Are you an Emergent Christian?

Emerging church

Emergents favor the sharing of experiences and interactions such as testimonies, prayer, group recitation, sharing meals and other communal practices, which they believe are personal and sincere over propositional, evangelistic preaching (preferring to guide persons to a full understanding of Christian faith through friendship and mercy). Exegetical teaching in the Emerging Church tends to uses modern & postmodern scholarship to view the Bible and its stories through a lense which (hopefully) more closely resembles the original intent of the authors and finds significance/meaning in the convergence with today's social and personal stories. Emerging church participants are thus true to the social constructs of their local narratives and the intent of scripture.

The movement's participants claim they are creating a safe environment for those with opinions ordinarily rejected within modern conservative evangelicalism/fundamentalism. Non-critical, interfaith dialog is favored over dogmatically-driven evangelism in the movement. Emergents do not engage in apologetics or confrontational evangelism in the traditional sense, preferring to allow persons the freedom to discover their faith through conversation and witness.

Missional Living:

Participants in this movement assert that the incarnation of Christ informs their theology, believing that as God entered the world in human form, adherents enter (individually and communally) into the context around them, aiming to transform that culture through local involvement in it. This holistic involvement may take many forms, including social activism, hospitality, and acts of kindness. Emergents call this beneficent involvement in culture "missional living." Missional living is thought to make emergents part of the culture rather than outsiders who call people to come out from among the culture; and this approach leads emergents to their focus on temporal and social issues, as opposed to the Evangelical emphasis on eternal salvation. The hope of the emerging church movement's "gospel" is to enhance the lives of others regardless of their lifestyles or beliefs. Therefore, social action, community involvement, and sacrificial hospitality are more emphasized in the movement than preaching and teaching.

Creative spirituality

This can involve everything from expressive, neocharismatic style of worship and the use of contemporary and films to more ancient liturgical customs and eclectic expressions of spirituality, with the goal of making the church gathering genuinely reflective of the local community's tastes.

Melissa's Horrible, No Good, Terrible, Very Bad Day

This day was the sentiquential BAD DAY!

(1. Sentiquential - The most ultimate of the ultimate. Quintessential amplified by more numbers than you can count on your two little hands. More ultimate-ness for one person to handle. If overloaded with a sentiquential thing, the brain could very well melt and boil. (bib. Urban Language Dictionary)).


One of those days when it starts off "okay" (a little bad, but okay) and just quickly descends straight to the pit of hell from there. One of those days, where people say "you have to laugh or you would cry" (and by the way I am still trying to find the laugh....).

Essentially everything that could strike did strike - (i.e. finances, marriage, health, my families difficulties, etc.). The strange thing is that my sister had the same type of day. Obviously the moon and stars were misaligned (I quote my sister).

So, I am going to send the kids to bed early, finish a book (and pray for a good ending) and go to bed. Tomorrow has to be better - RIGHT????? RIGHT????? HELLO?????

TIRED

Wow! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our families and a wonderful weekend at our church and with friends, but BOY are we tired......

Also, we are sick. We have some horrible crud that has kept Jacob, Abby and myself at home today. It looks like we are on the upswing and I am praying that everyone makes it to school tomorrow.

Looking forward to putting up the tree this weekend and just having some time to relax!

P.S. This is a picture of us at Chris' mom's on Thanksgiving Day.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Enjoy your families and your day off !

Melissa

NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE

Absolutely amazing. Inspiring. Encouraging. Motivating. So much fun! GREAT concerts!

Just a few words to describe our past few days here at the Atlanta 2007 National Youth Workers' Conference. Personally, I have been so moved by the stories and lessons that have been told and taught, people I have met and the whole synergy of the thing. It has absolutely been one of the best landmark events of my life. I have heard speakers like Louie Giglio (if you EVER get the chance to hear him speak, I encourage you to), Doug Fields, Shane Claiborne, Andy Stanley and my absolute favorite, Phylllis Tickle, one of the most world renowned experts on Religious History in the U.S. - if not the most - the most brilliant person I have ever had the privilege to hear speak.

We saw bands like Third Day, David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, FamilyForce 5 and Flatfoot 56 (Chris' favorite - old punk rock by a new young band).

We also met the cutest couple on the planet - Katie and Clint Davis from Sringtown, TX. He is a youth pastor and she is his adorable wife. I felt like we were instant friends and had known each other for such a long time. They are much younger and cooler than we are though! Clint has such a passion for his work as a youth pastor and his wife is a sweet, supportive, intelligent, strong young woman. It is so neat to meet people from other places who feel the same way you do.

Most importantly, we felt God speaking to us in different, but VERY significant ways. I received some clarity on which direction I should be headed regarding serving our church, but were also challenged in stepping up to the plate in regards to completely "owning" our faith and taking direct steps everyday towards our own spiritual growth individually, as a couple and as parents.

Thanks again for everyone who made it possible for us to be here (especially my sister who is probably missing half her hair by now!) Thank you Melanie!

Blessings to all and we cannot wait to talk to others about our experience.

Pictures below:


http://picture.vzw.com/pub/share/guestMessage.do?invite=DEYr4Qmj2Y7r2k98LLeo




Love,

Chris and Melissa

NYC 2007 in Atlanta

Chris and I are off Friday morning to the National Youth Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. We are very excited to have the opportunity to go and also wanted to let people know that we received a total of $230.00 in donations towards Chris' registration fee. His fee was $250.00 (including late fee) - God is good! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SENT IN A DONATION! We are now in the process of farming out the kids for the weekend and all that jazz. Third Day is playing at the conference on Friday night and they are my absolute favorite band! Can't wait!

Hope all is well and blessings to all,

Melissa

P.S. We sold our Expedition in one week's time and bought a 2001 Saab for less than $5000.00 (yes, it needs some work!) We paid off all of our medical bills - which if you know our history was a lot! My kidney surgery this year and my back stuff and Chris' kidney stone and all of the kids past medical bills. We are very happy to not have any of that hanging over our head!

Christ's Call to Love Others

Sometimes it is just hard to love people. But Christ does not ask us to "try" and love other people. He commands us to.

I have had one of those days where in and of myself I cannot love another person. But guess what? I can love this person through the power of Christ. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So, I will pray, ask forgiveness from the Lord and start another day tomorrow with the hopes of seeing everyone else through Christ's eyes.

WOW - Busy, busy, busy

WOW I have been busy. I never thought I would be so busy not to be able to even think....but, yet I have been.

We sold our car (thanks to my internet friend, Jen) and have scaled down to a little get around town car. We are concentraing our efforts on being with the kids while they are still here and also figuring out where we are supposed to be giving our money and time for what really matters (hope that makes sense.)

When I was in high school I had to keep a "stream of consciousness" notebook. I had to write whatever I was thinking all the time. So I am going to revert to that for this post.......

Soccer seaseon is over. Basketball season is starting. Christmas. Money. Keep in touch with friends. Be a good mom. TRY to be a good wife. Think about my Dad and brother - figure out what to do to make sure they are taken care of. Talk more to my sister. Marcie and Meagan. Finish the upstairs of the house. Re-cover the furniture. Make a good breakfast for the kids. Get the car shipped off to California. Get my hair cut. Try not to be critical or pre-judge, for I have been there. Don't think about the worship team figuring out "Cry Out to Jesus" . Pay the bills. Turn the heat down to save money. Pray for Patty, pray for my children, pray, pray, pray.... etc., etc., etc...

There. That is my mind - scary, I know. Love, Melissa

P.S. - Head on over to http://www.prayersforthepeopleyoulove.com/ to read the latest devotion.

Life

This is our house the day AFTER Halloween because I didn't have a camera the night of Halloween, sad, but true. Anyways, MORE importantly,

This is an excerpt from a Beth Moore study I am doing and I wanted to share it because I have found it to be so true in my own life:

"Life is found by losing it for Christ's sake. A vessel is filled by pouring out. The key to receiving is giving. The key to living is dying to self. The greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all. God has been right ALL along. His upside-down path is the only way to true contentment and satisfaction. This world's claim of happiness is betrayed by an ever-increasing lust for more. Nothing EVER suffices. Nothing EVER will. Christ ALONE satisfies the human soul."

Love,

Melissa