Getting started

I'm starting a weblog.

I am a Ministry Coach (not "pastor" - perhaps some more on that later) at Heartland Church in Indiana. The church has been around since 1985 and was involved with the Vineyard movement for quite a few years. Our church has been in a transition for a few years now, moving (to put it simplistically) into being the church in an increasingly postmodern context. I want to blog about some of the questions and challenges and implications and opportunities that I encounter in my work. I also want to explore some of the theological questions I am wrestling with, especially along the lines of ecclesiology, how we can authentically live as the people of God in the world. What kinds of things will need to change as culture changes? What kinds of things are to remain unchanged? I think exploring these questions in the context of actually doing the grubby work of leading a church is a wonderful place to be in, because I can see the practical outworkings of various theologies in real life.

I also hope to work out a synthesis of several different streams of thought that I follow and appreciate:

1. The Emerging Church folks: I read quite a bit of this kind of stuff, and I appreciate the radical-ness of it, and also their deep commitment to discipleship, the Scriptures, and Jesus.
2. The Liturgical Church folks: I have begun reading some N.T. Wright (an Anglican bishop and theologian) who has some very important things to say to the church, I believe. He comes from a liturgical background, and I love many of the prayers and readings that have been cultivated over hundreds of years. I love much of the worship theology that comes from the liturgical church. Very rich.
3. The Spirit-filled/Charismatic Church folks: I grew up in an evangelical/charismatic church, and have always had a high value on the work of the Holy Spirit in terms of the "natural" and the supernatural (prophetic words, dreams, visions, words of knowledge, healing, miracles). Sure, they've overemphasized certain things, but we don't throw out the baby with the bath-water. We still really need the Holy Spirit.

I'm not sure what to do with all that, or what a good metaphor is. Will I melt them down to try to make one substance out of them, or will I mix them into a pot where they retain their individual characteristics and qualities, but lend those qualities to the flavor of the whole soup? I don't know - I just know I have a sense all of them are pretty important for the church right now.

I'll probably also put a few personal items up here, just to keep things light (all deep thoughts and no laughter makes Ben a dull boy). And I definitely don't want to be dull. So in the words of Tobias from Arrested Development: "Let the great EXPERIMENT BEGIN!!"

Comments

[Rob]

I have been part of an "Emerging Church" for the past 3 years. I have personally learned a lot from the experience. I too have had a similar range of experience with church and I also take about the same perspective on the strength and beauty to be seen in each type of church. What I have held onto the most is the undefinable bit of life that makes a church real, vital, and strong. That bit that refuses to fit the boundaries or to be formulated into a hypothesis. At its simpliest, it is that real life that comes when the people each have a real relationship with Christ. It is the "whole" being greater than the sum of it's parts.

That is not to negate the importance of understanding and defining the trends within church but rather to celebrate the diversity in which God can move and to emphasis the core of our relationship with him.

I am constantly amazed at the way that a group of people dedicated to Christ in their personal lives will be drawn together to form church -no matter what flavor it takes on... and that is the most beautiful thing. I haven't read the other posts so I think I will read them before going commenting further :)

[Jason Coker]

Hey Ben, I'd be really interested in hearing more about your church's journey. Could you email me at jason(at)twoshirts(dot)org?