Tulsa World: Emergent church advocates go on road

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Emergent church advocates go on road

By RYAN STRONG World Staff Writer
Published: 7/12/2008 2:07 AM
Last Modified: 7/12/2008 2:35 AM

The three authors will take their revival into Tulsa on Tuesday.

The Christian church is in need of a change, at least according to author Tony Jones.

Jones is one of three authors from Minnesota on a national book tour titled "The Church Basement Road Show: A Rollin' Gospel Revival." The event comes through Tulsa on Tuesday.

Jones, along with Doug Pagitt, author of "A Christianity Worth Believing," and Mark Scandrette, author of "Soul Graffiti: Making a Life in the Way of Jesus," are traveling from coast to coast in a biodiesel-fueled RV speaking at various churches about a more liberal, nontraditional method of practicing Christianity. It's called the emergent church.

The emergent church movement, which began nearly 10 years ago, is a "broad, loose coalition of people who want to rethink the church for the 21st century," Jones said. The group attempts to accomplish this goal by reinterpreting theology and the practices of the Christian church.

"We're preaching a fresh way of life and faith — one that is in rhythm with the life of God," Pagitt said in a press release.

The authors will be presenting a "half book signing, half skit" that will include singing and preaching about the emergent church movement at Braden Park Baptist Church on Tuesday.

"This will be unlike any book tour people have seen," Jones said. "We'll be barnstorming the country, shaking the rafters with our ancient-future message of hope."

Braden Park minister Darryl DeBorde found the emergent church message intriguing and invited the authors to speak in Tulsa.

"I had a strong interest in this post-modern way of thinking," DeBorde said.

The emergent church leaders are expected to discuss detaching from the "elitists and corrupt" members of the Christian church to remain focused on loving God, Jones said.

Jones said he wants to reform the way Christians read and interpret the Bible and to challenge the older methods created by the traditional church.

"We're doing what the original reforms did 500 years ago," Jones said.

About 10 years ago, Jones saw some changes that he wanted to make in the church. He later discovered that he was not alone. Jones, Pagitt and Scandrette decided to start writing books and launch a Web site — tulsaworld.com/emergentvillage — about the emergent church to reach other Christians with similar beliefs.

"I was thinking, 'The world is changing dramatically,' and the church in America needs to change, too," Jones said.

The emergent church movement, like many new ways of religious thinking, has sparked some controversy within the church, said DeBorde, the Braden Park minister.

"Anytime you have people present new ideas, you're bound to have traditionalists who disagree," DeBorde said.

Jones said some people disagree with his interpretation of the Bible or the idea of a church without a pastor.

The group has encountered some negative responses while on tour, but feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, Jones said.

"Out of about 1,000 people, we have had about two or three who have been negative," Jones said.

As the three authors make their way to Tulsa, they expect to get the same positive reception.

"People will laugh and sing," Scandrette said. "But they'll also be challenged to join the Jesus revolution."

Ryan Strong 581-8400
ryan.strong@tulsaworld.com By RYAN STRONG World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Tony G, (7/12/2008 5:19:04 AM) If he can bring God's ideas to the people, without all the garbage the religious right so often speak of. More power to him.
	Report Comment brh, (7/12/2008 9:13:05 AM) change the church to conform to society. what's the point of that? one of the functions of the church is to serve as a template and model for social and individual behavior and values - not vice versa. i just love people who join established groups (voluntarily - no one forced them) and then try and change them into something else - ridiculous.
	Report Comment godless, (7/12/2008 10:29:20 AM) brh, the church has adapted to society in many ways - this would just be a continuation of that. There are far too many things to list in the bible that would be considered unacceptable today.

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