emerging church

Seems like a lot of people have been having a bit of a rethink about how they live out their relationship with God and what church looks like. Someone sent me a link to some great articles on emerging church that I've found really interesting and thought I'd share with you guys...http://www.emergingchurch.info/guide/index.htm

I'm naturally someone who likes order and structure. I like things to be black and white. But I'm starting to see that God doesn't work that way. We often categorise people as Christian or non-Christian, non-churched, un-churched, religious, non-religious, irreligious, athiest or whatever else. I used to use those labels too but recently my thinking has been really challenged. I've started to see that there's people in my life who don't neatly fit into any of these boxes! I like the article about the church who descibe themselves as "becoming church, becoming Christian". How do we define what a Christian is? At what point would you say Jesus disciples became Christians? Was it when they first decided to follow Jesus? But they knew so little about who he was or what they were signing up for? Or was it when they first realised he was the Messiah? They may have come to a deeper understanding of who he was but they still messed up, doubted and misunderstood. Peter denied even knowing Jesus only a few weeks later - hardly a dedicated follower? Was it when Jesus rose from the dead? Even then some doubted him! Not so easy to pin point is it??! And yet so often the church puts an emphasis on seeing people 'converted' from a non-Christian in to a Christian.

The Bible prefers to use the term 'follower' instead of Christian. I would suggest the disciples became followers of Jesus from the time they first met him. From then on they were on a journey. There were many key points on that journey that brought them to a higher level of understanding and a deeper, richer experience of God. Our lives are much the same. I think it's unhelpful to view being a Christian as a destination to be reached or a level of holiness to be attained. I'm sure at some point we've all felt like we're not good enough and don't match up to what a Christian should be!!! To view Christianity as a journey instead of a destination brings so much more freedom! No more feeling guilt or frustration that I've not reached a certain destination. Instead I'm learning to kick back, enjoy the ride and take in the scenery. I'm learning to savour what God is doing in my life right now instead of always wanting to rush on to the next thing. It's an adventure of faith that we are all on together. Let's stop comparing where we are at and just enjoy each others company on the ride.