Pastor's FAQ File: The Emerging Church [Part 5] Is the Nazarene Church becoming part of the Emerging Church?

Part 5: Is the Nazarene Church becoming part of the emerging church?

One of the unique things about the Church of the Nazarene is that even in its inception it was not one fully cohesive organization. The church was formed by people with diverse theological ideas and liturgical practices who agreed about the need for believers to live the holy life God called his children to live and were unified around the shared experience of having given themselves entirely to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. My guess is that we started with a great deal of diversity and we will continue to be very diverse.

 

For example, the Church of the Nazarene has always and will continue to contain theistic evolutionists and young earth literalists who agree that God created but disagree deeply over the process of that creation. The church has and will continue to contain pre-, post-, and a-millennialists who agree that Christ will return but share little in common regarding the way Christ will return. The church has always had members who are pacifists and others who hold and live out just-war theorists. The denomination will continue to call both sides to tolerate one another. And now, likewise, my guess is that the church will find a way to hold together (in tension) Nazarenes who think of themselves as “emerging” and those who view all things labeled “emerging” with great suspicion.

 

The one problem, however, with the “big tent” the Nazarenes have always tried to maintain is that eventually one side tries to push the other out. There may be some exceptions to this, but it is my impression that in the examples I mentioned above it is usually the side that would name itself “conservative” (although I hate liberal and conservative as descriptors because they are usually quite inaccurate) that does most of the pushing. Usually young earth creationists want to push out the theistic evolutionists. The pre-millennialists want to get rid of the post and a-millennialists. The just-war theorists shove out the messianic pacifists. And currently the anti-emergents want to label the EC heresy and rid the church of its “emergent” Christians.

 

I think its probably clear to those who have patiently read every section of these posts on the EC that although I believe there is much to be discussed and argued about regarding the EC, I believe it would be a tragedy for the denomination if the church forced out or even lost, due to frustration and hurt, the emergent believers among us. My hope is that the kind of leadership that Bresee gave during the early years of the denomination that allowed diversity instead of requiring sameness will be renewed in our current leaders. I am not optimistic that this will happen. I am not even optimistic that folk like me trying to promote open dialogue, while maintaining peace on both sides, will survive politically in the church. But to borrow a line from Zechariah, ultimately I am not optimistic or pessimistic. I am a “prisoner of hope.”

 

If you are interested in reading more about the EC from some Nazarene leaders who do consider themselves both EC and Nazarene, here is a link to a very recent and wonderful paper written by a handful of gifted young leaders (and good friends) who make a beautiful and articulate plea for the church to keep a place for them at the table: http://northst.org/Various/Is%20There%20Room%20At%20The%20Table.pdf

 

Thanks for the many positive comments about this set of FAQ blogs on the EC. I hope they have been helpful for those of you who have labored through them. Pray that God would continue to give the church discernment, wisdom, and courage to pursue his will in all things.

Comments

[Lori Ward]

Scott,
Thank you for your articulate and fair work here. I appreciate the time and effort you put forth to make this available to a wide audience. I am a (displaced) pastor in the Church of the Nazarene, thinking in postmodern sorts of ways, and enjoying the refreshment of emerging conversations.

Again, thanks!

(no need to post my comments :))

[Jimmy Farley]

I'm with you brother as a prisoner of hope.
"only the sith think in absolutes". - obi wan kenobi

would love to have you connect with jim wicks in portland. a naz pastor hosting Emergentia Conference to discuss not debate as so become a voice.

[Ron Benefiel]

Scott,

Your discussion of the EC is insightful, balanced, nuanced, thought-provoking and very helpful. I will recommend this to others who are wanting to better understand the EC. Thank you!

[Jonathan Foster]

Thanks. Good stuff. I recently came across a John Wimber quote, “I do not care how you structure your churches, as long as you do not impose those structures on your grandchildren.” Lots of truth there.

[Patrick Oden]

I'm a little late to this post, but I'm very new to PazNaz so it's quite interesting to me. Very much appreciated and agreed with what you've said in these posts. Not surprising as I picked up on this perspective in the few weeks we've been attending. Part of what helped along the "yes" for me at least. I've been involved in various ways in this conversation for quite a while, and am pressing on in various ways even still, so knowing there is room for folks who think like me in the Nazarene church is very welcomed. Indeed, it was a bit of surprise. So, I'm quite happy.

Ryan Bolger and Eddie Gibbs have what I think is the definitive book on Emerging Church traits, but they leave something off that I think is a big deal, and a way I think that churches like the Nazarene church can really come along side and help the movement. There's very little discussion on holiness. I see the various elements they did mention as being really key emphases of the Holy Spirit, but holiness is a part of that too, as John Wesley certainly knew. Not legalism. Real holistic holiness. So many in the emerging churches are coming out of oppressive or legalistic or controlling backgrounds they tend to shy away from a lot of holiness talk, and frankly, a lot of holiness emphasis in some important ways. It's understandable, but I think something that can be adjusted over time.

My impression of the emerging church as a movement is that it has two expressions. The stand-alone, sort of hard-core, emerging churches which to me are a lot like the early Pentecostal churches. Then there are the emerging church influences within established congregations, something that is being seen more and more as the basic emphases of the emerging/missional churches are finding more acceptance and validation as broad Kingdom values. Making it a bit like the Charismatic movement. And I honestly think its this latter expression that is going to, by far, have the most influence on the church around the world.

Sorry this comment went long. It's just that this series of posts is extremely encouraging and indeed extremely exciting.