Stories of Emergence

I've been reading Stories of Emergence: Moving from Absolute to Authentic. A very interesting read. I've honestly not educated myself or read a lot about the emergent church or postmodernism. But I love reading stories about the Church doing new and different things to reach people that wouldn't typically be reached. Or stories about transformation. This book is full of short stories about exactly those things. Various authors share their stories about experiences with traditional church and unique places God led them. I am only 1/3 of the way through so far and am definitely looking forward to the rest.

Mike Yaconelli addresses the various movements that church has experienced over the last forty years. The Jesus movement, the Calvary Chapel movement, the megachurch movement, among others. His conclusion: "The longing beneath all these movements has always been the same—to find a place where people can worship God, learn abut Jesus, share their lives in authentic community."

I love my church home, but the building and its programs are just a tool God uses to touch people, to draw them in. Programs open doors; relationships are the real keys to people experiencing Christ. This book has been emphasizing and reminder me that we all need to be introducing people to God and not a church. Showing them the transforming power of Christ and what a relationship with Him looks like. How am I being used in this process of helping others find God, establish a relationship with Christ and have a safe place to be real and share that realness? I love my jr. high girls group and what God's showing me through that time and interactions with them. I love seeing God work in them and in me because of them. Love being a part of the story God continues to write.