Challenges within the Emerging Church

I recently posted the following comments on subversiveinfluence.com:
You pose the question on how the emergent church can respond independent of the denomination. It is not the denomination so much as the the members of the churches where emergent ministries are developing that worry me. I was really taken back by how aggressive conservative members in particular can be. Four members of my church did in an emergent ministry that pastored to the needs of children. The denomination put up all kinds of barriers to maintain these four members who left anyways. These barriers included being required to preach and program outside of the denominations core theology and orthopraxis in order to maintain membership. With denominations, its all about the numbers.

So is it possible to build an emerging ministry within a denomination or a larg mega church? Sadly, the answer appears to be no. Most churches are threatened by any culture or praxis that is different or contrary to them. Many will give lipservice to the churches they have 'birthed'. But when you get into the contexts they are typically repeats of the parent church with maybe updated music. Its no wonder they mostly fail. A many of you know right now the big thing is opening a new facility and broadcastings services into the facility from the parent church. While this may( no proof because we don't have numbers) bring in members who would probably join the parent church, it doesn't draw people who would never attend a 'regular service'. My most personal and hearfelt memories as a christian took place in a small community within Hennepin Avenue UMC. It was a small worship community (like 10 people) we did a simple worship and had discussion over dessert. This was accessible as we have a men, women, developmentally disabled and people of color. This group consistently meet for the years until the pastor retired. Then the group was ' mainstreamed' I left shortly thereafter for my first appointment. However, when I left that appointment I didn't go back because that ministry wasn't there. It was contrary and not 'usual' but it meet a need.

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