Saturday, October 11, 2008
Beloved Community, Troy Bronsink
Emergent Community, beloved community, joining hands.
Grew up in Charlotte, NC megachurch, conservative, somewhat pentacostal. Attended Liberty U. Participated in YoungLife, had a spiritual director, with ideas about silence, discernment, etc. Being around people who are different than you can give you ideas about what is truly good news. In Washington State, discovered Presbyterianism, ideas about call and Calvinism. Read about postmodernism and its applicability to religion. Attended Columbia Seminary, discovered Brueggeman's ideas about text and subtext, stories having multiple levels and meanings. Also discovered Newbigen's work in missiology and postcolonialism through Dr. Guder. Then found Doug Pagitt and Emergent Village.
In all experiences, felt pressured to choose sides or agendas and line everything up behind them. Posture of awareness, readiness, willingness to have conversation presented itself as an alternative through missiology. Image of upper room and Jesus breathing his spirit on the disciples. Spirit actively putting us all in play. How we are all part of the same story.
Made a space for the unknown that he wanted to step into.
How are emergent and progressive christians both letting go of structures of limitation and use new knowledge and thought to move forward into a new unknown space. Quantum. Evolution.
Learning that takes place in this process.
Had a house church, then pastor of a church that wasn't ready to step out, then neighbors suggested that they start a church in their neighborhood. They began to have opportunities for spiritual practices in the way of Jesus, and excitement is starting to form.
Grew up in Charlotte, NC megachurch, conservative, somewhat pentacostal. Attended Liberty U. Participated in YoungLife, had a spiritual director, with ideas about silence, discernment, etc. Being around people who are different than you can give you ideas about what is truly good news. In Washington State, discovered Presbyterianism, ideas about call and Calvinism. Read about postmodernism and its applicability to religion. Attended Columbia Seminary, discovered Brueggeman's ideas about text and subtext, stories having multiple levels and meanings. Also discovered Newbigen's work in missiology and postcolonialism through Dr. Guder. Then found Doug Pagitt and Emergent Village.
In all experiences, felt pressured to choose sides or agendas and line everything up behind them. Posture of awareness, readiness, willingness to have conversation presented itself as an alternative through missiology. Image of upper room and Jesus breathing his spirit on the disciples. Spirit actively putting us all in play. How we are all part of the same story.
Made a space for the unknown that he wanted to step into.
How are emergent and progressive christians both letting go of structures of limitation and use new knowledge and thought to move forward into a new unknown space. Quantum. Evolution.
Learning that takes place in this process.
Had a house church, then pastor of a church that wasn't ready to step out, then neighbors suggested that they start a church in their neighborhood. They began to have opportunities for spiritual practices in the way of Jesus, and excitement is starting to form.
Labels: Beloved Community, Progressive Christian
