Emerging Church: One Title, Many Flavours?

Who is "Emerging Church" for?

I wonder how many "fresh expressions" of church are struggling to know what they should become because the needs of these different groups are so diverse and in tension with each other?

I know of one instance where there was some difficulty in defining core aims and objectives because there was a mixture of people for whom this was their only church, and others who came while belonging to another (usually more traditional) church elsewhere.

Does anyone have other experiences of this kind of tension?

1. never-been-to-church ...


2. used-to-go-to-church ...


3. bored-of-church ...


4. hurt-by-church ...


5. disillusioned-with-church ...


6. my-life-got-messy-and-they-didn't-want-to-know-me-any-more-at-church ...


7. spiritual-but-don't-want-to-join-a-church ...

Comments

[Tom Allen]

I'm one a first generation of Anglican priests that has come out the alternative worship upsurge, and am now working in a mainstream parish with a clear brief to develop an emerging church in a rapidly expanding village.

The expectations were high when I arrived here - 'we would have an alternative worship congregation within a few months' would sum it up.

In fact its taken three years to move to position where such a development is accepted because of the hugely different expectations of who such a congregation was for. One big need here that you have missed is " my daughter/son who used to come to church but doesn't now".

A small group of mixed ages (18 -35) are now steering the development of a new congregation - but even in this small group we have had to work hard at needs and expectations.

The most common reason why emerging churches and congregations have fizzled after a year or so is because these differences were not acknowledged.

The particular tension here is that people drawn to the alternative congregation have considerably more skills and time to make available than the traditional leaders of the mainstream church - they make things happen far more quickly and effectively which is a big threat. As Vicar I am expected both encourage and manage such new developments!

Tom

[Richard L]

Hi Tom ... tried to post to your blog in reply but couldn't find a way to do that without creating a blogger account so I hope you'll surf past this page again to pick this up.

Thanks for your comments and shared experiences. I resonate a lot with your comment about the 20something couple. I meet young families like this all the time, and would love our church family to embrace them but am only too aware of the adjustments that we're asking families to make by the traditional "come and join us" understanding of mission - do we need other "congregations" for them within the church family that are valued as "real church" and not a step up to the Sunday service? It's an ongoing question in my mind.

[Tom Allen]

Thanks for the reply
Blogwise hopefully I have adjusted the Blogger settings to allow 'all comments' - have just moved to Blogger from the Yorksblog system the options/lingo is a little confusing.

I have found in three parishes different now that the attitude and ethos of the leadership of a particular congregation is so vital - we have transformed a very cliquey Toddler Praise, by changing to an authorised leadership team with a shared understanding.

Without clarity then everybody works on undeclared presumptions which are likely to be conservative and focused on the needs of those people already "in" which is a route to 'genteel decline'.

[Howard Jameson]

Interesting discussion. I think we have to loosen up and allow focussed worshipping communities, that is groups worshipping together based on their commonality (albeit location, age, etc). We think nothing of an 8am and main service being actually two distinct communities. Why should we bother about adding others?

I would want to see some common meeting together of all the various churches within a church structure, but if they are worshipping well individually I would be happy for that to be predominantly a social gathering.

[Richard Sudworth]

Great thoughts and a very honest appraisal of what lies behind the drift of emerging church. The challenge is that reasons 2-7 have been the focus of church resource and mission for ever (even if the style and approach has and needs to change). Reason 8 is a good post-modern opportunity; reason 1...people who have never been to church. Now how many of us are truly engaging with these!!