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Preparing for the Future: the Emergent Church Is Coming! Have You Felt As If There Is Something Going on in Tian in the United Kingdom Discipleship Ministry Team, 8207 Traditional Pl., Cordova, TN 38016 Vol. 6, No. 2 901/276-4572; [email protected]; www.cumberland.org/bce Fall 2008 Preparing for the Future: The Emergent Church is Coming! Have you felt as if there is something going on in tian in the United Kingdom. However, the way people the church, that the ground is shifting? It is not your are forming Christian community has changed from imagination according to Phyllis Tickle, renowned a formal church setting to worshiping in small groups. author and speaker. We are in the midst of a refor- Tickle spoke of the Fresh Expressions movement in mation. Tickle believes that roughly every 500 years the UK. This movement is sponsored by the Church there is a major shift in Judaism/Christianity. For ex- of England and the Methodist Church. Their website ample, the Protestant Reformation was 500 years asserts that, “It aims to help Christians of any de- ago; approximately 500 nomination years before that was think about ways of the Great Schism be- starting and growing tween the Western and fresh expressions of Eastern churches. church in their area. A Mark Dyer, an Anglican fresh expression is a bishop known for his wit form of church for our as well as his wisdom, changing culture, es- explains it this way, “Ev- tablished primarily for ery 500 years the the benefit of people church feels compelled who are not yet mem- to have a giant rum- bers of any church.” mage sale.” The current reforma- What things are oc- tion is being called the © istockphoto.com curring right now? You Emergent Church. In have probably heard that in Western Europe hardly the next 25 years, more than 60% of Americans will anyone attends church. Does this mean that Chris- be in an emerging church. Currently, most denomi- tianity is dying there? Absolutely not, states Tickle. nations fall into one of four categories: liturgical, char- Simply put, a new thing is happening in the faith life ismatic, evangelistic, and social justice. (While de- there. Many people are attending house churches. nominations fall into a certain category, they often The United States normally lags 20 years behind what have some characteristics of the other categories.) is happening in Christianity elsewhere. Changes hap- In an emerging church, all of these areas merge to- pen first in the United Kingdom and South Africa. gether. In other words, charismatic churches will be- Contrary to popular belief, people are still Chris- come more liturgical, evangelistic, and focused on social justice. We as Cumberland Presbyterians are Protestant church that they seem like new ideas. a liturgical church. If Tickle’s theory holds true, we will Emerging churches, for instance, are returning to become more evangelical, charismatic, and focused the practice of honoring the sabbath, which is much on social justice. more than worshiping and resting on Sunday. It is a During the Protestant Reformation, people were time to experience joy in our relationship with God so insistent on change that they even broke all the and to us focus on what is truly of consequence in stained-glass windows in the St. Giles Church in our lives. Honoring the sabbath helps us to invoke Edinburgh. They “threw the baby out with the the mystery of God within our beings. bathwater.” This Emerging Reformation is embrac- Continue to tell the stories of our faith. There ing the different streams of Christianity. We have the are about two generations of people who have not advantage of knowing that we are going through a heard the Bible stories with which many of us grew great change, though it is still unsettling and difficult. up. Do not assume that because people are involved George Barna, founder of The Barna Group, a in church that they know these stories. They may have market research firm specializing in studying the re- come seeking a connection with God, but be bibli- ligious beliefs and behavior of Americans, and the cally illiterate. intersection of faith and culture supports this premise. In his newsletter dated January 7, 2008, he asserted, Be prepared to help people on their spiritual “Growing numbers of Christians in America are em- journey. People are hungering to know more about bracing a charismatic or Pentecostal point of view. the mystery of God. They are searching for spiritual Our latest study shows that more than 80 million meaning in their lives. They desire to hear the story of adults can be classified as charismatics.” God without doctrine. People are not being drawn to Nanette Sawyer, churches because of © Eliza Snow pastor of Wicker Park programs, according Grace Church in Chi- to Tickle. Plain and cago, has opined that, simple—they desire “Very staid congrega- the good news of Jesus tions will be losing Christ and the indwell- people to house ing of the Holy Spirit. churches or emerging The good news is churches.” George that the church will Barna forecasts that by never cease to exist. 2010 20 million Ameri- During such times, the cans will have their church will regroup whole spiritual experi- and spread Christian- ence on the internet. ity to people who have Tickle states that never before heard 9%-13% of churches the gospel. will actively resist the changes of this Emerging Ref- God is doing a new thing in the church. It will hap- ormation. Many books and web pages are already pen whether or not we are prepared for it. We cannot questioning the emerging church movement. How- turn back the tide. Let us be open to where the Holy ever, such groups will keep us from moving too Spirit is leading the Cumberland Presbyterian quickly, according to Tickle. Church. The worst thing we can do is to deny the exist- If you want to read more about the emergent ence of this movement. It exists whether we believe church, look for Phyllis Tickle’s new book, The Great it or not. People are leaving mainstream churches in Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why, droves. How can churches remain relevant during which will be available in October. times of such change? Be open to the older traditions of the church. Contemplative prayer, fasting, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Written by Sherry Ladd, Christian education consultant and pastor as well as other practices have been so long lost to the of Swan and Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Churches. RiskingRisking OurselvesOurselves TotallyTotally Discovering New Ways to Do Sunday School Make your plans now to attend the Christian Education Conference on November 4-7, 2008, at St. Columba Conference Center, Memphis, TN. This bi-annual conference will offer workshops, seminars, key- note presentations by MTS professor Virginia Lee. There will also be the opportunity to fellowship and network with Cumberland Presbyterians who share some of the same issues and concerns as you. Everyone is welcome to attend, but pastors, elders, members of Christian education agencies in presbyteries and congregations, Sunday school teachers and leaders, etc. are particularly encouraged to participate. Visit www.cumberland.org/bce to access registration information, or call the Discipleship Ministry Team (901-276-4572, ext. 202) or Cumberland Presbyterian Church in American (256-536-7481). The deadline for accepting registrations is October 17, 2008. Evangelism Miniversity: Coming to a Church Near YOU in 2009! The 2007 General Assembly adopted Evange- • Discover the role of the teacher in living and shar- lism as a 5-year priority for the church. The Disciple- ing the good news; ship and Missions Ministry Teams are working jointly • Identify a variety of ways in which teachers/lead- to help congregations claim the call to be “witnesses ers can fulfill their call to do evangelism in Chris- in Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth.” tian education settings; and, For just $25 each you can send teachers, pas- • Affirm God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us tors, elders, outreach ministry team members, and for the calling to be evangelists. others. Leaders can select the specific track that re- Alabama: Birmingham—Mar. 7; Scottsboro—Feb. 28 lates to their particular role. The miniversity will be- gin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by 1:00 p.m. Arkansas: Russellville—Feb. 21; Hot Springs— Mar. 7 Track I Florida: Valrico—Feb. 28 For elders, pastors, and planners of outreach ministry to: Indiana: Chandler—Mar. 7 • Explore the meaning of evangelism; Kentucky: Bowling Green—Feb. 21; Paducah— • Discover the role of the church in a ministry of Mar. 14 living and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ as Lord; Mississippi: Columbus—Feb. 21 • Identify and practice ways in which the church can Missouri: Springfield—Feb. 28 fulfill its call to do evangelism in its cultural context; and, New Mexico: Albuquerque—Mar. 7 • Affirm God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us Oklahoma: Oklahoma City—Feb. 28 for the calling to be evangelists. Tennessee: Brentwood—Feb. 28; Chattanooga— Track II Feb. 21; McKenzie—Feb. 21; Memphis—Mar. 14; For teachers, directors of Christian education, Powell—Mar. 14; Winchester—Mar. 14 youth ministers, and other Christian education lead- ers to: Texas: Marshall—Mar. 7; Odessa—Feb. 21; Austin— • Explore the meaning of evangelism; Mar. 14; Burleson—Mar. 7 Here’s What’s Working for . The Union City CPC, Union City, TN, has a spe- hosts/hostesses for meals, and two persons stay cial prayer time on Tuesday nights. A few people gather overnight with the families while they are living at the in the chapel to pray for one another and for others. church. They treat prayer requests with the greatest degree of The MIHN agency, which screens the persons sent confidentiality.
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