the emerging church

I have been talking about the emerging church a lot since I researched it for some graduate study. Here are the basics:

The Emerging Church—aka “The Emergent Church”
--A Christian movement that focuses on increasing faith by emulating Jesus without adhering to or requiring typical religious traditions or rules. The idea—most popular among young people and un-churched people [those who have never or rarely attend traditional church services]—embraces and emphasizes experience, believing that the deep connection between human experience and spiritual rightness is the key to discovering how Christ lived his live in union—or communion—with God. Participants of this movement call it a “conversation” to highlight its developmental and volatile status, as well as to emphasize interfaith dialogue rather than former “one-way evangelism.” It is arguably the pinnacle of relational ministry and places high value on good works, social activism, missional living, and community and fellowship as acts of worship.

The point: to create a kingdom of heaven on Earth, believing that Jesus came to give life in the now, not just life in eternity.

Here are some EC books that embody this new theology (a few personal faves):
The Shack, Velvet Elvis, Sex.God.

The Bigs:
Voddie Bauchamof Grace Family Baptist, Rob Bell at Mars Hill Bible Church, DA Carson, Mark Driscolland the Resurgance also at Mars Hill, Tim Kellerat Redeemer in NYC, Todd Mangum, Erwin McManus of Mosaic, Brian McLarenat founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church, Stuart Murray Williams, John Piperof Desiring God Ministries and Bethlehem Baptist Church, Andy Stanley of Northpoint Ministries, Rick Warren at Saddleback, David Wells, and NT Wright, Ed Young at Fellowship,

A few more sites, in case you're interested:

SimpleWay
Emerging Church Info
Every This is Spiritual
The Gods Arent Angry
Open Source Theology
Religion Link
Rethink Theology
The Ooze

And some articles if you have time:

Jones, Tony. “The State of Emergent 2006.” Next Wave E-Zine (Jan 2006).
--Underlining the changes and discoveries within the movement.

Little, Blake. “The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.” TIME Magazine (7 Feb 2005).
--Describing the range and scope of this leader’s influence on a national level.

Hall, Chad. “What Leaders Can Learn From Rob Bell: His sold-out tour shows us a better way to engage listeners on today’s topics.” Leadership Journal (26 Nov 2007).
--Naming Rob Bell the Rock Star of this movement.

Cuccia, Vic. “An Interview with Rob Bell.” The Ooze (3 Jul 2007).
--Describing Rob Bell’s megachurch, Nooma video series, and theology.

Van Biema, David. “The Hipper-Than-Thou Pastor.” TIME Magazine (6 Dec 2007).
--Closer look at Rob Bell.

Kuo, David. “Finding the Big Jesus: An Interview with Rob Bell.” BeliefNet.
--Closer look at Rob Bell’s basic beliefs on Jesus.

Hansen, Collin. “Pastor Provocateur.” Christianity Today (21 Sept 2007).
--Describing Mark Driscoll’s ideology.

Riley, Jennifer. “Brian McLaren: Postmodern Christianity Understood as Story.” Christian Post (18 Feb 2008).
--Describing Brian McLaren’s slant on the movement.

McKnight, Scott. “Five Streams of the Emerging Church: Key elements of the most controversial and misunderstood movement in the church today.” Christianity Today (19 Jan 2007).
--Describing issues in the Church and in the emerging church movement.

The Panel. “Seven Big Questions: Seven Leaders on Where the Church is Headed.” Relevant Magazine. (Jan/Feb 2007).
--The Bigs take on the tough issues using the emerging church movement as a platform.

Kenney, David. “Dynamic Ideas: How Rob Bell’s ‘The Gods Aren’t Angry’ tour is Rethinking How We Talk about Faith.” Relevant Magazine.
--Discussing Rob Bell’s 27-stop, sold-out tour and its big concepts.

books, weddings, and celebrations!

books: I am currently reading A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers and Love and Respect by Eggerichs. I picked up two other quick reads on sale today: a Mary Higgins Clark thriller and Stephen King's Lisey's Story. But I'm not so good with the scary ones. Suspence, thriller, murder mystery, deceit--all the good ones I can handle just fine.... But I don't think I'm ready to read the Stephen King yet b/c I'm usually too scared to watch his movies... so I'm thinking... not ready to read his books.... Anyway, if y'all have read any of these, or have any other great reading suggestions, send them my b/c I love to read. seriously.

weddings: Scotty and Lindsay got married Oct 4th and it was gorgeous! so fun! and on the lake!! [my fave]
This weekend Andrew McCleskey and Allison Wise are tying the knot in Asheville, NC! can't wait! Our neighbors will be newly weds and both of them will be living down stairs! yay! They're having a beautiful outdoor wedding so pray for pretty weather. I have a feeling God has it taken care of.
Next weekend a childhood friend of mine--completely precious angel--Mary Catherine is getting married! we are so excited for her and are privaleged to be a part of things. We're having her bridesmaids luncheon at our house the day before her wedding! so so great! and we are so so excited for them! I got to meet Syman a few times and he's lucky to have our Mimi.

celebrations: I GET TO SEE HANNAH TMRW! how great is that?!?! Yes! Really and truly! for the first time since our wedding and the first time in person with her visible bump! I cannot wait!! two hours of uninterrupted lucy-hannah time. bring it on! There is much to celebrate: she's pregnant and having a baby shower this weekend and a baby [Nile] in December, Aswan is signed and will be releasing an album soon [feb 2009-ish...???!!! i think?], I'm so close to being done with school I can feel it!, we are so so so remarkably blessed it's ridiculous. Oh, and did I mention that my husband is AWESOME!

Looking forward to up-coming travels too: Asheville, NC this weekend with a quick stay with the Duggar clan in Greenville, SC friday night before the wedding on saturday; back to Huntsville the next weekend for Mary Catherine's wedding; Grant's off to Philadelphia for business [no, I don't get to go.... :( ]; then finally Nida and I get to visit ASHLEY! can't wait!!; then possibly visiting Hannah and Azzy before the birth of precious little Nile; then off to Tuscaloosa to graduate! praise the Lord! CANNOT WAIT!

these are very exciting times and we feel so very blessed to have the best friends and family to share it all with. love yall!!! xoxoxo

fireproof

Grant and I spent the evening with our bible study group going to dinner together and watching a movie. It was a really nice change of pace from the typical bible study routine and we got to connect on other levels, too. The movie was incredible.

We saw Fireproof. It was so good and so real and not as cheesy as I thought it could have been. It gave a very realistic dialogue to what could tear apart a marriage, and what could put it back together. you can see the movie trailer here or visit the website to learn more here. I wont go on and on for fear of ruining or over-rating it, but there's nothing like experiencing a movie like that to really appreciate what we have, be thankful for the gift God gave me in Grant, and be more prayerful and watchful than ever to guard what is so sacred to us.

why did the chicken cross the road?

I received this hilarious email from my dear mother and had to share it with you all [hannah, nida, sometimes-ashley and other vegitarians, flexitarians, and vegans, please do not take offense to this post]:


Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a
change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he
recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the
chickens on the other side of the road... ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz

SARAH PALIN: BECAUSE, PRAISE JESUS, I WAS GONNA SHOOT HIS SORRY LIBERAL A** OFF FOR BLOCKING MY VIEW OF RUSSIA!

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little
chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified
to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the
chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about
me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road.
We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not.
The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground
here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the
satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your
definition of crossing?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now
against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the
chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black
chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize
that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before
it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to
do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his
current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is
why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken
learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm
going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the
road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the
road.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was
going. I had a standing order at the Farmers Market to sell my eggs when
the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider
information.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road.
Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be
listening to the chicken
tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced
a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream
of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads
together, in peace.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road
move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

confession

Ok. So. I have a confession to make: I might have a renewed addiction to... Dawson's Creek.

I know. I know. But that's so high school... and then we all watched that in college in between classes. In the past, right? Nope. I'm watching it all over again, reliving the teen angst, one dvd at a time. o.m.g.

Anyone else have a guilty pleasure? Annie, I know you love Reba, and girl, I love her too. Anyone else???