Comments on: PresbyMERGENT or PresbyURGENT http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/ Loyal Radicals Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:57:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Drew Ludwig http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-1609 Drew Ludwig Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:16:32 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-1609 Don't sweat it, Baron. We do. Don’t sweat it, Baron. We do.

]]> By: Baron http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-1608 Baron Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:48:34 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-1608 I am afraid of this post-modernity movement that is going on. Please preach the Gospel whatever you do. And the Gospel that is talked about in the Bible. Please... I am praying for you. I am afraid of this post-modernity movement that is going on. Please preach the Gospel whatever you do. And the Gospel that is talked about in the Bible. Please… I am praying for you.

]]> By: BLM http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-1383 BLM Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:07:55 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-1383 Baptimergent. I love it. Baptimergent. I love it.

]]> By: Steve K. http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-791 Steve K. Tue, 07 Aug 2007 03:35:09 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-791 Hey Bruce, I'm not Presbymergent, but I thought I'd drop in on the conversation here briefly just to interject the names of some Emergent folks in the NC Triangle area that you might want to get in touch with: Tripp Fuller and Zach Miller. Tripp and Zach are a couple of the cohort leaders up in that area, and though they are more Baptimergent (?) they are pretty plugged into the church scene up there and would probably be glad to help your MBCC transplant friends get connected: http://greensboroabbey.squarespace.com/tripp-fuller/ http://greensboroabbey.squarespace.com/zach-roberts/ Of course Tim Conder is in that area as well. Forgive me if you've already been down this list already ;-) Shalom, Steve K. Hey Bruce,

I’m not Presbymergent, but I thought I’d drop in on the conversation here briefly just to interject the names of some Emergent folks in the NC Triangle area that you might want to get in touch with: Tripp Fuller and Zach Miller. Tripp and Zach are a couple of the cohort leaders up in that area, and though they are more Baptimergent (?) they are pretty plugged into the church scene up there and would probably be glad to help your MBCC transplant friends get connected:
http://greensboroabbey.squarespace.com/tripp-fuller/
http://greensboroabbey.squarespace.com/zach-roberts/

Of course Tim Conder is in that area as well. Forgive me if you’ve already been down this list already ;-)

Shalom,
Steve K.

]]> By: Ed Brenegar http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-789 Ed Brenegar Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:18:34 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-789 I work with a wide variety of churches. For many of them, they are just NOW beginning to ask the questions that a year, two or five, will lead them toward something like an emerging/Emergent experience. My suggestion is that they go to coffee shops and ask people where they go to church. If they come as far west as Asheville, I'd recommend First Pres. It isn't emergent, but it is pushing the boundaries of traditional worship in ways that are refreshing. Let me put it this way. Its been over twenty years since I experienced worship like we are now experiencing at First. The problem is that emergent is not an approach that is rising out of the southern cultural model of the church. It is a big hurdle to overcome. I work with a wide variety of churches. For many of them, they are just NOW beginning to ask the questions that a year, two or five, will lead them toward something like an emerging/Emergent experience. My suggestion is that they go to coffee shops and ask people where they go to church.
If they come as far west as Asheville, I’d recommend First Pres. It isn’t emergent, but it is pushing the boundaries of traditional worship in ways that are refreshing. Let me put it this way. Its been over twenty years since I experienced worship like we are now experiencing at First.
The problem is that emergent is not an approach that is rising out of the southern cultural model of the church. It is a big hurdle to overcome.

]]> By: Bruce Reyes-Chow http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-777 Bruce Reyes-Chow Fri, 03 Aug 2007 23:04:59 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-777 Banu - thanks for the thoughts and helpful nudges to us all. Daniel - Thanks, I'll point them your way. One of the churches that you mentioned was visited by one of the couples and half of the sermon was making fun of anyone who is part of a particular denomination. VERY disappointing. It was the main pastor so they did not warrant a second visit. Banu – thanks for the thoughts and helpful nudges to us all.

Daniel – Thanks, I’ll point them your way. One of the churches that you mentioned was visited by one of the couples and half of the sermon was making fun of anyone who is part of a particular denomination. VERY disappointing. It was the main pastor so they did not warrant a second visit.

]]> By: Daniel Kirk http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-776 Daniel Kirk Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:10:24 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-776 I didn't weigh in on the Triangle area church query a couple weeks ago--sorry about that. I just moved out of Durham after living there for 6 years, and prior to that for three years in and after college. I would commend <a>Blacknall Pres. </a> as a church that, while not postmodern, is deeply concerned with its neighborhood, figuring out what it means to be a "mission outpost" for the kingdom, and developing authentic community. It does have a lot of "cultural elite" types, but even that is a result of mission--when the factory workers who filled the church decided that they were going to love the students at Duke University. If you've come from a pomo church, I can see that it would take a good bit of patience to see this in Blacknall, but I'd encourage your friends to give it a really good shake. Also, Tim Condor at <a href="http://www.emmaus-way.com/" rel="nofollow">Emmaus Way</a> in some ways <a href="http://www.precipicemagazine.com/christian_current_0507.html" rel="nofollow">lives between the worlds of emerging and traditional church</a>. Emmaus Way was started with a deeply missional bent, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Church-Transition-Existing-Churches-Emergentys/dp/0310265711/sr=1-1/qid=1168877171/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-7113108-9652600?ie=UTF8&s=books" rel="nofollow"> has written a book</a> on churches rediscovering their cultural context. So... (a) I think you're right--stagnation is a deadly disease besetting American churches. Denominations have a tendency to institutionalize and legislate stagnation, so those of us in the PC(USA) and other mainline denoms have our work cut out for us. (b) There's at least one PC(USA) church in Durham where I think the kinds of questions your friends want to ask would be seriously heard--even if they had to lead a bit more than they'd want. (c) There's at least one non-denom church in Durham where these sorts of questions are being aggressively engaged. If your friends want to e-mail me, I'd be happy to talk church shop with them: jrdkirk[at]gmail[dot]com. I didn’t weigh in on the Triangle area church query a couple weeks ago–sorry about that. I just moved out of Durham after living there for 6 years, and prior to that for three years in and after college.

I would commend Blacknall Pres. as a church that, while not postmodern, is deeply concerned with its neighborhood, figuring out what it means to be a “mission outpost” for the kingdom, and developing authentic community. It does have a lot of “cultural elite” types, but even that is a result of mission–when the factory workers who filled the church decided that they were going to love the students at Duke University. If you’ve come from a pomo church, I can see that it would take a good bit of patience to see this in Blacknall, but I’d encourage your friends to give it a really good shake.

Also, Tim Condor at Emmaus Way in some ways lives between the worlds of emerging and traditional church. Emmaus Way was started with a deeply missional bent, and has written a book on churches rediscovering their cultural context.

So…

(a) I think you’re right–stagnation is a deadly disease besetting American churches. Denominations have a tendency to institutionalize and legislate stagnation, so those of us in the PC(USA) and other mainline denoms have our work cut out for us.

(b) There’s at least one PC(USA) church in Durham where I think the kinds of questions your friends want to ask would be seriously heard–even if they had to lead a bit more than they’d want.

(c) There’s at least one non-denom church in Durham where these sorts of questions are being aggressively engaged.

If your friends want to e-mail me, I’d be happy to talk church shop with them: jrdkirk[at]gmail[dot]com.

]]> By: Bruce Reyes-Chow http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-774 Bruce Reyes-Chow Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:16:07 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-774 Drew, it would be interesting to have someone go around and ask locals if they could recommend a church or know of any in the area. Though, I would think that most people who are looking for churches will start online, so what happens when you do a google search for churches in your area? Ahhh . . . the new - for some churches - ways of outreach. Drew, it would be interesting to have someone go around and ask locals if they could recommend a church or know of any in the area. Though, I would think that most people who are looking for churches will start online, so what happens when you do a google search for churches in your area? Ahhh . . . the new – for some churches – ways of outreach.

]]> By: Drew Ludwig http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/comment-page-1/#comment-773 Drew Ludwig Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:12:02 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/08/02/presbymergent-or-presbyugent/#comment-773 I think that said people would find us, but I honestly don't know. I do believe that all such people in our neighborhood will have heard of us soon enough (I've only been here a few months), but city-wide? They'd have to find us on the web. Maybe I should add some "post modern" tags to the website. A good challenge. And surprisingly optimistic--people are looking for churches like ours as opposed to the old model of concincing people to come to church the way it used to be. I think that said people would find us, but I honestly don’t know.

I do believe that all such people in our neighborhood will have heard of us soon enough (I’ve only been here a few months), but city-wide? They’d have to find us on the web. Maybe I should add some “post modern” tags to the website.

A good challenge. And surprisingly optimistic–people are looking for churches like ours as opposed to the old model of concincing people to come to church the way it used to be.

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