Emerging Missional Church

emerging disciple-forming

churches

What’s emerging?

choluteca river bridge

after hurricane mitch, honduras, CA 1998

In your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...1 Peter 3:15-16

2500+ BC

Prehistoric World

2500+ BC

Prehistoric World

2500 BC - 500 AD

Ancient World

1 AD500 BC 500 AD

Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Hittite, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman empires

2500 BC - 500 AD

Ancient World

1 AD500 BC 500 AD

Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Hittite, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman empires

2500 BC - 500 AD

Ancient World

1 AD500 BC 500 AD

Medieval World

500 AD - 1500 AD

1500 AD

Printing/GutenbergCaravel/TransportGuns/Infantry/ArtilleryNew EconomyCopernicus/GalileoReformation/Luther

2500 BC - 500 AD

Ancient World

1 AD500 BC 500 AD

Medieval World

500 AD - 1500 AD

1500 AD

Printing/GutenbergCaravel/TransportGuns/Infantry/ArtilleryCopernicus/GalileoReformation/Luther

1500 AD - 2000 AD

Modern World

1750 AD1500 AD 2000 AD

Postmodern World

1950 AD - ???

Medieval World

Print/Screen/InternetNew ScienceNew WeaponsNew TransportationNew EconomyNew Spirituality

1500 AD - 2000 AD

Modern World

1750 AD1500 AD 2000 AD

Postmodern World

1950 AD - ???

Medieval World

Print/Screen/InternetNew ScienceNew WeaponsNew TransportationNew EconomyNew Spirituality

Some ways to think of the church that is emerging -

As center a…

a fringe

a stage

a n d a r a n g e.

a stage

Consider that we live in at least three worlds.

Pre-modern world

Non-modern world

Modern world

Emerging worldNOW

Old

Paradigm/

Model

Early

Transition

Late

Transition

Old

Paradigm/

Model

Early

Transition

Late

Transition

Old

Paradigm/

Model

Early

Transition

Late

Transition

New Paradigm/

Model

Old

Paradigm/

Model

Early

Transition

Late

Transition

New Paradigm/

Model

The Churches We Know

The Churches that are emerging

The Churches of Tomorrow

The Churches We Know

The Churches that are emerging

The Churches of Tomorrow

The Churches We Love and Respect

As center

Liturgical

Charismatic

Social Action

Evangelical

a fringe

Is this “the emerging church?”

A new “slice of the pie?”

catholic

Anglican

baptist

pentecostal

Or are these the churches that are emerging?

A new ring on the tree…catholic

reformed

baptist

pentecostal

Or are both forms of the church that is emerging?

catholic

reformed

baptist

pentecostal

How will they relate?

a r a n g e.

DEEP

ECCLES IOLOGY

Eastern Orthodox

Roman Catholic

Anglo-Catholic

Anglican

Lutheran

Presbyterian

Methodist

Baptist

Pentecostal

House, Cell, Storefront

Micro, quantum, liquid, ghost, ephemeral, unconscious, etc .

DEEP

ECCLES IOLOGY

Eastern Orthodox

Roman Catholic

Anglo-Catholic

Anglican

Lutheran

Presbyterian

Methodist

Baptist

Pentecostal

House, Cell, Storefront

Micro, quantum, liquid, ghost, ephemeral, unconscious, etc .

NOTE:

Protestant History - Downward Expansion

Power becomes more widely distributed; control is increasingly limited.

DEEP

ECCLES IOLOGY

Eastern Orthodox

Roman Catholic

Anglo-Catholic

Anglican

Lutheran

Presbyterian

Methodist

Baptist

Pentecostal

House, Cell, Storefront

Micro, quantum, liquid, ghost, ephemeral, unconscious, etc .

QUESTION:

What happens when various levels learn from one another?

What happens when people inhabit various levels at once?

DEEP

ECCLES IOLOGY

EARLY HOUSE CHURCHES

JESUS AND DISCIPLES … ITINERANT COMMUNITY

NOTE: THE EARLY CHURCH BEGAN AT THE BOTTOM AND EXPANDED UPWARD OVER 3 CENTURIES …

DEEP

ECCLES IOLOGY

Eastern Orthodox

Roman Catholic

Anglo-Catholic

Anglican

Lutheran

Presbyterian

Methodist

Baptist

Pentecostal

House, Cell, Storefront

Micro, quantum, liquid, ghost, ephemeral, unconscious, etc .

PERHAPS GOD’S GOAL IS

DIVERSIFICATION -

NOT DIVISION

NOT UNIFORMITY

BUT

FLEXIBILITY FOR MISSION

emergence and convergence

ModernCrisis

Medieval church

Conservative way

Liberal way

from Nancey Murphy, “Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism”

ModernCrisis

Medieval church

from Nancey Murphy, “Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism”

“evangelical”

“mainline”

ModernCrisis

Medieval church

Conservative way

Liberal way

Increasing Polarization

ModernCrisis

Medieval church

Conservative way

Liberal way

Increasing Polarization

ModernCrisis

Medieval church

Conservative way

Liberal way

Postmodern Interruption

The Post-Liberal, Post-Evangelical Convergence

ModernCrisis

Conservative way

Liberal way

A Generous Orthodoxy?

A Missional Church?

ModernCrisis

Conservative way

Liberal way

What will happen?

What will you and I do?