emerging from what

The Ooze posts this article by Phil Underwood on the Emerging Church.

I think emerging is a wonderful thing. From what I was to what I will be. Many times friends and colleagues who stay in our formerly shared paradigm ask me what is different about me, ministry, my worldview. I sat down and attempted to answer. It was a blessing to me to see some of the ways i have changed oever the last three years.

So, how are we emerging, and from what? In some word flows it would be...

We are emerging from a mindset of superiority to one of community.

We are emerging from a posture of having it all to hoping all have it.

We are emerging from a place of narrow definition to a place of broad understanding.

We are emerging from an era of top-down heirarchy to an age of shared ministry.

We are emerging from a class-driven system to a value-led community.

We are emerging from a microwave results urgency to a process-oriented patience.

We are emerging from an evangelism vs discipleship tug-of-war to a path in the way of Jesus leading to eternal life (here and there.)

We are emerging from a self-righteous behavioral system (do's and dont's) to a realization of all being from and to God.

We are emerging from having all the answers to asking many questions.

We are emerging from a closed-borders church territory (denominations) to an open border give-and-receive from many groups and traditions within Christendom.

We are emerging from a past of suspicion to a future of confident trust.

We are emerging from guilt-driven conversion to conviction-based liberty.

We are emerging from a laissez-faire ministry to an engaged ministry.

We are emerging from our past into a glorious future.


What is your emergence?