The Future Of The Emerging Church

Why is it that as soon as I start becoming involved with certain movement, people say the movement's over? I guess it's just my luck.

There's been a lot of talk lately about where the Emerging Church is going. Over at Sojourners, there's a discussion about whether or not the movement is racially diverse enough. Recently John Piper said that in ten years no one will talk about the Emerging Church anymore. And in this Relevant Magazine article Dan Kimball believes that the discussion has drifted from its original intent--how to better love people--into "liberal theology." So the big question now is, "What is the Emerging Church's future?"

Even though I identify myself as "Emergent," I'm afraid I don't have much insider information about where the movement is headed. Like I've said a million times before, I'm just a regular guy trying to figure it all out. However, I do have a few suggestions that I think can help the Emerging Church survive:

1. Rely on the Word of God. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word." (Psalm 119:9) God reveals His will and His power through His word. From His lips came all of creation (Genesis 1), and John refers to Jesus as the "word made flesh" (1:9). We need to study and meditate on the Word, and let it guide us on our journey.

2. Find a balance between progression and tradition. It's good to question doctrines and explore different theologies in order to distinguish what is biblical and what is a man-made rule. However, I don't think it would be wise to automatically reject all doctrines and traditions, because there could be some truth in those doctrines. We need to remember the essentials of the Gospel: the Kingdom, the Cross, and the Resurrection. While our ways of communicating the Gospel changes, the message itself remains the same.

3. Avoid echo chambers. One criticism I've heard about the Emerging Church is there's not enough diversity. I don't know how true that statement is, but I do believe it's way too easy to surround yourself with only people who walk, talk, and act just like you. If the conversation wants to continue, it has to include all points of view. How else can we learn and grow if we don't consider the other side?

I don't know if any of this will help, but it won't hurt.