The New Traditional Church

“The word “religion” itself means to bind back; religious people, as a rule, have laid off one set of chains only to take up another. Whatever it takes, man will exercise this inward impulse to worship.”    -A.W. Tozer

 

One of the fears i have for the emerging church is that we are simply redefining tradition… religion… ritual with our neo-traditional emerging church.


Here are some neo-traditions i’ve identified:

-we’ve traded ties for jeans.

-we’ve traded choirs for guitars.

-we’ve traded pulpits for platforms.

-we’ve traded sunday school for home groups.

-we’ve traded candles for strobe lights.



Nothing is wrong with any of these examples, we just must not assume that they are necessity to Worship God in Spirit and Truth-  Once they become our only vehicle for mediation between us and God then we’ve just established new idols.


What other neo-traditional rituals have you identified in the emerging church??? 



This entry was posted on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 9:44 am and is filed under Church, quotes.
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  • straight truth, Brad. Anything that serves as a mediator in worship is an idol ... I always go back to God's instruction not to use tools and handiwork on the altar ... the altar was for God's glory alone. I wonder how many performance oriented churches might be risking God's exclusive right to glory in exchange for being remarkable?
  • Craig
    I'll throw a reversal into this discussion... what facets of the emerging church make us stand out in the crowd of "traditional" churches? it is just these "neo-traditions"

    I don't mean "stand out" in a sense of who we worship... more a sense of what we do in the emerging church.

    I feel like people too often focus on the things you listed, the bands, lights, the dress.... I often here that NewSpring is too much of a "show" for people. I think that that statement is more a mask than truth.

    People use those things as a vehicle, an excuse if you will, to just look past the real reason they don't like the emerging church... the fact that the emerging church (especially NS) is not afraid to preach the hard messages.

    I grew up in several "traditional" churches and never once heard a message that impacted me on a deep level, a level that demanded attention, attention being pressed upon me by Christ.

    Now, I don't want to bash the traditional church. We must have a love for the full council, churches of all forms. Just for me personally, I need/love getting punched in the face with JTs (Jesus Truths) and I get that at NS.

    So I say all that... and then I thought this: do you think enthusiasm for your home church, be it emerging or otherwise, can become a stumbling point as well?

    that got kinda off topic... sorry!
  • David J
    To prove that I'm serious and no coward hiding behind a blog, then me when the two of us can meet? I will bring my Scriptures and you can explain to me why you use foul language etc... I will meet you during the week at the Haywood Mall just the two of us. Let me know. The Mall is a neutral place that will be easy to meet around lunch.

    I'm serious because the Scriptures are our authority. I'm no pharisee, but I do see some problems that I would like to discuss with you as a brother in Christ face to face.
  • Craig
    Just a relevant tweet that I saw a while back...

    @stevenfurtick

    "Consider your critics a compliment-proof that your life is important enough to consume all your time-and theirs too."

    Get it BCooP
  • Ricky
    hahaha. You really know how to win friends and influence people! Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. We all have issues. Thanks for your insight.
  • Scripture teaches (http://tiny.cc/MvIII) that if a brother sins against you then go to them 1st ( in private) and then two or three witnesses then before the church.

    If I am wrong for assuming that you have not already done the first, I REPENT, but if you have come here first, then you also may be out of order... just saying.
  • David J
    Go ahead and delete my post, but you can not delete God's clear instructions for a minister, warnings against loving the world, and sin. I'm simply giving you God's Word unfiltered and asking you to repent.
  • David J
    In case you forgot:

    http://twitter.com/BCooP/statuses/1459025853

    Justify this foul language using the Scriptures. I can easily show you many Scriptures that warns us not to talk like this...
  • David J
    Coward? I have proof you used bamf. I can prove it. What facts should I get straight? I have 2 screenshots of you using BAMF. Would you care to type out what this foul acronym means without the symbols for your readers?

    You have a problem with the authority of the Scriptures I posted that you removed. I simply asked you to repent. What does repent mean?

    You really should ponder the Scriptures I posted. You asked a question about the emergent church. I gave you my reasons backed up with the authority of the Holy Scriptures and you deleted my post. Thankfully I took a screen shot. Who is the coward? The man who post as David J or BCoop that deleted David J's post?

    The Scriptures are very clear in what I posted.
  • David J
    And you have traded not loving the world for relevance. What about you using BAMF twice to describe FUSE! Truly sad how you fail to simply see the simply truth found in:

    1 John 2:15 (New International Version)

    Do Not Love the World

    15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

    Please justify your use of this foul acronym "bamf" using the Scriptures? Where did Jesus tell us to cuss in order to reach people? Where?

    Would you care to type out for all who reads this what BAMF means without the symbols?

    The biggest problem with the new emergent church is using the world to spread the Gospel. The Gospel forbids using the world. Read the following:

    2 Corinthians 1:12
    Galatians 6:14
    Ephesians 2:1-5
    Colossians 2:20-23
    Titus 2:7-12
    James 4:4
    1 Peter 2:11
    1 John 2:15-17
    Colossians 3:5-11
    1 Thessalonians 2:5-12

    What goes into your mind will manifest itself in your life:

    Luke 6:45 (New American Standard Bible)

    45 "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

    Fill your mind and eyes with the things of God. Read your Bible and pray:

    2 Timothy 2:22 (New International Version)

    22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

    You are redefining what "fleeing from sin means", the world and the love of it, and you are redefining discipleship as volunteer service.

    Wake up and truly follow what Jesus said. The question is not what would Jesus do, but rather what did Jesus say in His Word. What about following Jesus fully even when that means repenting from your carnal nature like using BAMF etc? Repenting from cussing, etc.... well why did Jesus say repent? What does repent mean?

    The ends do not justify the means with God. Wake up and repent.
  • a coward engages via a blog--- you should get your facts straight before you make assumptions---
  • Skip
    truth for complacency
    discipline for toleration
    relationship for relevancy
    accountability for attendance
    .....while wearing ties or jeans
  • Traded TBN hair for faux-hawks. Bibles for verses on screen. Hillsong for Hillsong United. Explaining for "unpacking" <-- thats my favorite.
  • oh yea, and flow... flow big deal... but the high church guys been doing flow forever.
  • exclusively new songs, props... big props, movie clips as illustrations, breaking up the monologue, storying the word... stuff like that
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