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Alan Creech
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aaron klinefelter
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January 28, 2004
> 10:12 AM
clarification It seems a bit of confusion is afoot. I can only clarify things from my own perspective. I'll try to be brief and uncontroversial as I do not desire a wrestling match. I am hearing far too often lately the term "emerging church" being used as if it were one cohesive group of people with a common agenda - as if it was an organized entity who make decisions together and who can be referred to as "the emerging church" said this, or "the emerging church" sucks because of that. This is really only a recent phenomenon. Until recently, that term was only used as a adjective to describe something that was going on with Christians in this period in history - something new and interesting. So, it got talked about waaaay too much, written about one too many times I guess, and a "label" has been developed and it has begun to be placed on people. This is unfortunate. The biggest reason that it is unfortunate is because it is a constructed and false label. That'll do right there, I reckon, for being reason enough. It is an illusory notion that there is some unified ecclesiastical "animal" called "the emerging church" which has some kind of common voice and authority of some sort. This is simply not so. There may well be a bunch of people all over the world who are starting to notice some of the same things and do some similar things church-wise, some things. But there is not nearly this group of leaders who can be rightfully called the "leaders of the emerging church." There just isn't any such thing. There are those who are leaders in their respective faith communities I suppose, but that's not the same thing at all. I am not a part of some "movement." I have never liked whatever all this is, being called a "movement" because of the very reasons I have stated above - it is not "same" enough to be called that. I think we have, funnily enough, a handicap in all this because of the internet and how fast and wide every little thing travels. It's really a bit unnatural on a relational and social level. Therefore, it causes, along with some good things, some equally bad and undesirable things to result. Things spread too fast I think. Word gets out and people catch hold of it and run crazy with something they don't understand. 200 years ago, we would all have been doing what we were doing and no one would know anything about it for months or years except those we came into direct relational contact with for the most part. Anyway, the term "we" when referring to the so called "emerging church" will be something I'll cease to use. It isn't real, so to say "we" is pointless. Basically, I'm saying, for what it's worth, that I do not want to be lumped in as a part of some "movement" which really doesn't exist. It's too much pressure. I started doing whatever it is I'm doing here in Lexington long before that term was ever used. I'm still doing it - still learning and evolving as God moves and changes us. We've made some good friends along the way. Those are real relationships which I am very thankful for. We've connected with some people far away as well. That's very cool. I'm grateful for that too. But that's not where I live day in and day out. What Vine & Branches is and does as a faith community is exactly that - what WE are and what WE do. That's a real WE. I am no lone ranger, so I have plenty of contact with other people - other churches, etc. But I am not developing the theology of vbcc through some official meetings with "emerging church leaders." Methinks we've gotten carried away. Too many widely varied expressions of "church" are being lumped together as if they were all one unit. In one way we are ALL one unit - one Body of Christ, whatever we do or think, but not like that. So, I'm tired. I'm even a bit depressed about all this. Ask my real friends who really know me. They know I'm very emotional and carry things far too heavily inside me. I've been doing that lately, and I want to stop now and let this load off. I'm not carrying it any more. I am Alan, child of God, husband, father, teacher, spiritual director, fly fisherman, artist. I'm trying to navigate my way through this maze with my friends. Please be merciful to me. Please do not hold me to a greater account than is called for. Please let me be who I am. I really, really, pray God's Peace and Grace on you and on us all. Labels: church, emerging church 0 Comments:| permalink | e-mail me | 
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