Examining the Emergent Church

A must-read this summer...

Why We're Not Emergent (by two guys who should be),
Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck (Moody Publishers, 2008)

You may not have heard much about the 'Emergent Church' - but you will increasingly hear its views coming through in conversations about what Christianity & Church should look like in the C21. So getting up to speed on the thinking behind the EC and its theology is increasingly important for thinking Christians and church leaders.

The book is written by two '20/30 somethings' who write alternate chapters. DeYoung is a pastor who theologically analyses the writings and beliefs of the EC 'movement' (or 'conversation' as EC's prefer to call it). These chapters give a good solidly biblical assessment of the EC.

Kluck writes from 'street level' reflecting on the EC as he encounters it as an ordinary church member (going to EC churches, conferences and reading its popular books). His chapters are refreshingly written (he is a sports journalist by profession), full of telling observations and laced with a dry wit.

The book is a much easier read than Don Carson's 'Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church' - so if you found that heavy weather don't be put off reading this. It was one of those books I found myself sneaking off to read - it was genuinely enjoyable.

The title obviously gives away where it’s going - but its strength is in its fairness. It's not a rant or a snide dig at the EC - it acknowledges its strengths and its challenges. It steers away from being partisan and tribal. So whatever your views on the EC (or even if you don't have any yet) - this is a subject you need to know about and this, to quote Mark Dever's review, is 'a book we've been waiting for'.