Alan Creech has been writing a "What I Am and What I'm Not" series of blogs recently. It does a pretty good job of describing those who are finding a connection with the "emerging church community" and the various streams within that community. There is much in what he talks of that I identify with. The journey of faith that I seem to be traveling on is pretty close to what he descibes and with Mr. Creech being a much better writer than I am, I wanted to point you in his direction. A few of the things that really stood out to me are:

From part one:

"You have to understand, many of us, who are doing this stuff, who have started these weird new little churches (yeah, we can still call them that, but can you still hear that without thinking "building") - see why we call them "communities?" - back to what I was saying, you've got to understand that many of us have been doing what we're doing, in some form, for much longer than the term "emerging church" has even existed. Some of us have even been doing something "different" (at least different from the common norm) for longer than we have even known what the word "postmodern" means! Wow. OK, this is why it's all very hard to define and pin down. It's not like we all heard of this cool new thing, left our old stuffy churches and joined a new club. No, we didn't do that. Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I'm telling you, that's not what this phenomenon is all about."

I always felt like I was going against the flow in the "traditional" church environment. Of course, I have been one that has gone against the flow in most arenas in my life, so this may be more a function of who I am than a direct condemnation of the church environments I have been part of.

From part two:

"Relationships are very important here, almost paramount. They are the vehicle through which all things "church" flow. If it short-circuits or goes against the grain of relationship, they don't do it. I'll pause here and say I'm all about that. They've tapped into part of the way God designed us and are flowing with it. See, institutions aren't very relational. There may be relationships happening at the micro level of these churches but I would say that's in spite of it and not because of it. Titular, hierarchical leadership which separates the "clergy" from the "laity" (laos = people, aren't we all that?) is anti-relational and thus against real spiritual formation in the Body, thus anti-God."

There is no doubt in my mind that Disciples' Fellowship (Site is only viewable with IE) is clamoring to encompass this idea with our visions of decision-making and leadership.

From part three:

"There has been some evolution going on since all this started happening. We haven't all stayed in the same place. Just because some of us left something and started something for one reason doesn't mean we've remained static in our reasoning. If we remain open, we evolve, we think, we listen, and things change."

I sure hope this is true of me!!

"So, there are people out there using candles and so forth in their "services" because young folk like that kind of thing and they want to be relevant. There are also people who use candles, and incense from time to time, icons, etc. because of the deep theological symbolism. There actually are small, "insignificant," emerging communities who haven't thrown out every baby with every tub of old dirty bathwater. We think and pray over these things. We study and work these things out and struggle through them, and we come to conclusions about things. Yeah, I am that."

I particularly relate to these last few sentences. I want to think and pray and study and struggle through everything before reaching conclusions. It makes growth slower and somewhat more painful, but I sure do like what results from it all.

"There is a very deep reconsideration of Sacramental spirituality running through this camp. Communion (Eucharist) is once again being taken up as a central focus of meeting life. Sermons aren't as important, but rather, teaching and other gifts flow in the natural life of the community, as they pray together and live together and meet together. So, the natural and the organic flows side by side with the liturgical - very interesting. So you have a non hierarchical, more flat and relationally based leadership structure, but there IS leadership."

I would encourage you to read all of Creech's posts here. He is a part of the Vine and Branches Christian community somewhere in Kentucky. Anyone else relate?