Product Description
“You can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, reared in evangelicalism and not be an emergent Christian. In fact, I want to argue that it would be better if you weren’t.” The Emergent Church is a strong voice in today’s Christian community. And they’re talking about good things: caring for the poor, peace for all men, loving Jesus. They’re doing church a new way, not content to fit the mold. Again, all good. But there’s more to the movement than that. Much more. Kevin and Ted are two guys who, demographically, should be all over this movement. But they’re not. And Why We’re Not Emergent gives you the solid reasons why. From both a theological and an on-the-street perspective, Kevin and Ted diagnose the emerging church. They pull apart interviews, articles, books, and blogs, helping you see for yourself what it’s all about.
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 Observation
I find it very disconcerting that in all of the positive reviews that claim "fair, balanced, et al" that the review writers can make no distinction between "Emergent" and "emerging" after reading this book. If there is no distinction between the two--Emergent being an organized group (McLaren, Jones, Pagitt) and emerging being a movement within the Church--contained within this book, then it is far from deserving the praise it has received. Additionally, assuming demographics make you a candidate for the emerging movement shows a complete lack of understanding what the movement is about. What this does is paint all parts of the movement--which has taken on multiple formats and expressions (some solidly Scripture-based like Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC and others not)--into the same corner which demonstrates an even further lack of understanding of the movement itself.
About every 500 years there is a huge "reformation" within the Church and too many times I see people who are "scared" of how "dangerous" they believe a certain person or organized group of people may be and have not been able to distinguish that group from the reforming movement. Where I think Satan is at work (and probably laughing about the ease with which his work is accomplished) is that he can take a group a of people who believe the same essentials and who say they can have diversity in non-essentials and pit them against each other on the basis of non-essentials. Satan is then able to prevent the growth of the Church while allowing us to grow our churches and provide us the feeling that "what we are doing is the right thing" and "what they are doing is wrong". If you can read the New Testament and not see that it is in the wrestling with the tension and struggling to live in the balance between Truth and Grace/Mercy, then you are right where Satan needs you, as a Christian, to be! Rather than trying to discern where someone else is liberal on their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, try to figure out where you are liberal. I find most Reformed folks are liberal on the Grace/Mercy and conservative on Truth; whereas the Emergent (not emerging) folks are liberal on Truth and conservative on the Grace. Satan knows that if we ever get these two sides working in tandem, Truth of the Scripture and Christ-like Grace, that the Church will explode in a magnificent way.
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 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of ( oldground )
As a self described "Old Lady" (that is, a grandmother and someone who has been a Christian for a long time now), I have been flummoxed, TOTALLY flummoxed, by the latter day youngsters who seem to love Jesus yet have not embraced His Word at it's fullest, especially concerning righteous behavior. I have a lot of young Christians(under 30) in my life....they visit my home for extended visits and I've worked with them in Africa. I've seen this trend toward liberalism and it has disturbed me greatly.... And it is pure, old-fashioned Liberalism so let's just call it what it is. I try not to "preach" to these youngsters that I love like my own flesh and blood, but lately (especially during the current presidential election cycle here in the U.S.) it has been difficult to keep my mouth shut and we've gotten into some crazy discussions. This book has helped to explain a lot about what the hell has been going on around here. I came of age in the 1960's and I remember the turmoil and I saw the pain and the anguish that living a life of moral and spiritual relativity wrought in many lives. The Bible is clear about right and wrong. And it is particularly clear about what happens when anyone---saved or unsaved---ventures off that road of the straight and narrow in our personal lives. To listen to a Believer condone such matters as fornication, abortion and homosexuality is stunning.
We Christians are here to represent to the fullest Jesus' desire and ability to heal and DELIVER. We are not called to minimize sin and sinful behavior that will always lead to death and destruction. What possible good does a Christian do for his friends if he doesn't walk in the power of God to heal and deliver? What good is a Christian who will not stand up and say, "Wrong. It's just wrong."
It is not just irresponsible for a leader to teach that righteousness is trumped by something else, it is dangerous. As for me, I heed carefully Luke's words in 17:2----"It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin."
Matthew 18:6---- "but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
Mark 9:42---- "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea."
1 Corinthians 8:12---- "And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ."
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 Great introduction to the Emergent movement ( bookwormsw )
This was the first book that my brother and I read to start becoming more active readers. I thought Kevin's chapters we're well written and very helpful in trying to define and critique this elusive group of every growing individuals. Although the other half of the book written by Ted provided some comic relief and antidotal support to the them of the book (why they're not emergent), I did not think his chapters really contributed much to my understanding overall.
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Clear Thinking About A Critical Movement ( phsteiger )
The emergent movement has taken off in many circles of the evangelical world, especially among the young and enthusiastic, and that is one of the reasons why it needs to be dealt with thoughtfully and seriously. Most emergent authors dislike the activity of serious give and take, wanting instead noncommittal "discussion," but this is just another reason why they need the light of scrutiny. I have spent a lot of time in emergent blogs and books, and emergent-critical blogs and books, and can say that this is one of my favorites.
The two authors (who have refreshingly different styles) do a great job of dealing with the serious movers and players in the emergent movement, being irenic where it is called for and critical where it is called for. Each chapter tackles a different theological/ecclesiastical issue by reviewing the emergent literature through copious quotations and interaction, and then holds their views in the light of Scripture and clear thinking. Not surprisingly, very little of the emergent point of view remains standing.
But this book is no polemic. It is a well though-out and well documented critique. Both authors do a good job of honestly representing the views of emergent authors and remain solidly in the core of orthodox doctrine. (I thought there was only one weak chapter.)
One of the things that appealed to me was the breadth of their research, including such recent "hits" as "Velvet Elvis" and "How (Not) To Speak of God." I have not read the first (because I can only take so much of this at once), and I have read the second. Rollins needs to be dealt from a biblical and orthodox point of view, and they did a great job. I also dis/liked Rollins' book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone researching or trying to make up their mind on the emergent movement. They do a great job revealing the theological underpinnings of the leaders, and it should be a revealing warning for all of us. Count me as a third guy who is not emergent, even though he should be.
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Book Review
I was very pleased with the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in new religions. Very informative on the subject title.
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