Emerging in Today's Culture

Hello viewers, I hope you're all doing well! Just decided to post a little something that's been on my mind today. Actually, it's been in the back of my mind for a while, ever since I first saw the "NOOMA" (Greek for spirit) video in my worldview class. I found it intriguing, stylish, and attractive-- especially in comparison with most modern church videos.

In the first little movie clip, Rob Bell (a leader of the Liberal side of the Emergent Church Movement) spoke with passion against hellfire and brimstone preachers. It showed a man holding a bullhorn, in the midst of a crowd, in an attempt to yell at them about their sinfulness.  "Please, I beg of you, on behalf of all of us, put the bullhorn down!" said Bell.

Now while I was watching this, I was careful not to be entirely swept away by the attractive qualities of the video. I didn't allow myself to be convinced by cool graphics and catchy words and phrases. 

But I agreed with Bell on many things. Namely, that we need to reach out to the postmodern culture with Christ's love-- not with the wrath of God. His message about evangelism was backed up with several scripture verses. The culture is tired of hearing words of hate from Jesus' followers. Don't they already know that we think they're sinners? Don't they already know that we believe God hates sin? Clearly, our method of hellfire and brimstone "evangelism" only brings division. No-one is attracted to a God who hates them.

But then a week later, just last Wednesday, I saw a video at youth group in which a preacher showed that God hates sinners. He backed it up with scripture, too. So I was slightly vexed: which do I believe?

I realized, first, that we need to understand exactly why God hates sin. Here's how I would illustrate it: imagine that God is like a husband, who loves His bride (humanity) with unconditional passion. He does everything He could possibly do to show her that she is loved. But she rejects Him, despite the fact that His love went beyond anything else. In fact, she not only rejects Him-- she commits adultery with her own desires. How would you feel in this place? Wouldn't you be wrathful and jealous beyond belief? And you would grieve, too, if you had been treated so.

I believe God "hates" us in this sense. He is angry just like a rejected husband is angry.

But He also loves us. So He proves this by DYING for His unfaithful bride. If this cannot prove to her that He is worthy of adoration, nothing ever will.

If we explain it to our post modern culture in THIS way, I believe we may have better chances of them connecting to the Holy Spirit's call. But if we keep on making the story about US, and what should happen to US (in other words, we should be going to Hell) , then unbelievers will never hear His side of the Story.

So Rob Bell was right about one thing: we certainly need to renovate the way we reach out to people.

But upon furtcombatsearch, I realized that there were things wrong with Bell's beliefs. I saw, for instance, that he promoted homosexual marriage. This, according to Leviticus 18:22, is incorrect. Mark Driscoll explained Bell's movement this way: they are good, attractive people, but they question things that were decided centuries ago, such as "was Jesus really God," or "is the Bible actually God's Word?" 

These questions are okay to ask, of course. No question should remain unanswered. We must always make sure our faith is accurate. But the problem is, Bell's movement never answers the questions, and thus leaves the Bible open to incorrect interpretation. In fact, it leaves room to redefine God. And who are we to define He who made US? That is true heresy, and should not be allowed to roam freely in Christ's body, the Church.

Mark Driscoll, however, showed that Bell's liberal Emergent movement was really only an offshoot of a much larger organization. Here are the other three divisions of Emerging Churches: Emergent House Church Movement, which is doctrinally sound, but rejects the Big Church mentality. This type of church generally consists of 20-30 people. The next kind of emergent church is essentially Calvinist in doctrine, with a strong outreach towards postmodern culture. The next is also traditional in doctrine, but simply seeks new ways to make Christianity and church relevant in today's culture.

Overall, the emergent church had some good ideas, but we must be certain that there are no wolves among us that would ravage God's flock.