Please take the time to read this excellent analysis by Frank Gillespie of Putting Out the Fire concerning the latest trend among LCMS mission experts to "reach" the "missing generation." Frank is spot on.
This "hipolatry" is getting tiresome. I suppose when we start seeing icons with the Starbuck's logo and serving Holy Communion in paper cups with the little corrugated cardboard sleeve wrapped around it, we'll finally get the message of just how shallow this worship of the youth culture really is.
Thanks again, Frank! BTW, I recommend his blog as well. And you can't beat that logo (see above).
And on the same topic, while I don't have the time to write a proper review, a few weeks ago, I read an outstanding book, Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be, that exposes the "emerging/emergent church" phenomenon (the latest fad that the church growth experts, including the mandarins of the Missouri Synod, are diving into). The book provides viewpoints from both a Protestant (Reformed) pastor (Kevin DeYoung) and a layman (Ted Kluck) by alternating chapters written by each.
The book is engaging and written in an almost "blogsy" style that effectively dovetails two writers with unique perspectives with a nice balance of reiteration without redundancy. I highly recommend the book, especially to those interested in a primer or introduction to the emergent/emerging movement, as well as those with interest in "youth ministry." If I find "some time" some time - maybe I'll write a review. But since you can get the book for about ten bucks, maybe you should just take a chance and read it.
Thanks for the link Pastor! I didn’t know you had been stopping by.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me is that a simple slack jawed yokel like myself can see this “hipolatry” for what it is but the elected and ordained leadership cannot. Do these folks think our so youth are so shallow that they have to be brought into the Church with gimmicks and Madison Avenue style marketing? Apparently so.
As with any fad that they try, it may work briefly. However, when the youth figure out that there has been a bait and switch, and they will, they’ll only go missing again.
Of course there are those who wish to transform the church into something more seeker sensitive so as to make sure that the switch is taken out of the equation leaving only the deadly bait.
I love "Whey We're Not Emergent".
ReplyDeleteI was cracking up the whole time (I don't remember their jokes, I just remember humor), and at the same time drinking some very refreshing theological water.
Its a great book.