From an email I got this morning about an upcoming church conference...
"From the Pittsburgh Emergent Village Cohort -- Gathering at a former church building converted to a brewery/restaurant, called The Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh, a group of growing friends began to ask the question - What would it look like to simply be the Church – nothing more and nothing less?"
WOW! I can't believe they really asked that question! Man, churches NEVER ask that question! These folks are so faithful to the gospel because they sat in a brewery and had the NERVE to ask the question that NO other church and NO other pastor DARED ask for the last 2000 years! WOW... THEY are so cutting edge. And THEY really want to be the Church! (Unlike those institutional churches that don't really care about being the church... they are just dead...) NO these guys are doing it right.
[Please take a moment to wipe the dripping sarcasm off your screen.]
There is so much pride in the church. I'm sick of churches trying to be hip or cool or to make Jesus seem hip or cool. "Wow, WE are going it right. You've got to have contemporary music, or media or candles... or you've got to be in a house church to be faithful...or you have to be against the institutional church or Contemporary Christian music is stupid... [just fill in the blank]"
Man.. we really need to get over ourselves.
And if I ever write a ministry book and put my face on the front cover... just shoot me.
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11 comments:
You know, for a second I was confused and thought they were asking "what if we were just a church instead of a church/brew pub?" I thought that was a rather funny revelation to have, considering churches aren't usually combined with breweries.
On second thought, maybe it's the same sort of revelation: both based on ignorance of what others before them have done.
It does sort of seem like if Christians were just better educated on our religious history, we could save ourselves from having to reinvent the wheel in every generation....
But of course, it IS a good question to ask, even if it has been asked a million times before. Many of the best questions are that way.
And if I ever write a ministry book and put my face on the front cover... just shoot me.
sure thing! can i borrow your camera? do i get credits on the book cover? :P
look, man, you just gotta Be The Church. that's all it is. well, and you have to be in the 18-45 demographic. and have at least one male staff member with frosted highlights/soul patch/tattoos. and use the term "emergent" extensively...
at what point does relevancy become irrelevant?
"What would it look like to simply be the Church – nothing more and nothing less?" This question really can't be answered without first answering, "What is the Church?" If we are to "simply be" it, then we ought to know what it is first. I define the Church as us, everyday people who are trying to follow Jesus in some sort of together fashion. So then, how can we avoid being the Church if we are only to be ourselves seeking to follow Jesus? And moreover, how can this be done "simply"?
That said, Central is a great candidate for starting a brew pub. In fact, that may very well be in line with being ourselves as we seek to follow Jesus. It also happens to be kinda cool.
I second the motion to add a brew pub to Central.
And Paul? I think you need to consider frosted highlights. That would definitely help us become a more authentic church. ;-)
I think it's just as cool to be counter-cultural as it is to be cultural these days.
I can be hip because that's hip or I can be un-hip because everyone's trying to be hip, and me being un-hip is actually, in fact, hip.
-"I was uncool before uncool was cool."-
If the church wants to be cool, great. If the church wants to be uncool, great. Just so long as we talk about Jesus.
Todd: LOL. That's a great tagline!
not only is the vast majority of christianity behind the times as far as culture... arts... and frankly normal life in general... but christianity is more often than not behind the times within itself. this conversation has been beaten to death in christian hipster circles for quite a while. now, there's nothing wrong with that... as long as you recognize it's not revolutionary. because if you think it's revolutionary, then you just look dumb.
if it seems like you're trying too hard to be hip: it's probably true.
upon rereading my last comment, i thought i would add: jesus is revolutionary. christianity, however, is not. there is nothing new under the sun.
Just a quick comment...
The church is not a brewery nor do they meet in a brewery. The brewery WAS a church building before it became a brewery/restaurant.
With that said, it's not a bad idea. But it's really tough to get a liquor license in this town! :O)
I'm with Mike! It seems like the funny thing about the whole emerging church movement is that it was started as a reaction to the cultural relevancy of the seeker sensitive movement. But the sad thing is that any movement that focuses more on image than on Christ-centeredness cheapens the Gospel.
I think Paul should get a "Jesus is my Homeboy" tshirt to go along with the new makeover. I'm just sayin...
Hi there- This is Ellen, but I can't remember my blog log in. Anyhow...
Living in Pittsburgh and STILL church shopping, I've had the opportunity to visit one of the churches that is participating in this conference. The pastor at the church talked about this conference- I got the sense that they were really approaching this topic from an authentic, genuine angle. They have a big emphasis on service and loving those in the community. On the other hand, in coming into the church I wasn't welcomed and felt very much like an outsider. So what is the Church that they're looking for? I think they're trying to figure that out. I say we ease up and pray that they figure out how to be a Church with each other and the outside world.
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