More than Discussion

I haven't posted in quite a while. I still read all the posts and some of the discussions in the comments, but in many ways, I'm just done with discussion. There are other good reasons too. Life is full, life is good.

One thing I've found with the emerging conversations is that they are indeed mostly conversations. Those who are in part or wholly postmodern are great at it. But I must confess that I miss the result-making aspect of modernity. I don't want to return to those structures and think we can't, but I do miss implementation. I long for dreamy seeds to turn into growing seedlings & saplings, and eventually, healthy & flourishing trees.

What I'm saying is that those inspired by the emerging conversation are mostly...well...just inspired. Inspiration is one thing, living is another. I know lots of people who are inspired by a good idea; few, if any, willing to risk it by living it. Indeed...the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

But some things are happening. I was actually encouraged by attending New England District Assembly a few weeks ago. Sure, there were multiple times when I wondered, "Why are we doing this?" But it was encouraging to see and talk to some pastors who are breaking the chains of growth models, willing to be "embarrassed" by the archaic systems of statistical measurement in order to actually grow by the fruit-measurements of scripture.

I want to tell you about two of them in hopes that it's encouragement to other pastors and churches out there.

Lifebridge Church of the Nazarene is in Manchester, NH, a city that's growing in many ways, including within the populations of the homeless and immigrants. If you look in the NED booklet from assembly, you'll see something like 8 or 12 as the weekly "worship attendance" for LifeBridge. About six of those every week are recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. LifeBridge is the mother church of the Helping Hands Outreach Center, a 24-7 "church" that ministers to and with men recovering from addiction, jail time, and other disenfranchising elements of society. It's tough to know it from a one-page statistical summary, but LifeBridge CotN is doing the work of the Kingdom every day of the week by ministering to the lives of dozens of men, most of whom will not be in Sunday morning worship, but all of whom are being presented the gospel as Jesus spoke of it.

The second is Cornerstone Community Church in Spencer, MA. I met the pastor, Ted MacNeil for the first time at assembly. I was tuned into the church via his humorous video report, a parody of the FOX show, House. You can view it below, but skip to 5:37 to see it.


I remember one of the first aspects of the emergent conversation that drew me in was that I found that the Spirit of God was moving in the same ways in different people in different places. The conversation became a place for me to know that these thoughts I was having were not misplaced, out of the ordinary, or even completely unorthodox. But now I'm looking for stories and places where it's more than a conversation.

Anyone else? Stories to share...?