Book Resources on Emergent
I continue to get good questions about Emergent and Emerging Churches. Some of the questions that people ask have to do with the definition of the two terms (are they the same, different, or both?). There are questions about the theology or doctrine of Emergent. Most of the questions I get center around the Church, especially focusing on whether this movement is of God.
I believe that it's good for us to do our homework and to investigate any subject or topic that peeks our interest. We should be critical with all subjects that have to do with our faith (Critical meaning that we should do the hard work of investigating the facts). Here are some books that should be of help as you look more into the subject of Emergent and those emerging churches, who are a part of the postmodern generation.
I believe that it's good for us to do our homework and to investigate any subject or topic that peeks our interest. We should be critical with all subjects that have to do with our faith (Critical meaning that we should do the hard work of investigating the facts). Here are some books that should be of help as you look more into the subject of Emergent and those emerging churches, who are a part of the postmodern generation.
- A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren. No one can really grasp the Emergent flow without McLaren and to understand McLaren is to read this book. He is considered the Elder Statesman of the Continuing Conversation of Emergent (if you like what he says), or the Founder of a new Heretical Movement that is leading millions of young people astray. (for those who disagree with him). Either way, this is a good place to begin (his latest book, "Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope" is in stores).
- The Emerging Church and They Like Jesus But Not the Church both by Dan Kimball. These books cover Dan Kimball's church in California and give you a great picture of what emerging churches look like. His thoughts and observations of how a young generation outside the Church perceives us is both challenging and convicting.
- Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger. I debated on this one but I kept it in because it gives an overview of Emergent leaders and their viewpoints. It's a good book for further resource on the subject.
- An Emergent Theology for Emerging Churches by Ray Anderson. A very significant work because it's the first book specifically written to answer the question, "What is the theology of Emergent?" Eddie Gibbs and Ray Anderson are both professors at Fuller School of Theology.
- Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church by D. A. Carson. The first to reasonably critique the Emergent Movement. A must read to understand what the questions are concerning the Church and the future.
- Truth and the New Kind of Christian by R. Scott Smith. It is my favorite book on the subject of Emergent. It is clear, well thought through, and kind in dealing with a highly volatile subject.
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on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 4:58 PM.
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Dear Bob,
greetings, my man. My Nmae is Steve mitchell here and I'm concerned about the influx of alot of emergent teaching and practice especially as being itnroduced to young people in the fGBC through various ministries and through various teachers. Your latest blog entry where you are recommending folks to read McLaren is eveidnece of what i'm talking about. that book is staright up danger zone, man. I just want to know, are you emergent in your thinking and beliefs? If I had tog uess from your blog and the links you point folks to, i would ahve to say that the answer is pretty clear. Am I wrong? let's chat, bro and thanks for reading this. Steve
Dude, sorry for the spelling mistakes, mang. hawaii public school education, brah. steve
Steve,
Hey, bro. Give me a write at my email address calibobble@yahoo.com. I love to continue the discussion. Later.
The emergent church and the Grace Brethren are forming an alliance that can only mean disaster down the road. I guess I am amazed that many of you pastors cannot see this. Already people are leaving h fellowship just as I have chose to do. Why beat a dead horse ? Scripture says there will be a "new church" just before the rapture. Yes, I still believe in it.
I choose to be anonymous , not because I am ashamed in any way of coming against the apostate church. I will give my name soon and some will be shocked.
I agree with this fellow Steve and would like to get in on the discussion. Aside from the ,dude and brah and the misspellings,this guy has what seems like an awareness of the concern others of us have,,,Spell check my good friend.
Ohio GBC
No problem, anonymous. Here's my email address... calibobble@yahoo.com. You can email me anytime and we can hook up w/ Steve as well.
Another book that is very helpful is Truth War by John MacArthur.
I know Steve, but do not know the others, but if I may comment...
1. I question the statement "the Grace Brethren is forming an alliance with the emerging movement (or Emergent)." I am inclined to say more accurately that a large number of "ministries" that are a "part of" the fellowship are joining the movement.
2. There are many problematic and unorthodox teachings coming out of so called "emerging" churches in the area of authority of scripture, truth, etc., which must be addressed, but unfortunately, the brush has been painted so broad, that anyone who is progressive in form wants to be called emerging, and some who are truly goofy and out there (i.e. Rob Bell) deny any such label. Only the McLaren's and the McKnights make it easy, because they goofy and out there, and they accept it! The unclear labels make this a much more complicated topic than some may realize...
4. Areas where the church needs to change (holy living, relationships, staying on mission) have been addressed by more orthodox people like A.W. Tozer long before these recent movements have come about... let us not pretend that anything bold, new or innovative is really happening.
Thanks folks for letting me comment! These blogs are fun...
Anonymous,
I agree. MacArthur's book is a good resource. His book's focus covres a wider scope than just Emergent but his last three chapters targets the main issues covering the Emergent movement.
Shane,
Thanks for the offer. I checked out your web site and you've seen a lot of bands...but you missed the best years in music...the 70's.
Zach,
Thanks for your thoughts. Good insights about the discussion. I love to talk more about this with you.
Hey Bob, good post. Thanks for the resources. I think something that's really important in this whole emerging brewha is that it's ok, and in fact, very necessary to read things that we may not end up agreeing with. You can't really criticize something without doing your homework first.
Keep up the good posts.
In case it get's me some traffic :-) this is my website: http://mikeandemily.net/
It didn't link right in my first comment.
Sorry you are getting blasted for "putting your thinking cap on". It doesn't seem fair to ridicule you without fully understanding your intent on putting the books up on the site. How sad to write such things without taking the time to understand. In my opinion, it's attitudes such as these that make the Fellowship worth leaving. Are people this judgmental of all the believers in their churches? I admire your ability to not hit back, but to respond in love. Makes you the bigger man. -Matt
Anonymous,
After reading your comment I went back and read everyone else's comments and I don't think anyone is being judgmental. It is very important that we are able share our understanding of what Scripture teaches even when we differ. Obviously, the whole emerging church issue has surfaced some differences, but I believe this is healthy. Digging into the Scripture with another believer to seek God's answers to questions and issues is one of the most loving and edifying thing that believers can do together.
Our post modern culture teaches that every view is right, so they look down on people that take strong positions or disagree with others. This is one of the main reason that there is so much concern about the emerging church.
Feel free to disagree; it is helpful and healthy and if we know Christ, we're still brothers.
Bob, How does one log in your new Grace Brethren Truth blog ? When will it begin...There are some of us waiting.
Bob, you are with CE. Is it true CE sends kids to Rob bell's church for learning ? Is he not the one who says one does not really have to believe in the virgin birth of Christ to be saved and is he not a creationist...Just curious, if these things are true why we would send our kids to his church...Is he emergent..I think so even if he would not fess up...Strange things are happening in the FGBC CE department.....
Anonymous,
Well...I think the blog you are refering to is connected with the Northwest Chapel Grace Brethren Church in Dublin, Ohio. Terry Hoefecker is the pastor. As far as the CE question...you can contact them at their office. They could answer your question since I don't work for them.
Bob
Your answer to anonymous 3/5/8, seems both direct but also very clinton-like. You may not be an employee of CE National, but you are on a youth commission and you do work with Momentam (sp), a CE National off-shot of BNYC. You 'represent' therefore CE national by implication. I have enjoyed this line of comments on this subject. I think what brothers me, and I will say I have read all of your listed volumes and a few more, is what appears to be a tasit level of approval for some material that is questionable at best. You seem to approve all at the same level. If you would give some opinions as to what is good. better , best. I for one would consider it a great help. I am a FGBC pastor in a NON-FGBC church at present, I am also a fossil (48yo) when it comes to all that is modern.
PS--Cool Soul patch
r.oko
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate your openness and I will try to be more 'open' on my end. I'm actually thinking about writing another post on my thoughts about Emergent, since there seems to be a question on where I stand on the subject. You're right, I do a lot with CE but I'm not employed by them, so I want to be careful that I do not 'represent' CE in any offical capacity. There are some Emergent thinking I do agree with (I agree with their conviction that the Church should be more active in taking Jesus to their community), but I disagree with Emergent's belief of postmodern thinking (Relativism & subjective truth) to define Jesus & the Church. Having said this, my goal is to bring information to those that are seeking to do some investigating on their own and to examine Emergent through their writers. My favorite book on the subject is by R. Scott Smith (there's a plug for you, Smith). He's the one I more closely aliegn myself. Again, I'll probably write a post on my position in the near future. I hope that answers some questions that are out there. I'm also willing to carry on the conversation through emails. I've posted that at the top of the blog. Right next to my soul patch. Thanks for the Clinton comparison (always nice to be linked to a president) and your comments. I really do appreciate them.
Bob,
The web address of your blog, www.cenational.org/cenational/bobsblog connects you to CE and FGBC, therefore your comments represent them. It does not matter whether they employ you or not. If you wish not to represent their position, you should post on a different web address.
Secondly, you state that you "disagree with Emergent's belief of postmodern thinking (Relativism & subjective truth) to define Jesus & the Church" but you agree with other aspects of this movement. Isn't this the typical approach of any false teaching (mixing truth with error)?
There are many differing positions/beliefs that we need not divide over but the inspiration, authority and clarity of Scripture is not one of them. Since the Emerging Church, gurus undermine the clarity of Scripture, should we reject it and its leaders as false teachers?
Hal,
Thanks for your comments. Sorry that it has taken me a while to respond but I have been focusing on a seminar that I just presented.
As for your comments...
There are many writers (bloggers) that write freelance and just because they happen to be published on a magazine (or an organization)doesn't necessarily mean they represent them. I'm in agreement with CE's position on Emergent. Again, my purpose is to provide resources for those that want to investigate the subject on their own. I'm not Emergent, which leads me to the next comment...
Mixing truth with error...I think what I wrote in a previous response about being in agreement w/ Emergent was that they were active in engaging the world for Jesus, "that the Church should be more active in taking Jesus to their community." Do you agree with that statement? The Church should take Jesus into their community?
You have good thoughts about those that reject the authority of Scripture or those that muddy the clairty of the Word. I agree with what you shared. The problem is that the EC is so broad and wide that casting everyone as heretical seems very dangerous (I think of Jesus talking w/ Nicodemus in helping him to find truth). There are some who are trying to figure out how to reach this generation without compromising their faith. There are those that are teaching something other than what Scripture teaches (although they would disagree w/ what I just said),and we need to go back to the Word to search for what is truth. I've had good conversations w/ those that would lean towards Emergent but are challenged by those of us who dialogue w/ them, through the Bible, in order to find truth (I think of R. Scott Smith w/ Tony Jones). I want to keep that door open.
It was supreme court justice Clarence Thomas who said, "There are people today who seem unable to transcend their own interests to the point necessary to have a civil discourse." Ah Clarence, what wise words. And how applicable to the current debate raging in FGBC circles concerning the Emergent church. I have heard too many good people ripped apart for denying the clarity of Scripture just because they dared challenge the interpretation of a 'sacred cow' passage. I have heard people labeled Emergent simply because they are reading the material. I have even heard the statement (in a FGBC church) that Purpose-Driven, Emergent, Emerging and seeker sensitive are one and the same. It is time to move past the polemical ad hominum arguments pertaining to this subject. It is time to do our homework with regard to the various positions of each personality before assuming we can make broad statements regarding their beliefs. And it is time that we deeply investigate our 'sacred cow' interpretations of the text, holding them up to the scrutiny of the best that contemporary evangelical scholarship has to offer in terms of lingustics, grammar, archaeology and historical context before loudly trumpeting our presuppositional beliefs. Only then will we be able to speak intelligently and with the decorum necessary to call this a Christlike discussion. I pray this can happen in the FGBC.
Great 2 part interview on the Emerging church movement, which includes Brian Mclaren. Listen and judge for yourself; an attack on a "sacred cow" or blatant error?
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH1yOmij7Q4
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG3VNrfJsLI&feature=related
I recently heard a pastor talking about Emergent on his radio program. He shared about his concerns for the movement among young people. His other concern is that many churches do not understand what Emergent stands for or believe that it is a "passing" theology. That many do not take the movement seriously as a challenge to what the Bible teaches. I see that when I write about the topic or when I speak on it. Not many understand the full impact of Emergent with young people. Not many do the hard work to research what Emergent is about, so they are misinformed when they try to discuss the subject with those that either believe that Emergent is just a "new" way the Church expresses itself for today. I think it is a subject all churches should be engaging in because of the ramifications it has for the future of the Church. I hope we can continue to do this.
What happened to the links for April and May of 2007? Gee, they were both functioning links a couple of days ago, but ironically, after I had a great deal to say on both of them today with regard to postmodernism and the emergent church, they are all of a sudden non-functional links today. Kept getting the message: "website could not be found". Techno glitch? Perhaps. But uncanny timing for not one, but two links, both on which I happened to comment. Hardly being "conversant" if it is not a techno glitch sir.
Definitely a techno-glitch happening on your blog Bob, as I notice various pages are down more often than they are up. You might want to check this out. I'm sorry for implying, in my previous post, that they were perhaps intentionally kept offline.
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