The Next-Wave Ezine: Issue #78

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Behold I make all things stale and boring
 
 
After reading a bunch of Emergent Church type blogs recently I realized almost no one is saying anything new. Not only does this make blog reading boring and pointless, but it gets a little irritating.

The blogs I read through are supposed to be the big thinkers for the emergent movement. These are the guys and girls that are supposed to be thinking outside of the box. But it seems like everyone got out of the box a few years ago and now everyone is trying to huddle together in a mass of "sameness."

And maybe I am just frustrated because I am a young American who always craves the next new thing. And that is definitely an issue many of us have. It's funny to read some of these blogs though and see people write as if their thought is a new one. In truth, it's what people have been saying for at least 10 years, if not more. I don't know. Maybe I am just being a punk here.

I guess I search the faces of the blogs to find some new insight and new inspiration. Then I get disappointed as the same old rants are still being posted. Has anyone else noticed this?

Let's see, we have some of the same formulas for most Emergent Church blog posts:

  • 1. The Geopolitical expert who rants against war
  • 2. The response to a published critique of the Emergent Church
  • 3. The social justice savior who like most Miss Americas "Wants to end poverty and bring peace on earth."
  • 4. The punk who is a part of the Emergent Church, gets annoyed with it, and critiques the crap out of it (like this article).
  • 5. The "Hey I have a new thought" post that has been written about for years already.
  • 6. The "I am really tied to historical spirituality" post which gently reveals how spiritual and ecumenical I am as a post-modern dude.
  • 7. The insider-lingo post that weaves together words like incarnational, organic, cohort, missional, indigenous, post-(whatever the hell you want to be better than), community, etc. into a terrible cacophony of coolness.
  • 8. The moderate political post that refuses to be pigeon-holed into either the liberal or conservative camps but instead, like a buddhist monk, "transcends" all political parties and labels in general.
I know these so well because these are what make up the majority of my sad excuse for a blog. I just wonder if anyone else is tired of reading the same old stuff on blogs that are supposed to be from folks on the leading edge of the church.


Mark Stephenson is part of the leadership team at Horizon. You can find his blog, The First Epistle of Mark here >>>.

 


RECENT COMMENTS


i appreciated your thoughts ... sometimes it does seem like the church is a lot of bees swarming around an open jar of honey. those who are different are the people that are out there using their hands and feet going somewhere and being empowered to change lives.


Yes...I've noticed (to answer your question). I've also retreated from these types of "board-life" because I've found people's comments to be dismissive and cynical. Things like.."social justice savior who..." Maybe we just haven't looked ridiculous poverty in the eye. Maybe that's why we can't understand why that is so important to our own Savior for us to be his living representations of justice and hope for the hopeless who would consider it a day of jubilation to have a cup of clean water. But, it's easier to label and sneer than it is to get of our respective arses and make a scene about it (after all, we may get crucified). Mechelle


There is nothing new under the sun, friend -- not really. The urge to ever-novel-ness might be a temptation, ya think? An indicator of addiction? A slippery footing? Some old desert father type (I think) once advised, "Sit in your cell and your cell will teach you everything." Sometimes we must wait quietly. To talk isn't enough; we must also listen.


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Next-Wave Ezine - Issue #78
Editorial
 
Issue Credits
 
 
Cover Story

Chef Barna's State of the Church: 2005
 
 
Emerging Church
The 'Emerging Church' threat
 
'even though'
 
An 'emerging church' pastor hears from God at the Origins Conference
 
Behold I make all things stale and boring
 
Community
 
I repent
 
 
Culture
America's Idols
 
God, our culture, and MTV's 'Next'
 
Carrying a heavy burden [bag]
 
 
Theology
In and Out Theology
 
 
Reviews
Last Word and the Word After That, a Review
 
Star Wars births 'Jedi' Christians...
 
 
Leadership
Down with Structure! [not!]
 
 
From the Archives
Experience Ancient Spirituality
 
 
Interviews
The Last Word, and the Word After That...an interview with Brian McLaren
 
 
Essay
weight