What are your views on the "Emergant Church'???

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trinityisunity

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Fellow Baptists,

I was wondering what the views were of my fellow Bible believing brethren on this postmodern version of the church. I can personally see some good points but I am concerned of some 'emerging churches' not being upfront on some doctrinal truths.

I am currently writing a major paper on this type of church and how expository preaching, which I believe to be a very important preaching method is a thing of the pass in this particular group of postmoderns. As I said earlier some of their ideas might be ok but I think they throw out too many significant beliefs or just do not discuss them. They will not talk on the exclusive salvation in Christ or even on hell. Most sermons(talks/discussions are on open topics). One emergent says, 'Be storytellers, connect with people's feelings, ensure leaders facilitate and do not preach.'

What you think?
 

arunma

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The Emergent Church seems to be the beginning of new heresy. The Bible specifically teaches that the church is to be governed by authority. Churches that don't have elders and pastors aren't churches. The folly of the Emergent Church is evidenced in this movement's denial of penal substitutionary atonement and other doctrines central to the Gospel. I would personally stay away.
 
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MatthewDiscipleofGod

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The Emergent Church is hard to pin down. They purposely have no doctrinal statement. Some of the big names that have the most unbiblical doctrine are Doug Pagitt, Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren. Here is a list of some of the negative things that this group promotes. Keep in mind that not all emergent churches would agree with these things I list.

1. Experience is just as imporant if not more important then a good understanding of the Bible.

2. Eastern religious practices such as Yoga are OK to teach inside of the church.

3. Homosexual acts are not neccesarly bad. We should have a 5 year study using science and etc to determine if it really is bad.

4. Instead of the pastor being the spiritual teacher of the church we should all share our interpertations inside of the church.

5. The substitary attointment is an evil doctrine, or at best, not imporant.

6. Heaven is overrated. Doing good things is just as imporant as salvation.

7. The Bible can't really be understood. It probably has some errors.

Here is a link to more information.
 
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Atlantians

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If we as christians read our Bible daily, like we should, do we not learn all that it says, the good, the bad, the positive, the negative, which is all the truths we need to understand. Does it matter what our Pastors preach on Sunday? I personally like a Positive Message. One that lifts me up and motivates me, inspires me to be a better person. The rest I will get in Bible Study.
Read the Pastorals and the epistles and you will have your answer.
 
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Atlantians

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The Emergent Church is hard to pin down. They purposely have no doctrinal statement. Some of the big names that have the most unbiblical doctrine are Doug Pagitt, Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren. Here is a list of some of the negative things that this group promotes. Keep in mind that not all emergent churches would agree with these things I list.

1. Experience is just as imporant if not more important then a good understanding of the Bible.

2. Eastern religious practices such as Yoga are OK to teach inside of the church.

3. Homosexual acts are not neccesarly bad. We should have a 5 year study using science and etc to determine if it really is bad.

4. Instead of the pastor being the spiritual teacher of the church we should all share our interpertations inside of the church.

5. The substitary attointment is an evil doctrine, or at best, not imporant.

6. Heaven is overrated. Doing good things is just as imporant as salvation.

7. The Bible can't really be understood. It probably has some errors.
A quick response to a few things:
"4. Instead of the pastor being the spiritual teacher of the church we should all share our interpertations inside of the church."
The Church is supposed to have a lead pastor.
Hover, having multiple people come up and teach, share, and speak is Biblical. A conversation of learning is Biblical.

"6. Heaven is overrated. Doing good things is just as imporant as salvation."
There is a little truth here.

Good things are the result and evidence of salvation.
They are not as important.

I don't really know much about this church. I do like the Nooma videos by Rob Bell. I understand he is part of that movement.
I like his videos also. Very insightful.

However, he espouses a doctrine he calls "narrative theology" which seems to be a way of defending the idea that the Bible isn't all true and isn't all valuable or profitable for learning.
 
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MatthewDiscipleofGod

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A quick response to a few things:
"4. Instead of the pastor being the spiritual teacher of the church we should all share our interpertations inside of the church."
The Church is supposed to have a lead pastor.
Hover, having multiple people come up and teach, share, and speak is Biblical. A conversation of learning is Biblical.

A problem though is that, even in an emergent church here in town, they will all take turns that same day giving their own interpretation of a passage(s). The Bible ends up saying what you want it to say. They end up not being a witness to a postmodern generation. They become postmodern themselves.
 
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eldermike

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TwistTim

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Phil Johnson (of TeamPyro.Blogspot.org) Mr. Spurgeon himself... the guy who every sunday puts up on his blog a selection from one of Spurgeon's Sermons or letters and John MacArthur.... The Preacher who's Study Bible I reference and learn from all the time... colloberated together on that interview..... I will have to read it tonight when I get home from work as I only have an hour to get ready.....


as for my view on the Emergent Church...... Emergering from What? and Emerging into What? from the looks of it... From the Center of Truth (The Christian Church that preaches the Gospel, Christ Crucified and Him Resurrected, and the rest of scriptures) Into the Chruch of Feel Goodism.... (Yoga, Whatever you want it to say, we won't judge, sex is a good reason for God to make us.... etc).....

Their Reason for Emering being unclear and undefined makes them as far from the Reformers as possible.... and equally as far away from the Early Church Fathers (using the name that has been given to the 1st and 2nd Centurary Church before Roman Catholicism made its way in during the mid 3rd-4th Centurary) save the radical,heretical ones....

The Best of them are misguided The worst are Wolves in Sheeps Clothing purposely leading astray the lambs of God, if possible, the elect to deception....

Just my .02Cents....
 
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MrJim

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A problem though is that, even in an emergent church here in town, they will all take turns that same day giving their own interpretation of a passage(s). The Bible ends up saying what you want it to say.

That is the fruit of the Reformation~Spurgeon, Wesley, Calvin, Luther, MacArthur, my baptist pastor~all teach/taught scripture and give it their own interpretation. One has to be careful about the double-standard on self-interpretation. It could almost become something along the lines that only qualified ecclesiastical evangelical hierarchy is qualified to rightly divide the word..and how ironic would that be ;)
 
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Atlantians

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A problem though is that, even in an emergent church here in town, they will all take turns that same day giving their own interpretation of a passage(s). The Bible ends up saying what you want it to say. They end up not being a witness to a postmodern generation. They become postmodern themselves.
Yes, if what you describe is accurate, then yes that is wrong.
 
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SteveR2021

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One emergent says, 'Be storytellers, connect with people's feelings, ensure leaders facilitate and do not preach.'

"Preach the word. Be instant in season out of season..." (2 Timothy 4)

I have read McLaren and others who seem to speak for the movement. If you want to learn more read especially "a Generous Orthodoxy" by Brian McLaren. If you value doctrine you will not appreciate this movement. They talk a great deal about the importance of orthopraxy over and above orthodoxy - but they fail to realize that without orthodoxy in a couple generations no one will know why they do what they do and orthopraxy will be lost as well.
 
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