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There’s a church down the road from us that is doing a “Church Emergent-CY” Conference. I’m half-tempted to go but it’s my birthday weekend and I’ve got other things I need to do. Besides, I’m reluctant to spend 2 days listening to people bash the emergent church movement as if it is the greatest danger to the Bride of Christ.
Of course, I could be completely wrong. That church might be doing the conference to prepare their church for reaching the lost and engaging their culture in a relevant way. The conference could be a catalyst for change! Hard to accurately know which way that ball is going to bounce for sure.
I just find it ironic that in Little Rock, Arkansas the issue that gets the most response and action from the ‘church’ is the emergent church and not our homeless problem or poor problem or our white flight problem or racist problem or creating ‘bored-with-Jesus kids’ problem or our abandonment of the public school problem. Why is that?
I went to Alltel yesterday to switch a phone and the guy that helped me was black. I was wearing my In-N-Out Burger shirt and he said - “Man, I was hoping I’d get to help you! Love that shirt!” He shook my hand and we did the guy pull together and bump chest thing. It was completely sponteanous - a white guy and a black guy inside an Alltel store practically hugging. I’d never seen him before in my life but there he was giving me the ‘thug hug.’
In 3 minutes I learn that he’s from California (the shirt reference), he’s moved here recently, he wants to move back, and his first day in Little Rock a 4-wheel drive truck drove by him, shouted the N-word at him, flipped him off, and drove off. It was nice to see a friendly white face I guess. I smiled and said…”Welcome, to Little Rock!!!” He said he’d never experienced racism like he has in Little Rock. I’m looking at him. He’s a business man. I’m the one that looks like a thug - sandals, shorts, t-shirt, earring, dark sunglass, baseball hat.
I spent about 30 minutes with this man. (Someone explain to me in the age of high-speed internet and USB 2.0 that it takes that long to transfer a phone book from one phone to another?) I like him. In that time frame we talked about 3 year-olds, schools, coast life, racism, music, wireless internet plans, bi-racial marriage/dating, and seafood. He was incredibly engaging and vulnerable for just a ‘customer service rep.’ Why did he decide to talk to me? I have no idea. But I do know that the dangers of the emergent church were never brought up in our conversation. I’m also pretty sure that anyone who does bring it up doesn’t have a chance of reaching and befriending a guy like him.
We just keep inventing ways of answering questions that no one is asking. Sometimes I feel like I’m in a crazy episode of The Emporer’s New Clothes.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Mike R // Jun 1, 2006 at 9:42 am
“Of course, I could be completely wrong.”
I’m not sure what the content of that conference is but I know one of the speakers and I’m going to guess that you probably are wrong.
2 Grant // Jun 1, 2006 at 10:05 am
Like that would be a new thing!! haha.
I honestly don’t have a clue what angle the conference is taking but traditionally the emergent church hasn’t played well in that context or in Little Rock for that matter.
When are you going to blog again??? hah ah
3 Mike R // Jun 1, 2006 at 10:22 am
“The 2nd Mike - Confessions of a Lazy Blogger”
Has a nice ring to it.
4 Wayne // Jun 1, 2006 at 11:37 am
I’d go listen in your stead, but we are going down home this weekend … so, Happy Birthday.
Great moment with the Alltel guy. Need less discussion about those issues in the church and more action though…myself explicitly included!
5 Mike S // Jun 1, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Thanks for taking time to connect with the guy. Thanks for being the church, not just doing church. Think there’s a lot of that going around, better yet, been around. Thanks for being Jesus with skin on - no matter what color it is.
6 Jerry // Jun 2, 2006 at 5:07 am
1. Glad you made it to In N Out Burger, best source of ambrosia (food of the gods) on the west coast.
2. In N Out t-shirts are definitely NOT the Emporer’s New Clothes. They are the real deal.
7 Linda // Jun 2, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Have a Happy Birthday!
8 Zack // Jun 2, 2006 at 1:27 pm
From what I have seen the church is to busy trying to figure out to engage different types of people instead of just doing it. It often seems and sometimes feels better knowing what t do and how to do it then actually taking a risk and engaging.
9 Nixon // Jun 4, 2006 at 10:16 pm
What exactly is considered an “emergent” church? I’ve never heard the term. I HAVE heard of In-N-Out burger, one trip there in the late 90’s made me a lifetime fan. I hope to have it again someday.
Being in an inter-racial marriage myself, that topic would have interested me. We’ve experienced very little racism here in Little Rock, maybe we’re just lucky. But, we DO live in a mixed neighborhood, shop primarily in SW LR, and both work in heavily intergrated workplaces.
We get the occassional look from folks, but it’s usually one of admiration, or at the worst confusion. ( “seperate checks?”)
Please do let me know what an emergent church is, the term confuses me.
We still need to get that coffee, and it just so happens my church now has a cafe’, let me know what days are good for you!
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