectant disciples of Christ, we are to go into the unknown with total confidence in the Lord who calls us beyond our comfort zones to extend the Kingdom of God. hammering our way outThe chick emerging from the eggshell may be daunted by the task but the very process of hammering its way out strengthens its muscles for future use. At first, it may feel impossible, a waste of effort.
To become an emerging church in this sense will call for energy, persistence, and focus. In local churches, vision catchers will need to stand firm against cries of, ‘It won’t work here’, ‘We can’t’ and ‘This isn’t what I joined for.’ The comfort and security of our shell could become a serious hindrance to there being a future generation. Breaking out is not an option, it is a matter of life, or death.
When Paul spoke to young Timothy (2 Timothy 2.2) he was anticipating a model of church life which would ensure the ongoing and consistent reproduction of Christian disciples. Looking back, the western Church of which I became a member 40 years ago was weaker than the western Church of the preceding generation. The measure of our determination to leave a stronger, more effective, Church as our legacy to coming generations will be the focus, persistence and energy with which we pursue new expressions of being Church seven days a week. the fog clearsThe motorist struggling through the fog is usually just as concerned with avoiding contact with other road users, as with reaching a destination.
Issues of contact, direction and destination are critical to understanding of the purposes of Church. The Church is no more and no less than the gateway to the Kingdom – so mission is an imperative for all rather than an activity for those of an evangelical bent. But the oft-quoted maxim that the Church exists by mission as a fire exists by burning, is easily obscured when we focus on ourselves.
The essential DNA of the Church as described in Acts points us to: large and small groupings (Temple forecourts and homes, Acts 2.46); the importance of relationships (Paul and Barnabas, Acts 9.26,27); the precedence of reaching out over maintaining the status quo (the Jerusalem Church Council, Acts 11.1-18); to make disciples out of converts (Ephesus, Acts 19).
The focus on small groups and the need for strong inter-personal relationships are keys to the growing of effective disciples, as witnessed by Jesus’ relationship with the disciples and the success of Alpha and similar courses today.
If we too develop and build relationships within the Church - linked with an outward focus – we will make disciples who will make disciples, rather than remain a kind of mutual admiration society. the sword from the lakeThe sight of Excalibur rising from the lake, leading on to an army under orders emerging from a castle fortress is perhaps the ultimate in positive and vibrant word pictures of the Emerging Church.
The old hymn Onward Christian Soldiers may no longer be considered PC by some, it is nonetheless bristling with New Testament imagery. However we respond to the words of the hymn and however right and proper it is for us to declare ourselves a peace Church, the fact remains that the Church is called to engaged in a struggle, but it is not a struggle for survival, nor is it an internal struggle.
Many years ago I was asked to represent the United Reformed Church at a meeting of the Nord Normandie Synod of the French Reformed Church. My lasting impression of that week was of being among a Church with its back to the wall, desperate to survive against the advances of other seemingly more successful denominations. Hopefully that impression would be judged a mere caricature today. Our friends in other faith communities are often amazed at how easily we shrink back in the face of advancing secularism. There is a battle on, but it is not against any human foe. There is a fight to be fought, but it will not be won with military weapons. Paul spells it out so clearly: ‘Our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.’ Eph 6.12.
The sign of the cross speaks so eloquently of the victory of God’s triumphal love over all that could be arraigned against it, yet it also illustrates an apparent weakness. Through our weakness God is well able to demonstrate his dynamic power. ‘Soldiers of Christ! Arise and put your armour on’ – spiritually strong, prepared and ready, actively engaged and victorious. What a picture! new and creative waysThe Emerging Church: coming out of her comfort zone; engaging with the world at large; convinced of her purpose; seeing the sign-posts clearly; focused on the coming generations and the Kingdom; fully equipped and prepared to make a difference, will need to branch out, without losing contact with her roots.
Ensuring that novelty does not to become the focus, but rather finding new and creative ways in which to communicate is so important. To lose touch with our past would be a catastrophe, but to resist change for the wrong reasons will be equally disastrous.
But what will ‘emerge’? What shape will the new forms take? This (inexhaustive list) comes from the Anglican report Mission Shaped Church: Alternative worship communities * Base Ecclesial Communities’ Cafe Church * Cell Church * Churches arising out of community initiatives * Multiple and midweek congregations * Network-focused churches (congregations connecting with specific networks) * Pub Church * School-based and school-linked congregations * Seeker church * Traditional church plants * Traditional forms of church inspiring new interest (including new monastic communities) * Youth congregations.
It seems to me that the preservation of ‘essential Church DNA’ will guard us against whacky and dangerous malformations of Church. As important, where once our understanding might have led us to change structures, we would do well to concentrate first on values instead. When our hearts are strangely warmed, as was John Wesley’s, we may better understand the need for structural change and our thinking will be more likely to catch up.
Alan Wharton ministers to the Medway District Strategic Cell Church Ministry
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