Thanks for the thoughts on the previous post – it is a question I discussed today with our breakfast group.

We meet each month to read and discuss a chapter of Al Hirsch’s book – ‘Shaping of Things to Come’. There was no great answer forthcoming from the group, but I have a theory gestating.

Someone once said ‘the opposite of love is not hate – its indifference’.

Perhaps the opposite of incarnational is not attractional – maybe it is formulaic?

I say that because maybe somewhere there is a culture where an attractional church would be the most effective way to make disciples – in that context it would be incarnational… true?

So perhaps what we need to guard against is ever constructing a nice neat formula for mission and church that doesn’t allow us to be incarnational. If we were to ban all attractional churches then we might shoot ourelves in the foot at some point…

Anyway that’s what I think today.

Come on all you emerging church thinkers… what is it?

Its a serious question that arose after a conversation with a good mate today.

What is the opposite of incarnational?…

Its not often that I experience self doubt in relation to what we are doing here in Brighton, but I have had a little the last few days.

At the Baptist Pastors Conference we were hearing about how the American Churches of the West have seen phenomenal growth in their movement as they have adopted an aggressive church planting strategy with a strong results orientation and high levels of accountability. They have seen many many people ‘cross the line’ to use John Kaiser’s terminology.

The closest they have to an emerging missional church plant is a more funky church service that does reflect the surrounding culture.

What strikes me and causes me to question is the fact they seem to be effective. They appear to be growing churches rapidly and seeing many unchurched people come thru the door.

I am results oriented.

What we are doing is going to be very slow in the early days especially and it will be difficult to measure results. I am tempted to jetison it for a pumped up version of normal church – church on steroids / pig with lipstick – whatever you want to call it.

Maybe we will fail in what we attempt here – maybe we will not see people come to faith at all? Maybe we can do a better job of the attractional beast and see discipleship occur?

The thing is I don’t want to go back. Its just that sometimes when the weight of opinion sways against you and what you are involved with is unproven (OK the ’emerging’ church in China is fairly proven!) you just wish you could hop on the bandwagon and be ‘one of the boys’ again.fat albert dvdrip