A Node in the Web of the Emerging Church

An Invitation to The Great Emergence National Event

Posted Nov 13, 07:00 AM | 0 comments | by Steve Knight | Link

From Phyllis Tickle, re-posted from the Emergent/C email newsletter:

There are probably as many reasons for gathering in Memphis in December as there are people doing the gathering. For me, however, two things take precedence over the rest.

This is, so far as I know, the first time that emergence Christians and hyphenated Christians, along with some denominational Christians, have sat down together in one place at one time to pray together … the first time that we have gathered, that is, to seek together the will of God for us as co-operating builders of the Kingdom of God on earth now. Whatever else happens, I pray that the prayers we offer, both together and within our particularities, will be offered humbly, will be received with mercy, and will be answered among us powerfully and incontestably.

Secondly, in all our doing and being and talking, I pray we will remember in every member part of ourselves that when we do this thing, we are enacting a 21st century variation of the story of the Church in the 1st century. Some of us, as Prof. Ray Anderson has so brilliantly shown, will come to Memphis from the posture and understanding of the Church in Jerusalem—of the Inherited Church—and some of us will come to the Memphis Council out of the Antioch tradition of fresh expressions of Church. Some of us will be, within ourselves, a hyphenated bit of both. But it was in the tension between Jerusalem and Antioch that the theology and the ecclesiology of early Christianity found their birthing place. May it be so again in our time and place.

Learn more about The Great Emergence National Event (December 5-6 in Memphis, TN) and register online now

(Please enter “BLOG” in the “Coupon Code” field when you register. You won’t save any money, but you just might help send an intrepid blogger to event with you for free!)

Are you a “hyphenated Christian”? (e.g., Anglimergent, Presbymergent, Baptimergent, etc.)
Read more from Phyllis on the Hyphenateds blog

Watch a series of short videos of Phyllis discussing The Great Emergence and download the free study guide

Listen to an interview with Phyllis on the Homebrewed Christianity podcast, part of the new Emergent Podcast Network

Check out special pre-conference events taking place on Thursday, December 4

Hotel rooms have been blocked off at several hotels in Memphis, but those rooms are only being held until this Saturday (Nov. 15). Check out the hotel reservation sheet and get your room booked ASAP!

Phyllis Tickle is one of the most highly respected authorities and popular speakers on religion in America today.