Emerging Church: New Zealand on top

Johannes played with the new Google service called Trends and typed in emerging church.

Very reassuring to see Godzone country take its RIGHTFUL place in the global emerging church hierarchy. Do I hear an Amen from my Kiwi homies? Sounds like a good reason to buy Emergent Kiwi Steve Taylor's excellent book "Out Of Bounds church" and see what all the fuss is about.
Also nice to see Doug Pagitt's home town take First City.

Technorati Tags: emerging church, nz

Comments

[Simon Diprose]

Not so reassuring... my pick is that the term is being searched for by people very concerned by some of the philisophies of the Emerging Church, and its tendency to abuse and destroy Christians who dare challenge those philosophies.

[Alan Jamieson]

Hi Andrew

what was the basis of the survey/study? in what way are kiwi's 'top' in emergent church? is this interest? number of emergent groups per head of capita??
would love to know - hope you are doing well and sorry to miss you in London
aj

[Matt Stone]

Ah yes, but we're making the news in Australia! See
http://mattstone.blogs.com/eclectic_itchings/2006/06/full_monty_emer.html

[andrew]

alan - i dont know all the criteria but i am sure your book "A Churchless Faith" has added to it.

Simon . . . what the HECK are you talking about? Come back and tell us what you heard, and then challenge our response. please!

[A True Evangelical Believer]

I have to agree with Simon...its not reassuring. I think that if we connect this with the other posting about the nude beach ministry we are only seeing that just because you have the numbers doesnt meen you are Godly.

I am glad that God looks on the heart and not the number of site hits. From the looks of it, (referring to the EC in New Zealand and its "ministry") I would say that there is much to be concerned about. Emergent is not biblical especially many of the ministries coming out of it and most people are looking at these sites and probably thinking "What on earth are you thinking?"

Thats my two cents!

[andrew]

True one

please keep in mind that the nudity thing was APRIL FOOLS JOKE and did not realy happen - so please dont use it in your evaluation.

what do you think of Taylor's book on the emerging church from a NZ perspective/

what about a link to a "biblical" church so that we can see what we need to aspire to. Your church, for example.

[Truth Seeker]

Hey all!

Wow, what a conversation! Seems like there is a smoldering fire going on here. To "A True Evangelical Believer" defense, I dont think there was any indication that it was a April Fools joke, but he shouldnt have jumped to conclusions. But I can see why he would say that. If I saw a piece online like that without any disclaimer I might have said the same thing, give the guy a break, please.

But I wanted to comment on what a biblical church may have looked like in the NT times. It is hard to place that model on top of our world and say that they must be the same. I think that it is impossible to have the same exact kind of church that the Apostles had. When I look at the principles of the church in the NT testament I must always remind myself that even though the principle may not change the culture reading it will. I cannot change the priniciples but I can adapt them.

For example, when Paul talks about the role of elders and such, what was the principle? I think that it was that there should be leadership and defined roles to facilitate the service of worship. Are the role defined as "elders" "bishop", who knows, but the one thing I think is that there much be leadership.

I think that as we approach the model in the NT church we must remember that the actual practices may not translate but the principles will. That means careful thorough study of the scripture.

That is what I think. Any thoughts to add to this? I am interested to see what you have to say. I hope you wont be to hard on "ATEB", he may have genuinely felt that it was a real post and was standing up for the truth.

Thanks!