Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Tim Conder, The Church in Transition

This fab book is written by Tim Conder, who is a pastor of the Emmaus Way church in Chapel Hill, where my friend Michelle goes.. This church is a congregation of a larger church, Chapel Hill Bible Chruch. This is fascinating to me because they are doing some of the very things that God is calling us towards. The most major difference seems to be leadership structures. Chapel Hill Bible Chruch is non-denominational, so it has a a more fluid, co-pastorship, leadership structure. The structure of leadership within our denomination will not lend itself as easily to what we are endeavoring to do. However, as I read from Tom Hurt recently, 'God has not cancelled the Great Commission' - we cannot afford to not follow the leadings of the Spirit of God!

The book is a bit about what it takes to transition in all forms, from worship to leadership to mission to whatever. It's more than some candles and U2 - and this book details that kind of thing.
Here are some interesting quotes, notes and questions:

p.8 "I believe we are living in an era when the church must open itself to change if it would fulfill its calling."

p.16 - excellent notes on defining postmodernism and its tennents of finititude and suspicion.

p.21 "Perhaps most of all, the emerging church is a missional church."

p.25 "Like many of Christ's followers, I have many frustrations with the existing church...certain late night religious broadcasts...the U.S. presidential election of 2004...cultural anachronisms...thus diminishing the voice of the church in a constantly changing world."

p.37 excellent notes on the postmodern worldview having a disbelief in - goodness of knowledge - certainty and rational nature of truth - objectivity of knowledge.

p.45 referring to C.S. Lewis (the apparent O.G. of emergence) "[the Christian faith] is entry into a relationship in which we are joined mysteriously by God's spirit into the 'three-personed,' triune community life of God."

p.99 refering to a Paggit statement, "Wouldn't the world be better off if you spent two hours working on the sermon and the rest of the week feeding the hungry in your community?"

p.114 " Awareness of the depth of our sinfulness can stregthen our connection to those around us and eradicate the self-righteousness, entitlements, and fears that prevent relational hospitality."

go ahead and get this book - I got it free at the NPC, but you should pay!

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