So I’m pondering the current trends I’m seeing, reading about, and experiencing–both away from more traditional forms of church and toward new expressions. Emergent, missional, organic, and other terms–these are words that are used in an attempt to explain what God is showing us, to explain what we are doing, and how it is different from the traditional approach.
The way I see it, there are generally two different approaches people have when venturing into new territory like this. For our purposes, let’s call them the “covered wagon approach” and the “bandwagon approach.”
The covered wagon to me is a picture of the days of westward expansion in America–the pioneers. People who left the comfort zones of the established eastern cities and ventured west into the frontier, who traveled in caravans of covered wagons to set up homesteads in the wilderness. These people were going into basically uncharted territory, starting from scratch. Their reasons were varied, but in general, they were dissatisfied with the status quo and wanted something more–a new start. They understood the risks of going into the unknown, but their hunger for adventure overrode their sense of caution. This is the heart of a pioneer–a hunger for something more, and a willingness to step outside the lines to find it.
In any new movement or trend, there are pioneers at the heart of it. The reason we even have new ways to look at church is that someone, somewhere, grew tired of the way things were and felt like there must be more. A significant number of people, actually. These are the people who actually own the changes that are happening, because the change has been worked inside of them. They have ventured outside the boundaries because they themselves are hungry, looking for a fresh expression of their faith, something to make it count for more than it did before. They would do it, even if nobody else did. That, to me, is the covered wagon approach–the true pioneer spirit.
The other approach, the bandwagon approach, is probably a bit more self-explanatory. “Jumping on the bandwagon” is a saying we use to describe people who see a trend as growing in popularity and want to associate themselves with it simply because it is popular. Now, admittedly, any trend worth its salt is going to attract followers and increase in popularity, and mostly that’s something we’d want to happen. But to me, jumping on the bandwagon means that you have nothing invested in whatever new thing is happening–it’s new, and it’s up-and-coming, and that alone makes it appealing. The problem with this approach, of course, is that there is no real root structure in it. When people are just on the bandwagon, the moment it gets tested or challenged, or the moment something else “new” comes along, those people are hopping off the bandwagon and looking for something else to jump into.
In my journey the past couple of years, I’ve seen both types. There are a growing number of people who are truly hungry for more and have ventured outside the traditional, institutional boundaries (often with friends and leaders chiding them for it) in an honest attempt to rekindle their faith. Many of these have then looked around and found that there are a lot of other folks like them, people who are sharing the same hunger; and sometimes, these people begin to express their faith together in a tangible way. These, in my opinion, are the ones who are owning this journey.
Then I have seen the bandwagon kind. In the spiritual climate of my town, bandwagons are a dime a dozen. It seems like almost everyone is just looking for the “new thing.” And the same is true with the missional/emergent thing. Now that those words are “out there”, more and more churches here are trying to establish “emergent” worship services, almost the same way we split the contemporary and traditional worship services a few years ago. For some of these, it’s just a bandwagon–a new marketing strategy to try and attract these “postmodern” types of people under their umbrella. Something new to make us look all progressive. It’s so bad, in fact, that sadly, I’m already skeptical when someone here starts throwing these words around. I wonder if they are just on the bandwagon, or if they have really paid the price and earned the right to use those terms.
I’m careful about the labels I use to describe myself, for that very reason. I have ventured out here out of personal hunger, and in my studying and observing, I’ve found terms like “emergent” and “missional” and “organic”. But before I start identifying with any of these, I want to know I have owned it in my soul. I want it to be real. I want it to truly describe both my hunger and my journey. I don’t want to just jump on the bandwagon.
And that’s my point, actually. The bandwagon approach doesn’t stand up when the trials come. Not like the covered wagon, pioneer approach. The pioneers willfully endured the harsh conditions of an untamed wilderness because they believed, because they wanted something new, and they were willing to pay the price. That is how we need to be. Whatever God is doing in His church, we need to let Him do it in us. This kind of thing can’t be jumped into blindly–not if we expect it to last. It has to be birthed in us, worked through the inside of us.
So if you’re thinking of jumping–honestly–look before you leap. Don’t just get excited about a new approach for its own sake. The Bible says it is wisdom for us to search out a matter. If you are truly hungry for more, let that hunger lead you to search it out, to count the cost. So that when you truly step outside the status quo, you will own it, and you will have the strength to endure when that decision is tested.
Wayward Son
Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo.
I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.
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Jeff, thank you for this post. Right now I need both the encouragement and the warning. I’m feeling that hunger for something beyond what is typical in evangelicalism, but I’m not totally sure where to go. I sense God is telling me to be patient.
Jeff,
My wife and I are still attending an institutional church wainting for the proper time to come out. We have a good idea what we’ll be doing when we are released to come out of it. Just waiting for the Lord to bring certian things together.
One of those things we’re waiting on is for the Lord to bring at least one other family across our path who have the same desires we have in what a meeting of the Church should look like. Hopefully that will happen soon
Lightbearer, you’re not anywhere near Rock Hill, SC are you? 🙂
co_heir,
Sorry no. We’re in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Co-heir,
In my experience, when you are stirred in soul but don’t have a clear directive from God what to do with it, it is wisdom to wait till you know. 🙂 I am having to practice this patience in certain areas of my own life right now, as well.
Lightbearer,
I guess your comment came about 16 years late. We used to live in Cincinnati. 🙂 However, at that time, of course, we had no grid for what we’re discussing now.
And, um, glad you two are getting to know each other?? 🙂
Jeff,
Just recently found your blog, and reading through your posts I’m liking what you’re writing.
As far as wagons go, it seems that we started moving into new ideas, and later, along the way we discovered that there was a bandwagon. Seems that the wagon where we have been located is not too full yet!