Book Review #4 - "Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community In Postmodern Cultures" By Eddie Gibbs & Ryan K. Bolger

Jill Pratt
November 18, 2009
Church & Mission in a Global Context, Dr. Bolger
Book Review #4

Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community In Postmodern Cultures
By Eddie Gibbs & Ryan K. Bolger

Chapter 1 – A Brief Look at Culture
All throughout this chapter I repeatedly expressed my delight at reading my long felt but never fully expressed thoughts about my own church tradition, with “Amen!” I will be wrapping this book up for Christmas and giving it to my father to read, in hopes that he will no longer identify the problem with the church today as rebellious youth who don’t care about God or the “older generations.” I now regret my guilt over my wavering support of my home church or “institution” I would say, and am proud of my younger, high school self that ventured out in search of a meaningful spiritual experiences through church. I recognize now that it was not because of a lack of faith, but because of my commitment and passionate faith that I was dissatisfied with the faith expression I was brought up in.

Chapter 2 – What Is the Emerging Church?
This chapter resonated with me, in terms of the idea of labels and associations. The term Evangelical is helpful to group a certain type of Christians who share similar beliefs, but beyond creating organization for convenience sake, I prefer not to be labeled. The notion that labels characterizing different groups of Jesus followers could insight turmoil and hostility among such people seems counterproductive. I agree that the discussion in itself is “boring,” (36). Christians should strive to forget the human-constructed particulars and focus more on Jesus.

Chapter 3 – Identifying with Jesus
Going back to what struck me in chapter two, John Campbell of Seattle sums up how I have been feeling lately in my own understanding of what church is, especially throughout this course (47). The description of missio Dei and the centrifugal nature of emerging churches brought me back to a course I had with Dr. Van Engen, and led me to wonder if this is an accurate description of the majority of emerging churches (50). I have attended some churches that seem to be inward focused, working on and crafting spirituality for all who are inside of it. But perhaps the ones I have experienced were in the stages of shedding off and deconstructing the old notions of church, and therefore in the beginning stages of participating in God’s mission outwardly. Lastly, I wonder if it is correct to say that what the Emerging church does not offer, is what the Evangelical church does: “a reductionist, individualized, and privatized message,” (63).

Chapter 4 – Transforming Secular Space
It was funny reading this book, because the more quotes I read, I realized that I have been to all of the churches in Seattle that are mentioned. Which led me to realize two things: first that I am definitely comfortable with some aspects of Evangelical worship practices (but not with Evangelical preaching) and secondly, that the Emerging churches in my hometown of Seattle are great but perhaps not the best fit for me. This led me to understand even further about my own spiritual practice preferences, such as my desire for worship in a small group of people who share life with me outside of church.
The topic of secular space is quite interesting to me as I studied abroad in Cairo, Egypt, where all space seems to be permeated with God in some way or another. I felt God’s presence in the public sphere more closely in Egypt than I do in Seattle and now Pasadena, which I attribute to the religiosity inherent in Muslim (and Christian) Egyptian culture. Also, the idea about reclaiming popular culture and pointing it to God is incredibly important, as non-believers should not have to learn a “church” culture just to understand and participate in the place where the gospel is directly communicated.

Chapter 5 – Living as Community
The section “A Family, Not an Institution,” reminded me of the church I grew up in (97). After reading chapter one I felt like the only people who are still attending are there because of institutional loyalty, but after reading this section it seems that the reason for the continued bond is due to its family-like nature. To me, growing up and to this day, church means family. Perhaps that is why when I attend a church that has incredible teaching and even great ways of worshipping, I do not feel at home unless my inner core of best friends also attends. In Seattle that is what ended up happening last year when my six closest friends and I decided to attend a big church that was relevant to us in teaching and worship, but go as a smaller community, together. Community is what emphasizes the feeling of worship, evidenced by the fact that I am incredibly lonely in my home church when I do not attend with my friends. Karen Ward highlighted this feeling perfectly when she said, “Because God is the source of all relationality, to focus the church on relationships is to be Christian at the core,” (102).

Chapter 6 – Welcoming the Stranger
I like the emphasis put on the Eucharist, as outlined in this chapter. I will never forget a professor I once had who said, “I don’t feel like I have fully worshipped until I have taken the Eucharist.” Once I paid attention to how I felt after the Lord’s Supper, I too identified with that same statement. Singing songs is not the best way for me to connect with God, and sometimes even proves to be something I really do not enjoy and choose not to participate in during church services. The Eucharist, incorporated with hospitality, is something I greatly appreciate. I love the idea of sharing a meal with the Eucharist highlighted at some point, which also leads to the leveling of status of the participants around the table. I also agree with the quote that talks about God and Christ being a part of other faiths and how that affects how Christians see other faiths and faith adherents (133). The time I have spent with Muslims has been incredibly formative of my own faith, but I would not have experienced such formation if I had been focused on church and not kingdom (132).

Chapter 7 – Serving with Generosity
The discussion of marketing and spirituality was fascinating. The idea that pastors and church staff must interact with newcomers to a church in a specific way in order to get them to move onto the next phase of becoming a Christian sounds un-Christian when compared to the message of the Gospel. I’ve felt guilt over the years from my time “church-shopping,” but it makes sense now why I would feel the need to shop, as churches market themselves to Christians, vying to lure the most people. Church shopping is a natural reaction to the marketing tactics employed by a group of people trying to sell something.

Chapter 8 – Participating as Producers
This chapter touched on the issue of contributing to worship, rather than merely being a recipient of worship (158). This point is also one that caught my attention during the first day of the course. It put words to what I have been dissatisfied with in my own worship experience. I am fine to go and sit in a pew and listen to a good sermon, but I would really rather not be forced to sit around for all the other stuff that does nothing to connect me with God. I am reminded of my favorite worship service of all time, which took place outside of Cairo, Egypt at a Coptic retreat center. Everyone sat on cushions or small stools on the floor, facing the front of the church, which was actually a dome with a growing tree at the altar. The only light came from candles and everyone had several feet of space around them. One by one, people spontaneously began praying, speaking or signing one at a time (all in different languages), each expressing his or her praise and worship to God. All participated, without a single instruction from a leader. It was all worshipping God, in community, yet individually connected through personal worship. I would buy a plane ticket to Egypt for nothing more than to experience this kind of worship again.