So the Whitworth event went off without a hitch. Everything ran extremely smooth schedule wise. If you see Scott Kinder-Pile, Tim Dolan, Isaac Bubna, or Craig Goodwin, please give them a hug and a big thank-you. They did a wonderful job planning the event.

Now that it’s over, what did you think? Any initial thoughts or comments?

I personally felt like Tony did a great job of unsettling of unsettling people with his opening talk.  Maybe to the point of coming across as arrogant.  I think a few people left the first evening feeling like, “So much for the dialog between Mainliners and Emergents. It’s Emergent’s way or you’re going to get mocked.” Then as Karen, John, and Doug spoke, people found themselves opening up and saying more and more, ” Oh yeah, I can see how this or that can be done in my church.” or “Oh, maybe their beliefs are not as far off the deep end as I initially thought. “

So overall, I loved it. I tried to do as little talking and as much listening/eavesdropping as possible. I left with very much hope as to how Emergent and the views put forth this weekend can affect our churches here in the Spokane area. On a side note, I thought Tony had excellent cowboy boots and I loved that Karen kept bobbing her head and singing along to the music in her own presentation.

What were your thoughts?

We’ll try to plan a get together in the coming week or two to share things we learned and what we agreed or disagreed with.  Also, if you you’re new to the cohort site, let us know who you are and we’ll get in touch.

Peace,

Scott Ellis

Whitworth University and the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest present a forum for discussion that will raise more questions than we can answer. An Emergent Mainline Dialogue will host Tony Jones, Karen Ward, John Franke, and Doug Pagitt; who will consider the vital witness to Jesus Christ that is being made amid the cracks of the institutional church as we know it.  Nuances abound.  And we need to talk about them without feeling threatened.  Moreover, our hunch is that mainliners may have things to teach that emerging generations still need to learn.  As Philip said to Nathaniel regarding anything new that might be coming out of Nazareth, “Come and see!”

 Info and Registration