Recently, I’ve had more than one Christian friend warn me that I may be attending an “emergent church” and that I need to be careful.
If there is one thing that makes me shake my head about “religious” people it is when they get on a “righteousness” kick. I’m not judging because as I often say “it takes one to know one.” What is interesting, is if you try to find the definition of emergent or emerging church it depends on who writes the definition, which tells me we really don’t have a “definite” definition for emergent church. My church, like many post-modern churches is focused on being the hands and feet of Jesus and bringing others to Him regardless of how others live, pray, worship, talk, walk, work, or vote.
There are many of us who got tired of playing church and living in fear of what our sins might cost us and decided to live a new life of following Jesus, accepting his grace and forgiveness of our sins, and experiencing the joy that our selfless actions bring to others. If this is emergent then BRING IT ON!!!!
This blog thought came to me today when I was reading Matthew chapter 9: 10-13; “Later Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees (righteous church people) saw this, they asked his disciples, “why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor (do you suppose he had his tongue in his cheek???)—sick people do…He went on to say “Then go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: “I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”(NLT)
In 3 days I will celebrate my 22nd year of continuous sobriety and I am so grateful that way back on August 9, 1987, Jesus wanted this sick, scumball of a sinner, because if he didn’t I would not be alive today.
Thank You Jesus!
P.E.A.C.E.
What a great blog topic today, Jay! My Webster’s Handy College Dictionary tells me that the definition of “emerge” is “come forth from something that conceals”, “become apparent”. Well, considering the shape of the world today, I would say it is ‘apparent’ that the way we humans have been taking care of things, in a spiritual and moral sense, that this world is way past due for something to emerge. Like maybe getting real with Jesus and knuckling down to the work intended for us to do as his disciples and not folding up like a K-mart lawn chair when we are fronted with the tasks of helping those who are in need. It has also become apparent that the only venue for the salvation of this world is through the church. And the church is you and me brother! Going to church on Sunday doesn’t make you any more a Christian than sitiin’ in your garage can make you a car. It will be our action, and not some building or institution (government)that this nation and subsequently the rest of the world will see peace, love, foregiveness, and harmony. Well, that’s a Utopic ideal you say. Not really man, That’s Heaven. BTW in three days I will be sober from alchohol for 1 year. I guess Ive got some catchin’ up to do.
By His Grace.
Reed
Congrats on your “about to be” 1 year. At the start of every day we all are given one day, so you are already caught up with me. That is also the cool thing about believing in Jesus…all he cares about is what we are doing with our walk today.