What they stand for is universalism while trying to say that they love Jesus just like the rest of us. What they stand against is the exclusive claims of Jesus that he is THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life, and NO ONE comes to the Father except by him, and that there is no other way to be saved.
Taking back Christianity? Apparently God must need their help, outside of the faithful preaching and teaching of his Word, to redeem and restore his church.
This amuses me. Right now in my Sunday school class, I am go through everything that is wrong with the emergent church movement, in grinding detail.
We had a field trip once at Seminary where we visited a New Age Spiritualist Priestess. She had a spirit communicating to her as well that she called simply “spirit”. I believe her spirit and these guy’s spirit are intimately acquainted with one another.
In trying out new churches, I’ve accidentally found myself in a couple that probably qualify as “emergent.” They felt more like positive-thinking seminars than churches. I’m always VERY leery of pastors who virtually never utter the name of Jesus, and equally leery of congregations where few Bibles are seen.
I personally believe this new movement is a key element in the great apostasy.
MM
Whatever spirit is moving these boys is NOT from almighty God.
You forgot the barf alert.
“Our philosophy is, it’s time for us to take back Christianity,” Jones explains. “It’s not the property of ordained people. It’s not the property of seminary master. It’s not the property of elite people with diplomas. It’s the property and purview of all of us.”
He’s mistaken to say Christianity belongs to us. Christianity belongs to Christ. He is the head and his saved dwell in his body.
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“Perhaps no American archetype better embodies the glories and struggles of our search for collective meaning and divine purpose than the tortured soul of the self-proclaimed and duly anointed gospel preacher or revivalist – that rare mix of eloquence, showmanship, falsetto emotion, alligator tears and stark piety – selling us God, salvation or a revelation from the best or worst of intentions.”
Collective meaning? Also, I don’t think this guy knows any truly appointed preachers.
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“I think a lot of people have been searching and searching,” Jones says. “What people want in a religious community is to ask questions.” He adds that some of those people don’t buy the answers they hear. “It’s all scripted.”
The Word is God and God is the Word. Can’t be a true Christian if you don’t believe that. If you reject the “scripted,” you are rejecting God.
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Emergent Village, the online and off-line community of the emergent church, puts it this way: “We believe in God, beauty, future, and hope – but you won’t find a traditional statement of faith here. We don’t have a problem with faith, but with statements.”
Again, these people have a problem with statements—like those “scripted” in the Bible.
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Jones says the idea is to be more open and welcoming about “who gets to serve communion, who gets to preach” and even about how to interpret the Bible. To that end, emergent churches welcome everyone to share ministry ideas, ideas for how to work in the community, even how to worship.”
The Word is very clear about such things. If you disagree, then you want to be your own god.
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For example, Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis, founded by Pagitt, who is pastor, describes itself as “a church of people, not an event created by the leaders.”
“There are people who think I’m a heretic, the anti-Christ, a cult leader,” says Jones, “because I’m questioning the way it’s always been.”
Yep, it’s always been that way based on the Scriptures, which he is rebelling against. His brand of religion should be called Consensus Christianity.
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Pagitt, with a shrug of his 6-foot-6 frame, says the road show is meant to “shine a light,” to prompt people to consider this question about Christianity: “Is it possible that your version is fitting for you but not for everyone else?”
That’s not Christianity, that’s moral relativism.
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“Jones likens the difference in the traditional and emergent churches to the difference between an encyclopedia and Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
“The Encyclopedia Britannica has what is thought to be the authoritative version of, say the Vietnam War,” Jones says. “On Wikipedia, the authoritative version of that war is a constantly evolving entry that gets longer every day” as people add their own experiences and analysis of the war. The facts don’t change, but because they are added to, the Wikipedia version “is truer because more people have a hand in editing it.”
Again, Consensus Christianity. Reject the Word and shape it to your own limited human experience and whims.
Emergent Christianity doesn’t sound Christian at all. It sounds more like a rebellion against God’s Word and personal “will to power.”