Lama's log

This is the next chapter in the book Emerging Churches that I have been looking at. To be honest the other reading I have done has now meant that a lot of the book is going over what seems to be old ground. Still I will persevere.

The chapter is basically summed up in the title. Emerging churches seek relational models rather than structure. This works, except to note that, some of the churches don't deconstruct but rather reconstruct their format in order to hold things together. For example Kevin Rains at Cincinnati talks of how the home groups connect with Vinyard and give money etc. It's not that there is no structure, just that it is a different structure.

It seems that there needs to be some sort of 'spine' for churches/communities to connect with for there to be continuity.

Massive emphasis is put on strong interpersonal relationships and accountability. This strikes me as very exciting in terms of the possibility of radical discipleship. The notion of commitment beyond issues of what we can get out of others/church opens up the possibility of living a faith rather than belonging to one.

The problem with books about stuff, is that you get presented with a positive picture rather than a true picture. There must be struggles and issues and locating these through reading is hard work.

People tell me that the issue of sexual sin is more rife in this setting given the close proximity of the relationships. This is so however, in any community. I'm not sure if it would be more of an issue in this model of church. It does speak the need for strong accountability and structure and then of course we get to the grit in the pearl. For as soon as there is structure, liquid church moves into solid church, or sludgy church at best.

It seems there must be a relationship with structure, but what kind and how if we also seek fluidity?