Some interesting thoughts about the emergent church

Eddy Gibbs's view of "emerging church" and his list of emerging church characteristics...

• Their churches are worship inspired with everyone playing an active role in creating the worship experience.
• They are mission focused, committed to responding to the needs of their community and especially in serving the poor.
• They are shaped by context, i.e. seeking an indigenous expression of church that is culturally appropriate.
• They seek to contextualize discerningly, ensuring the integrity of the message and refusing to soften its radical impact.
• They disciple intentionally, which means that they are more concerned to challenge people to live as Christ-followers rather than gathering a crowd.
• Their churches are structured relationally rather than hierarchically. This means that everyone has their place to belong and ministry to which they can contribute.
• Their churches grow organically, which means that they are reproducible, much like a strawberry plant sending out runners that set down new roots and produce more strawberries.
• They network extensively, usually by means of regular contact with the internet, with chatrooms and blogs.
• They gather together periodically the smaller cell churches for times of celebration and re-tooling for mission.
• Lastly, they serve compassionately, in that they are committed to holistic spirituality, rejecting any separation of the spiritual from the secular, which occurred under modernity.

A cool email...

I received an email from one of the men in our church, saying he felt it important I read the following scripture - Ephesians 3 : 14 to 21.

Here it is quoted from MacSword, "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Thanks

Weather today...

Which one is the UK and which one is South Africa, remembering one is summer and the other is winter?

Back at my desk again

Arrived back from a sojourn in Africa. Thanks to all our friends for warm conversations, friendly hugs, lekker food, cold beer and good times. We looking forward to seeing you all in December again. To the locals it will be great to see you soon and remember you are more than welcome to visit us in Eastbourne!

Have fun and enjoy the sun!

A Church Worth Staying In

Thanks to Richard Sudworth

Here is a list of characteristics that would keep people in the church:

• churches that provide space for spiritual development rather than spoon-feeding their members
• churches that focus on God rather than the minister or the programmes
• churches that offer authentic community and friendship rather than institutional forms of belonging insipid forms of fellowship
• churches that engage creatively and senisitively with contemporary culture and social and ethical issues
• churches that equip their members for the world of work
• churches that treat adults as adults
• churches that allow room for dialogue as well as monologue
• churches that allow doubts, anger and lament as well as joyful certainty
• churches that are realistic about the rythms and pressures of modern life
• churches that have a holistic vision rather than a privatised spirituality

This is some great food for thought as I consider the path to take over the next couple of months. Prayer is appreciated!

Building websites for the small screen

A cool QUOTE!

"Computer games don't affect kids, I mean if Pac Man affected us as kids,
we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive music."
Kristian Wilson