What's Emerging from Evangelicalism Today?

I am amazed at the different movements the church has had to battle with all of these years. And they just keep on coming. I've been reading up on the newest fad/phenomenon sweeping through the church these days--it's called the "Emerging Church."

Leaders of the Emerging Church are targeting people in my generation (ages 18-30). They've seen my generation's rejection of the charismatic approach to worship and our desire to get back to the roots and basics of our faith. In an attempt to make worship services more appealing to this target audience, they've taken to dark, solemn meeting places with Celtic crosses, candles, and antiques strewn about. They encourage people to have individual relationships with God--if that means getting up in the middle of service to go in the corner and pray, then by all means, please do. In the Emerging Church, worship is expressed in a variety of means--painting, drawing, writing, poetry, any creative medium with which you want to worship God.

While many of the foundational elements of the Emerging Church are acceptable and even commendable, I am concerned with the direction the movement is taking. It seems the Emerging Church has been so distracted and preoccupied with the ambiance and method of their worship, they've neglected the content and object of it. In fact, the gospel seems to be secondary or nonexistent in subjection to the needs and numbers of the church.

As evangelical Christians, it is our responsibility to know about such movements and to be educated about their content so that we can be ready to give a defense for the hope that is in us...yet with reverence and gentleness. I would encourage you to google "The Emerging Church" and find out more about it. There are some great articles about it such as the ones I've listed below:

http://sites.silaspartners.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526CHID598014CIID2082654,00.html

http://sites.silaspartners.com/CC/article/0,,PTID314526CHID598014CIID2082384,00.html

Legalism Is Still Sin

Yesterday, my coworker sent me a link to a website--a very interesting website-- definitely worthy of a blog entry. Here is the link to the site if you want to check it out:
www.lakewoodparkbaptist.com/sin_is_still_sin.htm

Here are some of the "highlights" below for those of you who are too lazy to visit the site:
The pictures are courtesy of Janea :o)


BODY PIERCING IS STILL SIN
Lev. 19:28, 21:5


ROCK MUSIC IS STILL SIN
Ephesians 5:12, Colossians 3:16, 1 John 2:15-17

DANCING IS STILL SIN
1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Romans 13:14 2 Timothy 2:22, James 1:27


SHORT HAIR ON A WOMAN IS STILL SIN
1 Corinthians 11: 1-15



And remember, these are just a couple of "highlights"--the list goes on and on.
This is not a joke! At first I was laughing my head off when I looked at this site. And then I got really sad...this is true and there are truly people who are out there twisting God's Word to fit their own legalistic rules and regulations of what a Christian looks like--just like the Pharisees--Woe to them!

I sent an email to the pastor of the church. Surprise, surprise, he hasn't responded and I don't think he will. But if he does, you will be the first one to know!

I felt like saying--LEGALISM IS STILL SIN!

Pharisee Turned Truly Holy

Since my best friend Sandi put her testimony on her blog, I decided to share mine as well. It's basically a story of God's grace in my life and how I got to be in ministry where I am now! Enjoy!

Testimony:
It is only by God’s amazing grace that I was born into a family that loves Jesus Christ and raised me in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I was brought up at Grace Church, so I learned about Jesus Christ from the time I was little. I also attended private school for most of my education, so I was constantly surrounded by and immersed in the influence of believers. At a young age, I “accepted Jesus into my heart,” understanding as much as a six-year-old possibly could.

As I grew up, I continued going to church every Sunday, but I was basically living for myself. I thought that I was saved because I was a “good person,” but I had mastered the art of compartmentalizing my life. I would go to church on Sunday and Wednesday night and neglect to acknowledge God for the rest of the week. I was constantly disrespectful, disobedient, and dishonoring to my parents. I was seeking the approval of man rather than God, which manifested itself in my pursuits and goals. I was intensely involved in gymnastics and I was planning on training for the Olympics. Gymnastics was an idol in my heart. It consumed all of my time, energy, and was my consuming passion, rather than God.

It wasn’t until I was at a winter camp with the jr. high group at Grace that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes and showed me that I was living a lie. It was then I realized I couldn’t rely on my parents’ faith to save me. I had to decide on my own to follow the truth. I learned that true, genuine, saving faith is a relationship with Christ who died as the ultimate sacrifice and payment for my sins. In a response of thanks for what Christ did for me, I am called to give Him every part of my life--not just Sunday. At that camp I committed my life to serve the Lord.

Right away the Lord put trials in my life to prune me and shape me into His image. My mother was diagnosed with cancer. This made me evaluate my priorities and put things into perspective. I began to focus more on significant, eternal matters. And for me, giving up myself also meant giving up gymnastics. I quit the sport that had once consumed my entire life. Now I had a desire to read Scripture and to have daily devotions. My motives for attending church were radically changed. I went because I loved God’s Word and His people.

I knew that once I made the decision to follow the Lord, I should be baptized, but pride held me back. I thought to have an effective testimony, you had to be saved from a life of drugs or outward sin. But my discipleship leader helped me understand the error of my thinking. Salvation is God raising someone from the dead (spiritually speaking). It is a miracle only God can perform. I was just as dead in my sins and praise God he pulled me from the pit of self-deception.

I am now a member of Grace Community Church. I am involved in 180--the high school ministry. High school was a pivotal time in my walk with the Lord. So now, my desire as a staff member is to encourage the girls in my small group to seek Christ in their youth and to make wise decisions now that will affect their futures. I know these girls are watching my life, so I desire to be an example to them and to be more like my Savior each day. I pursue holiness, because that is what the Lord requires of His children. I am daily amazed at God’s goodness and faithfulness to me, though I have done nothing to deserve the abundance of blessings I receive. I look forward to a life of service and ministry wherever I am.

Stress Ball

Okay, so I've decided. The best thing to do when I am stressed out is to post a new blog entry. (Okay, maybe it's not the "best" thing to do when I am stressed, but it is something...) Forget the thousand and one things whirling around in my mind, my cell phone ringing off the hook, the work piling up on my desk. When I've had enough, I think it is legitimate to take my "coffee break" and spend it trying to amuse the thousands of people who read my blog :o)

Please bear with me and follow my random train-of-thought. I have to say, I really admire stay-at-home-mothers. I've never had as much appreciation for them as I do now. You see, my parents are out of town, so I have the house all to myself for a month. And let me tell you--it's not easy. There is more to having a house than I ever thought. But it has been a good learning experience, who knows; someday I might become a wife and mother! Now that is a stressful thought...but a good one.

See, I've only written a couple of paragraphs and I already feel a thousand times better. I think that's because when I actually take a minute to catch my breath, I realize I don't really have any stress in my life. And if I do, it's a good kind of stress. The type of stress that makes me thankful...that makes me drop to my knees and praise the Lord for the overwhelming blessings he has put in my life. ("Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication, present your request to the Lord.")

So, what stresses you out?