Lama's log

The is the title of the next chapter in the book 'Emerging Churches' and one which I enjoyed. I don't think they can claim the issues raised here are prevalent only to the emergent church as the questions raised are ones I recall echoes of through my teens.

Basically the chapter puts forward the desire of the emergent churches to link word and work. Emergent church stuff is often linked as 'trendy' or a way of satisfying spiritual tastes rather than being meaningful to community building and community serving. The authors work hard to say that emerging churches seek to look at both strands together and state that, 'Authentic kingdom living provides both the credibility and the opportunity to point inquirers to Christ.'

During our 'away day' yesterday, we reviewed the roles of the leaders. One strand of the church is seen as 'service' and there was an interesting discussion about the fact that most of the things listed under the banner of service for people to get involved in, were actually about church housekeeping. What Mary pointed out was that these things really need to be seen as in house jobs which we all need to share, much the same as you might share out the labour in your home. This is not to undervalue them in any way, many of the minor stuff is vital for us to function well, however, they are tasks we should all shoulder the burden of and see as separate to our call to go out. Service then, needs to look more to the needs of others outside, the poor and the vulnerable in the community. How is the church being friend and Christ to these people.

This I think is the kind of questions which this chapter seeks to explore and it does it quite well.