Welcome to The Kingdom Come Where Christ is King!
Eccesiology Eschatology Soteriology Bibliology Christology Pneumatology
Hamartiology Hermeneutics History Apologetics Humor Website
 
Welcome to The Kingdom Come Where Christ is King!
Home

Emergent or Immersion?

The following article was an anonymous article that was suggested for publication on TKC.  I do hope the writer comes forward as they have touched on many elements that I'd like to interact with more.  The threat to Christianity is not merely "universalism" (as we originally thought), or egotisical factions of the "preterist movement" -- but the real danger is in this concept of "emergent church", postmodernism, post-evangelicalism, & pop-psychological movements.  At this rate these elements are trying to "re-image" Christianity, "re-image" Christ, "re-image" the Bible (as not really inspired but just a collection of "stories"/narratives), & even "re-image" the very nature of God Himself as a God of hippie love devoid of justice.


Who ever you are anonymous writer, I thank you for this submission.  -- Roderick (TKC)

:

:

:

The more I read about this emergent movement, the more I get the impression the proponents of the movement truly desire to be a good witness to the 'world' as Christians... that they really wish to counter a negative image of Christianity as defined by the secular world.  And who can find fault with a goal of wanting to revamp the secular view of Christianity?  It is an admirable stance to adhere to.  Unfortunately though, it seems some have gone overboard, throwing the baby out with the bathwater.   It is as if they are allowing the secular world opinion of a 'failed' Christianity to sway their thought process.  Rather than emerging from the secular influence they have allowed themselves to become victims of secular immersion. 

 

 

 

Christians should be putting forth a solid doctrine, good basic Christian value's, and honestly living our faith, rather than allowing a biased secular worldview to influence our actions.   Because some Christian's behavior (too judgmental, hypocrisy, too much in-fighting etc.) has been shouted from the roof tops as the norm for all Christians by the secular world (and true enough, they are out there!), it seems the emergent crowd have gone to the extreme of loving and embracing anything and everything in an attempt to counterbalance this negative 'press'.  This is nothing more than trying to appease a secular worldview according to a secular standard.  Again, rather than emerging from the rhetoric of a secular smear campaign, some are being immersed into it in an ironic attempt to be more appealing in a secular atmosphere. 

 

 

 

Is a change needed in how the world perceives Christians?  Sure couldn't hurt, but change will not happen overnight.  Do we do something 'worldly' by changing the way we worship in a building?  Maybe it couldn't hurt, but that is merely a temporary surface 'fix' and doesn't address the deeper problems. 

 

 

 

I am reminded of when my daughter was young and how she went through a particularly tough time.  She started acting up and being very disobedient in school, getting into trouble all the time - sassing, not doing her work, not listening to the teachers.  Over a relatively short time she had earned a bad reputation for misbehaving.  Eventually she understood her behavior was destructive and set about to correct it.  But early in this new revelation about herself she was blamed and got in trouble for a couple things she did not do.  She was very upset, not understanding why, especially since she was trying so very hard to correct her behavior.  I had to explain to her that her teachers were quicker to place blame on her because of her past behavior.  She had established a pattern and  she had to be patient because it would take awhile before she could be trusted again and it would take awhile before the teachers would trust her enough to give her the benefit of the doubt.  The only thing that would change the way she was viewed was by continuing her respectful and obedient behavior and time... a lot of time.

 

 

 

The same thing may be required with the way the secular world views Christianity these days.  With all the failed prophecy about the second coming and people identifying Christians as those who don't walk the walk, much of the secular world looks at Christianity and thinks it's a joke. Why take us seriously? Some will use this negative image to help promote their own agenda of secularization, some just love to point out the negatives in others to feel better about themselves and some are just plain tired of the hypocrisy and run as fast as they can in the other direction.  And if Christians are failing at being a shining light in a dark world it will only get worse.  But the answer is not to go overboard and attempt to embrace every religion or join the ranks of the secularists in a shallow attempt to show the world how politically correct Christianity can be.  We need to stick to the true doctrines, start walking the walk, then slowly but surely a light will begin to shine brighter in this darkened secular world.  Unfortunately in this day and age of 'we want results NOW' kind of mentality, we get impatient and look for quick fixes such as a movement that might be able to help us put on a good face to the world. But we must keep reminding ourselves it will take time and patience for change...  it will not happen overnight.  In the mean time we need to emerge from a secular outlook and not allow ourselves to be immersed into it.

 

 

 

Taking a good hard look at our own behavior and evaluating how much we have allowed the secular world to influence our actions, then making personal changes, coupled with the teachings of a fulfilled eschatology, and I believe eventually Christianity can improve its reputation and reflect a positive imagine to the secular world.  Perhaps we may be in a 'down' season now, but it will not stay that way if we stay steady and strong.  The answer is NOT to embrace more and more politically correct behavior to appease a secular worldview, but to emerge from that secularization into strong, true Christians who love the truth and practice what we preach.  To prove worthy witnesses for our Savior Jesus Christ, as instruments of His work to brighten the world and not allow ourselves to be victims of a secular immersion program.

 


 

By Outside contributor on 2006 Apr 18 - 13:07 | Apologetics | add new comment | email this page | printer friendly version | 705 reads