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Reviewing Deep Church by Jim Belcher
Jim Belcher, the author of Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional, and I have much in common.
We both did masters degrees at Fuller Theological Seminary.
We both have a heart for church planting.
I teach a class on the Emerging Church based on the intensive that he references in his book. (35)
We get frustrated when people talk past one another, defaulting to caricatured stereotypes rather than embracing a posture of openness.
And we both value looking for a “third way” to approach dichotomistic thinking.
He is right when he says,
It seems that every time someone criticizes the emerging church, they pick the worst-case scenario or the most extreme statements. (49)
He is also correct in noting,
It seems the emerging church, for rhetorical purposes, uses sweeping generalizations about the traditional church that are unfair. (76)
The larger Body of Christ would indeed be served well by discourse that is deeper, more specific, and marked by a sense of humble openness. Belcher’s chapters on Deep: Truth, Evangelism, Gospel, Worship, Preaching, Ecclesiology, and Culture, are essentially his attempts to facilitate just that – a worthwhile enterprise in my opinion.
While Belcher’s book is truly helpful in this regard, I’m not sure he really hits the mark in terms of articulating a true “third way” as a means of engaging these topics. Very often, his conclusions in these chapters are a combination of a chastened version of the EC position he articulates and an expanded version of the traditional position he articulates (usually w/ reference to Tim Keller and his church!). I suppose this is a kind of “third way,” maybe even precisely the one Belcher desires, but I’m not certain it’s the most helpful kind of third way for the Church to pursue.
The mistake, I believe, comes in the assumption that one can simply pit the positions of the EC against the positions of the traditional church. The main problem here is that many in the EC camp are themselves trying to articulate and maneuver a “third way” between the modern categories of conservatism and liberalism, a feature that Belcher seems to either overlook or discount w/o comment. An indication of this is his quick dismissal of the Anabaptist tradition from which many in the EC draw as one which is able to circumvent many of the dichotomies addressed in this book on account of its fundamentally, Christendom-rejecting, stance. Belcher never seems to ask, “How might people in the EC camp already be searching for a third way in response to classic approaches to these issues?,” but assumes that their positions are simply reactions against the positions of traditional churches.
Belcher sets himself on this course in stating,
We need to define it [the emerging church] as a movement, particularly its theology. The best way to do this is to look at what the emerging church movement is against – the things they are protesting and the rasons why they are calling for change. (38)
For the life of me, I can’t grasp why someone would want to define a movement by what they are against (even it it is a protest movement) rather than what they are for. We certainly regard what the classic reformers were for as far more more important than what they were against! But more than this, Belcher fails to identify missiology as a core motif for the EC. For many, if not most, in the global EC movement, it is an attempt to participate with God and God’s mission in the world that is reshaping how they understand the sorts of topics that Belcher raises in his book, not vice versa.
These criticisms notwithstanding, I am glad that Jim wrote this book and don’t doubt for a second that it has an will continue to help many.
**Jim has recently decided to resign from his position as lead pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA. You can read a letter he wrote to the congregation regarding this transition here and some additional discussion about this sort of trend here.
What is the Emergent Church?
Last night Amy and I joined a friend for a presentation at Harvest Bible Chapel on the topic of, “What is the Emergent Church?”1 as part of an ongoing apologetics series they are doing.
As someone who gets to teach the course, The Emerging Church in the 21st Century, once a year, I was looking forward to attending and seeing what was said and discussed; especially considering the speaker for the evening was Dr. David Finkbeiner, a professor at Moody Bible Institute.I mean, if you want to get a balanced understanding of what the “Emergent Church” is all about, who better to ask than a professor of systematic theology at a school that officially, “does not endorse the emerging/emergent church” right?!
Harvest would have done well (though from what I could tell – would never so much as have considered it) to have invited at least one person who could have spoken as an insider to the EC discussion.
It was clear from the get-go that the tenor of the evening was going to be critical, bordering on condemnatory. And this, even after Dr. Finkbeiner admitted that there is no simple way to define the EC as a whole.
Dr. Finkbeiner’s focus for the evening was theological method. His premise was that what undergirds the “Emergent Church” movement is a post-conservative theological method. His aim was to critique this theological method overagainst a more traditional conservative evangelical one.
Essentially, here’s what that meant…
1) Post-Conservatives err in their non-foundationalist approach to epistemoplogy which takes things like history, context, and culture seriously, where as conservatives rightfully embrace Scripture as the objective and sole foundation to all knowledge.
2) Post-Conservatives err in asserting that absolute truth, while real, may often times be beyond our ability to fully grasp. Conservatives rightfully assert not only the reality of absolute truth, but affirm our ability to, “with a little hard work,” objectively know it.
3) Post-conservatives err in not championing the inerrancy of Scripture. Conservatives rightly hinge all their hopes on Scripture having been verbally and inerrantly inspired.
So, here we have a guy who is doing a masterful job of towing the line of modern conservative evangelicalism, lambasting those who dare to think, “There might be some stuff we’re missing here.”
As I listened to him describe some of the perspectives and viewpoints of post-conservative evangelicals I found it hard to believe that he wasn’t converting himself!
He quickly and coyly dismissed a broad range of the most helpful aspects of post-conservative theology…
– The idea that we need one another in the pursuit of truth because all of our perspectives are bound by a host of factors
– The notion that theology loses its character when not born out of an embodied witness
– The view that the authority of Scripture lies not primarily in its abstract character, but in its function in the life of the Church
– The insight that biblical propositional truth derives its meaning and significance from the narratives in which they’re embedded
– That post-conservative theology is, at its core, a prophetic call to revisit some of our modernistic assumptions
In each and every instance, the speaker noted that these are the hallmarks of post-conservative theology and then attempted to show why they ought to be rejected.
OK, so that was the presentation and as enlightening as it was, the Q & A time was even better. I quote.
“Is Willowcreek an Emergent Church? I heard they sell Brian McLaren books.”2
“Is the Emergent Church a cult?”
“I’ve heard that Urbana and InterVarsity are becoming more Emergent. Should I keep my kids away from those groups?”
I actually had the opportunity to ask the last question of the evening…
With a little trepidation, but in the spirit of full disclosure, I teach a course on the Emerging Church at the seminary level and I need to say that I think there have been some pretty unfair characterizations of the movement here tonight. I was hoping that before we go you might offer a positive comment about the role the EC has had in the recovery of the importance of the Missio Dei or incarnational approaches to ecclesiology.
Dr. Finkbeiner commented that, “Yes, there has been some focus in those areas, but they still are wrong in how they do theology.” So, no, he didn’t have one positive thing to say the entire evening about the EC.
Left completely aside from the discussion of the evening was the historical evolution of the EC movement, its place in the scope of the collapse of Christendom, and the most relevant bit of information given the scope of the talk, namely, that theological method simply isn’t at the center for 90% of the people who are in any way affiliated with the movement. For the vast majority, what is central is joining God in his mission in the world and finding ways to make the church, not culturally relevant (as too many assume), but incarnationally faithful in the pattern of Jesus.
Between the tenor of the presentation and the questions and comments of the audience, it’s little wonder that conservative evangelicals are so often characterized by fear and close-mindedness. There are many in the EC community who are trying to carve out a way of being the church and doing theology that doesn’t fell prey to these charges. I was really hoping to come away pleasantly surprised by the event. Sadly, I didn’t.
- There is no such thing as the Emergent Church. This is a classic conflation of the terms Emergent Village and Emerging Church offered by those who aren’t all that familiar with the topic [↩]
- Someone from Harvest was quick to announce that Harvest doesn’t! [↩]
Consuming Jesus
I have been looking forward to reading Consuming Jesus: Beyond Race and Class Divisions in a Consumer Church by Paul Metzger for some time. For the sake of an alternative context and experience, I was even more excited to read the bulk of it amidst my time in Africa and its deep seeded tribalism.
In Metzger’s words, his aim is to…
confront the ways evangelical-consumer or niche-church Christianity fosters racial and economic divisions, and I wish to offer an alternative theological paradigm to the one that is often embraced in the evangelical subculture. (11)
In my words, this alternative theological paradigm comes only by way of rejecting the version of the gospel which has led to a consumer-oriented faith/church and embracing one that prophetically strikes at the very heart of that reality.
In John Perkins’ words,
The only purpose of the gospel is to reconcile people to God and to each other. A gospel that doesn’t reconcile is not a Christian gospel at all. But in America it seems as if we don’t believe that. We don’t really beleive that the proof of our discipleship is that we love one another.” (9)
I love that Perkins understands the gospel by what it does. Like love, the gospel takes on its true nature only when it is enacted.
In the beginning of the book. Metzger insightfully traces the various streams, characters, and events which have so vitally contributed to the dominant expression of Christianity in America. From here, he probes into the ways in which “the dominant structure of the evangelical church today favors, fosters, and shapes its structures around the key ingredient of individual choice…” (79) Key to understanding this tendency is his discussion of the popularization of the Homogenous Unit Principle (HUP) by Donald McGavran as a method for church growth. The remainder of the book features insightful biblical and cultural reflections, helpful examples and a sustained discussion on the vitality of Scripture and sacraments for the formation of communities of reconciliation across racial and class boundaries.
Of Scripture, Metzger says…
We must move people with God’s word on Sunday mornings to move beyond their addictions to race and class affinity groups. Authentic witness to Jesus is at stake, and we must stake our lives on it. (117)
– a quick aside here: just as the goodness of the gospel lies in what it does, so too the sermon is only good inasmuch as it results in changed lives. Don’t ever tell a preacher his or her message was good unless you are prepared to also tell them how it resulted in your changed life
And I love that he includes Marva Dawn’s words on the Lord’s Supper…
How can we share the eschatological feast if we don’t participate in displaying God’s future, in which all will be equally fed and we will all join together in universal praise? It seems to be that if we eat the body and blood of Christ in expensive churches without care for the hungry, the sacrament is no longer a foretaste of the feast to come, but a trivialized picnic to which not everyone is invited.
The end of the book is the author’s attempt to move into a discussion of partnerships amongst churches across racial and socio-economic lines. His desire is for the church to…
re-envision its understanding of communal identity in view of its communal and co-missional God as involving solidarity with society at large…. This will entail a radical break from the dominant American individualistic mindset that keeps us separate from others. It will require that we lay down our lives and die for our enemies rather than try to take back America from them. (149)
I found this to be a fantastic book. A bit narrow at places where I though the discussion (at least by way of footnotes) should have been expanded, but definitely a much needed message for the American church. I suppose the big question I am let with is how to think about local congregations that are seeking to incarnate themselves in places that are intrinsically homogeneous. If anyone wants to weigh in, please feel free, I’d enjoy the discussion.
The Fuller Seminary Generation
Jim Wallis is an author and speaker who emphasizes the ways in which Jesus is a political figure, the gospel is a political message/lifestyle, and the church is a political body. IMPORTANT: Neither Jim Wallis nor I would ever say that this is ALL Jesus, the gospel, and the church are – just that they are vital, but often overlooked dimensions.
These were new and not-so-easy-to-swallow concepts for me as a student at Fuller. In ten years as a christian, and until coming to Fuller, I had never been invited to contemplate what it means that Jesus died, not an abstract atoning death, but at the hands of the Roman empire for being a political insurrectionist. Additionally, the gospel (far from being poised as a life to be lived – which has political implications) was reduced to a truth to assent to, namely, that Jesus was God and that he died in my place so I can go to heaven when I die. Incidentally, I should say that I believe this insofar as it goes, but rejoice that I have come to embrace a much more robust and holistic understanding of God’s good news. Lastly, I understood the church as little more than a collection of saved individuals, not as I do now, a community called to embody an alternative way of life – a polis with the Triune God as its Lord.
Anyway, in a recent article, Wallis discuses the way in which an increasing number of people in my generation (current 20-somethings), are “abandoning a worldview that reduces the gospel of Jesus Christ to an afterlife-oriented, fire-insurance, salvation pitch.” He claims, “These are Matthew 25, Luke 4, and ‘Sermon on the Mount’ Christians. They really believe that the kingdom of God represents God’s best hopes and dreams for this present age, not only for the life to come.”
In calling this demographic of people “the Fuller Seminary Generation,” Wallis notes the enormous role Fuller Theological Seminary has played in shaping a generation of pastors, theologians, and missionaries who don’t quite fit into traditional molds. Depending on who you talk to Fuller is either too conservative or too liberal – too political or not political enough – too rightist or too leftist. No one quite knows what to do with the school and I would say that this is to their credit as they seek to transcend conventional dichotomies.
I believe that Fuller is able to overcome these dichotomies, not by finding a balance between them, but refusing to see them as the only viable options (FYI – I think they get this from Jesus who also refused to pick sides). As my friend Sam pointed out, people like Rob Bell (maybe one day I’ll have my own wikipedia page!! jk, I don’t want one
and Tony Jones are products of Fuller and I think they are doing a world of good for the state of the church in Western culture (I’m compelled to add, there are plenty of other people – non-white/male people, from Fuller doing a world of good – I mention these however because, sadly, they are still the only figures our culture tends to give any attention to – this is a serious problem!)Anyway, here’s the point. I love Fuller and I am thrilled that someone like Jim Wallis is giving them credit for the contribution they are making to the reshaping of the church in Western culture and beyond.
The Story of the Missional Church
Thanks to my good friend and esteemed colleague Deb Flagg, I am on a email list with Evangelicals for Social Action. In an email I received the other day, they offered a short article by Stephen Hayner entitled, “The Story of the Missional Church.” It is a very concise article focused on the relationship between church history and the emergence of what we are calling the missional church and well worth your time if you’re interested in missional church stuff. It’s here.
No, No, Please God, No
From Leadership Blog: Out of UR
September 25, 2007
ATMs: Automatic Tithing Machines
How can you pass the plate to people who don’t carry cash? You can’t. So
the next big wave may be the “Giving Kiosk” in your church’s lobby.“A lot of people no longer carry cash or a checkbook,” says Marty
Baker, pastor of Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Georgia. So he
installed two ATMs in 2005. The experiment has been a success.During the first year, the kiosks processed over $100,000 in
donations at Stevens Creek. In 2006, that number increased to just over
$200,000, representing more than 25 percent of the church’s total
income. Even more impressive is the fact that giving as a whole
increased 18 percent since the ATMs were installed. “It’s a safe,
convenient way for people to donate to their church,” Baker notes, “and
it meets people where they are today.”These positive returns encouraged Baker to launch SecureGive, a
for-profit company that produces and maintains several different
versions of the giving kiosks. “We knew that if this concept and
technology was so beneficial for our church, others could benefit from
it as well,” says Baker.SecureGive currently operates in 25 churches around the country. One of them is
Family Church in West Monroe, Louisiana, where Terry Taylor is the
executive pastor. “We wanted to help those who were not giving to start
walking in obedience,” says Taylor. “We feel that is being achieved.”Princeton Pike Church of God in Hamilton, Ohio, had featured online
giving for years, but the service was used consistently by only ten
families. The church engaged SecureGive in January and now has more
than 150 families contributing regularly through the giving kiosk.The company points out an array of practical advantages. One example
is a decreased risk of embezzlement, since donated funds are
transferred directly into a church’s bank account, bypassing the
counting committee. And the kiosk documents satisfy Internal Revenue
Service regulations requiring taxpayers to present a written statement
from a bank or charitable organization when claiming a deduction on
their returns.Phil Martin of the National Association of Church Business
Administrators says that Automated Tithing Machines might only be the
beginning. “Whether we’ll have an offering plate with a card reader one
day, who knows,” he said. “But we’re certainly not far from that.”
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