Baker Book House in Grand Rapids is hosting an “Emergent Roundtable Discussion,” next Thursday, October 18th, at 7.00 PM.

Those participating in the conversation are…

John Frye – serves as pastor at Fellowship Evangelical Covenant Church, Hudsonville, MI. He’s a great guy, a veteran pastor, and an avid blogger. John is one the first people I met in GR. I respect his ongoing pursuit of theological integrity and ministry innovation.

Andre Daley – serves as pastor at Mosaic Life, Grand Rapids, MI. Andre planted Mosaic Life and has been a significant mentor to me, especially regarding multiculturalism and the church. He’s a good friend and he’s even let me preach at his church!

Mike Wittmer – serves as Associate Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. Mike is a friend and a colleague. I appreciate his ongoing commitment to ask helpful questions for the ongoing emergent conversation. Mike is the author of Heaven is a Place on Earth.

Sarah Cunningham- is the author of Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation. I found her book very meaningful and have recommended to many of my 20-something friends. A while back I felt compelled to blog her back with my own post called, “Dear Sarah.” I look forward to meeting her.

Steve Argue – i’m just trying to make meaning in the many worlds in which I feel I straddle. I’m glad to be a part of this.

If you’re in town, come and join in on our conversation. I’m looking forward to our time together and I’m grateful to Baker for setting this up.

Last night, Troy Hatfield and I traveled to Chicago to attend Dr. Robert Webber’s memorial service at Christ Church of Oak Brook.

This is a service that Bob created for his own funeral and it was filled with so many rich elements that reflected Bob, honored God, and inspired us all.

When I sat down, I opened the bulletin and on the inside was a letter from Bob to all of us attending the service. Here’s what Bob wrote…

Dear Friends,

As a Christian I have always believed in Christ as the Victor over sin and death. I believe that Christ was the Second Adam, sent to this earth as God Incarnate, suffered death, was buried, and rose from the dead to restore the entire creation. I believe that it is God who narrates the entire world and creation, from start to finish. Consequently I have no fear of death although I do fear the process.

Today, there are literally hundreds of different styles one can follow and model for a funeral. However, historical Christian funerals were always about God. I was able to think about my own funeral and truly want it to be about God who created this word, defeated Satan at the cross and rose victorious over death and the grave.

Today we begin with several eulogies, then when those are done, the real funeral begins and it’s all about God. I want my funeral to be a testimony to the God who raises us from hopelessness and blesses us with new life in Him.

I hope these few words help to explain why my funeral is being done in a more ancient than modern way.

Bob Webber

We drove home feeling so lucky, blessed, and inspired by Bob’s words to live passionately into God’s calling on our lives the way Bob did with his.

Northern Seminary has a Tribute Page for Bob. You can read other’s comments and add your own.

I have a profound respect for because he has demonstrated, through his posture, what true “conversation” looks like with a tribe of emerging Christians. I think that’s why he’s respected in these circles. He is gracious, gives credit where credit is due, while offering fair critique.

I’ll probably always live with the regret in my life that I didn’t take more courses with him when I was at Trinity!

So, here’s a really great article Scot wrote for CT in January- “Five Streams of the Emerging Church.” I think he dispels some of the myths associated with emerging Christians, brings clarity to the conversation, and offers some fair challenges.

Let us know what you think…

Since I’ve read the book Dear Church, by Sarah Cunningham, I thought I’d take a minute to write a letter back to Sarah.

Since her letters are to the church, I feel that they are (at least in part) directed to me. Sarah would agree that this as letters to Church have an inclusive element.

Problems we have with the church are our problems if we claim to be Jesus followers. It’s a “we” problem not a me-you problem. So here it goes…

Dear Sarah…
Thanks for your letters. It’s no small thing to me that you would take the time to write and put your thoughts and feelings down on paper. Words can’t always catch (and publishers won’t always allow) the full throttle of feelings and experiences to always be expressed, so I must believe that this is the tip of a much bigger and deeper iceberg that you’ve alerted us to. This iceberg needs to be seen by many, and for many (me included) it’s a giant island in the middle of the world that can’t be missed (and maybe that’s why so many of us have been frustrated… haven’t others noticed the problem?).

I believe you write these letters (as well as others on your website) because you want to be part of a solution. We don’t need to gossip about the church behind close doors anymore than we want to gossip about people behind their backs. It’s destructive and unhealthy. The healthy approach is to be up front and honest with each other. This is the pathway toward true healing. Thanks for setting a good example.

As I read your letters, I couldn’t help but discover two responses welling up in me. The first was a feeling of solidarity with your church experiences. The second was to offer some suggestions that might take the conversation further.

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Regularly, some of us have been meeting for morning prayers at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, downtown Grand Rapids.

The Emergent West Michigan cohort has adopted the first Friday of each month as “Seeking Friday” when we gather for prayer.

Unfortunately, I’ll be out of town this Friday, but I’m certain others will be joining.

Go to St. Mark’s website for directions. Park in their lot. Enter by honking at the gate and Mary will let you in!

Peace, friends.

So, I’ve been contemplating an idea for a while these days and sharing it with a few friends. The other day, at our Emergent West Michigan group, I decided to share some of the things I’ve been mulling over, as our topic was, “Thoughts on Re-imagining Church.” They didn’t disown me, so I thought I’d throw out my thoughts to the blogsphere and see what others might think.

There’s much talk about “church planting” and “birthing churches” these days. And rightfully so. I’m a firm believer that churches need to be birthing new churches and that Jesus-following communities are to be supported and encouraged to venture out to express the gospel communally and contextually.

I wonder, then, as we focus on the birthing process of churches, if it’s responsible for us to consider the dying process, as well. Lately, I’ve been learning toward advocating some sort of Ecclesiastical/Church Euthanasia. It’s not a morbid topic, really. I think it’s the reality that every living organism has to face.

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Join some of us from the Emergent West Michigan cohort for prayer togher at St. Mark’s Episcopal church this Friday at 9AM. St. Mark’s is on the corner of Division and Pearl, in downtown Grand Rapids.

Parking is available at the church on Division. Pull up to the lot and honk. Mary will let you into the lot. Click on the church picture for their website.

Father Mick will lead us in morning prayers and I am hopeful that we can continue to incorporate prayer together as part of our ongoing emergent conversation.

Peace, friends.

Last week, I went with some of our GRTS students in our Theology of Youth Min class to hear Don Miller at the Cornerstone University chapel. Don was here for a few days and he got quite a welcome.

When authors like Don come around. I like to go to the venue where they’re speaking for two reasons– One, to hear the person, and two, observe the group thats listening.

Don’s voice is an important one, because what he’s saying (regardless of fans or critics) seems to resonate especially with the college crowd. His words, thoughts, and perspectives seem to speak a language that interprets the feelings that many have.

On Wednesday, among other things, he suggested that…

Our American culture is caught up in a “How” world while the Bible is a “Why” book.

In many churches, I wonder if many of us have heard a “How” message that’s attempting to connect with a “How” culture. But when we go to the Scriptures we see little “How’s” anywhere…

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I had a GREAT time in Milwaukee, last weekend. Thanks to the Connect Team who worked together to serve many, many youth leaders, and indirectly… many, many, many students.

I had quite a few take-aways from the weekend, but I’ll focus on two. They may be related but I’m not yet sure exactly how.

First thought…. one of the books that has had a significant impact on my thinking has been Alan Jamieson’s book, A Churchless Faith. I believe his research, specifically with New Zealand Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Charismatic (EPC) churches has far-reaching implications for similar churches in America. His argument centers around his research revealing that there are a growing people in the faith community that are “Leavers”- people who maintain a strong faith and desire to follow Jesus, but are increasingly disenfranchised with the institutional churches.

Some might accuse those of the “emergent” persuasion in America of simply playing with ministry philosophy or ranting about the way church is “done,” but I am becoming increasingly convinced that many in emergent are asking hard questions because they see what Jamieson (and I think, Barna) are seeing… that a generation of people (especially, but not exclusively, under 40) are not showing up in the existing churches. Check out this article by Jamieson…

The result…They’re not coming, they’re leaving… and they’re not coming back.

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I’m back in Milwaukee March 04 for a Youth Ministry training event called “CONNECT 2006.”

The Conference will be at Elmbrook Church but it’s actually hosted by a number of youth ministry leaders in the area.

Maybe that’s why I like it so much.

I think the event is an expression of a collaborated effort of area leaders seeking to learn from each other, and spur each other on to serve the teenage community. It may not be too late to register for the event, so give Jen- Youth Min Coordinator, at Elmbrook a call if you’d like more information.

I’m looking forward to doing my seminar: Postmodernism in Youth Ministry: Embrace or Resist?

I’ll share more on this event in a later post, but I’m wondering if any of you have your own thoughts on the subject.

Ryan Bolger from Fuller seems to think that “youth ministry” doesn’t fit in a post-modern context because the church needs to emphasize a multi-generational approach. Mark Riddle has some thoughts on the topic, too.

Tell me what you think or are wrestling with, especially if you are a youth pastor, planning to be a youth pastor, or are doing youth ministry…