pcusa + emergence: is the talk too cheap?

David Williams asks the same questions I tend to ask on a regular basis, but does so in a better way. He gets to the issue of why the energy often wanes in emergent groups. Can we claim the power of the Holy Spirit at work within and among us? Can we dare to be truly radical and seek change within the church?

(T)ransformation only occurs when you graciously engage with the Other. That means making a point of getting out of our comfortable klatches and pushing outward into ones that aren't quite as easy. Can we share the value of Spirit-driven relationality with that fundamentalist blogger? Or that atheist with a chip on his shoulder? Do we reach out to that young Korean who's burned out on the relentless demands of the church she grew up in? Or that soldier who has returned from war with a shattered faith? Or that mom who goes to a Big Parking Lot church because it's kids program is a well-oiled machine that fits well with little Tyler's soccer schedule? Or the blue-haired matriarch of that little country church with 22 members?

via Beloved Spear: Emergence, The Spirit, and the Trap of the Klatch.

For the emerging church within the church to be what it wants to be, I think this hits the nail on the head. It has to be a movement that radically alters the social field of the church in terms of age, race, gender, and the biggest elephant in the room, class.

If we look like a middle to upper class white denomination, then that is who we will attract and never change. If we expect people to have a certain level of dialogue and discussion skills without opening the doors to teach people, then we will never change. Ties and khakis are a symbol of white collar work and class. Jeans and dirty boots are symbols of blue collar work. Clothing is class. We dress who we want to be like and who we are.

The problem with change is property and income. Pastors have a hard time doing this stuff because of the anxiety and resistance, even if there is a small core of members in the church that are on board with it. In this economy, it is far too difficult to get up and walk at the behest of Jesus to make change when that damn mat you are sitting on is the only thing you have to live on to support your children. Change requires risk and without an ample safety net to catch the risk taker, it's too much to ask of a mainline pastor.

We need a financial net somewhere to catch people in order to inject risk into the system in order for people to nudge it towards something that it not a lilly white classist organization – which it is for the most part. (If you are saying "that's not my church" you are either right or ignoring the reality in front of you. I have seen both.)

Faith is supposed to be the net here just to move people in a direction of radical change. Relying on the promises of God is what is ultimately supposed to catch risk takers. Butted against the realities of American life, however, the line between faith and irresponsible delusion is very fine one. This is where better discernment and calling on the Holy Spirit to give life is indeed necessary.

Related posts:

1. i am emergence…
2. revised statement of faith
3. pilgrimage
4. we cannot change unless we mourn
5. sin kills god: why jesus had to die