Emergent Nazarenes

[James Diggs]

I am not sure where to post this, but this looks good.

Hi my name is James Diggs, and I have been thumbing through your threads recently and I have been very pleased with the thoughtfulness and authenticity of your online community.

Some years ago I had left the church of the Nazarene while pursuing my call to ministry because I simply did not fit in culturally with Nazarene church culture. I never made a real decision to leave, and I had no issues with the theology because I am still very much Wesleyan, but I just found myself fitting better with ministry opportunities outside of the Church of the Nazarene. Over time I found out I wasn’t alone in the way I thought as a Christian and found kindred thinking among the emerging church movement.

I never thought I would return to the church of the Nazarene, but God had different plans that He made evident to me while I began talking to the district leadership of the Mid-Atlantic District. What I found over time was a group of believers in the Church of the Nazarene on this District open and even conversing with the emergent church movement. I am also encouraged after reading several of your post’s here at NazNet about books by McLaren or Rob Bell’s “Velvet Elvis”. This shows that there is acceptance for those who are culturally post-modern and that as a church we are not afraid to blow up our mental models and look at things in a new way.

Now I am back with the church of the Nazarene and am planting a post modern emergent church in Maryland. One thing that is cool about our church plant is that it’s being done through the partnership of the Church of the Nazarene and a local non-denominational Church here in Maryland. I think this is a very progressive and bold move to partner with other churches outside our denomination in order to plant something new.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I was encouraged by your online community. To learn more about our church plant in Maryland you can visit our website at thecorridorchurch.com (http://www.thecorridorchurch.com)

I have also just started a blog that I will be inviting other contributors to participate in over the next few months called emergentnazarenes.com (http://www.emergentnazarenes.com)

James


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This is my first post. My Welcome thread is here. Please post all my welcome messages there.

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[Jeremy D. Scott]

Welcome, James.

Might I ask what church you've planted (and where)? I ask because I was on a flight from Columbus to Philadelphia with a man who said he went to Olivet Nazarene University a couple of weeks ago. As my parents (who were with me) began talking to him, he mentioned that he was in an exciting and growing church plant on the Mid-Atlantic District. I wish I could remember his name, but I can't. Actually, this may be a weak attempt to make a connection, but from what he described of his church, it sounded like it might be yours. Anyway, nice to "meet" you and welcome. You're on a good district. I'm not surprised to hear that Ken and Terry are doing whatever it takes to create new ministries.

May the Lord bless what you're doing.

[Gary Swartzlander]

James, Welcome to Naznet. I love your website, and the video is excellent. The mission, vision and values of your church are well explained and I get excited for your community just listening to it myself.

Best wishes as you progress, it seems God has great things instore for your ministry.

[BobHunt]

James, welcome to NazNet, I am glad when I was reading your blog that you seemed to draw a difference in the word sanctification. So many people feel that it only means being separate and seem to think we have to live apart from everyone else including the church because we are holy and a little better than others. But this is so much a false sense of what real sanctification is. For I feel that we arent just set apart for a purpose, but empowered and cleansed to accomplish that purpose! I am so anxious to see more of what you write!

[Dennis M. Scott]

James, welcome!
From time to time, you'll be frustrated with NazNet. We're an interesting mix of ideologies, and occasionally there's friction, but usually love. There'll almost always be someone who'll side with you.
Just the term, emergent nazarenes, has an exciting ring. From time to time and place to place, the Lord has occasionally seemed pleased to use the COTN, but my opinion is we've been fishing for the same old group most evangelicals go after. We've neglected way too many people groups and styles. There've even been moves to keep us focused on one style, and deviation from that right up to now scares some. Ken Mills is not one of those, as you've discovered. I know from your website and post, you're an encouragement to him.
Forgive some of the rest of us for stomping on you from time to time. Follow the Leader. Rest in Him. We need you. We've been brought to the Kingdom for just this time.
Jeremy mentioned above meeting someone on an airplane. The conversation across the aisle in the row ahead of me seemed to concentrate on sports for most of the flight. As we were disembarking, one of the men said to me, "Don't I know you from ENC?" Linda and I identified ourselves, and then realized that in fact we did know the him. Then the other guy who'd been talking sports said, "Did you say ENC? I went to Olivet." The conversation quickly broke up as we left the plane, but not until we promised to pray for one another. Church planter types do that. Now I can add your name to that list.
Blessings.

[Hans Deventer]

James, it is good to hear your story, it warms my heart and gives me hope. I am not surprised that if there is room for you on a district, the Mid Atlantic is the one. I have come to know and love Ken Mills, and I am thrilled to hear how you found a place there!
May God bless your ministry, and yourself!

[Barbara Moulton]

From your website:
It is in this conviction that the Corridor will be about helping people as disciples of Christ live out their faith in the context of their families, friends, workplace, and culture rather than in the context of growing an institution and church organization.

Jumping up and down shouting "Amen".

Blessings on this exciting work.

Barbara

[Ian Gentles]

Loved the website and the whole vision.

[Andrew Henck]

Jumping up and down shouting "Amen".

Barbara

I am with Barbara! Welcome to NazNet and thank you for sharing this. It is exciting to hear and read about and I'm sure it is exciting days for ministry for you. Where in that area is "The Corridor?" I ask because I'm formerly from that area and have relatives that I visit pretty frequently who live in the area too.

Enjoy your day!

[Marsha Lynn]

Welcome to NazNet, James. Both your website and blog are refreshing to me. May God bless your ministry.

Marsha

[Gerald Spear]

Andrew,

Are you part of the Henck family that was around North East Camp grounds
in the 60's and 70's?

[Doug Kitchen]

I am not sure where to post this, but this looks good.

Hi my name is James Diggs, and I have been thumbing through your threads recently and I have been very pleased with the thoughtfulness and authenticity of your online community.

Some years ago I had left the church of the Nazarene while pursuing my call to ministry because I simply did not fit in culturally with Nazarene church culture. I never made a real decision to leave, and I had no issues with the theology because I am still very much Wesleyan, but I just found myself fitting better with ministry opportunities outside of the Church of the Nazarene. Over time I found out I wasn’t alone in the way I thought as a Christian and found kindred thinking among the emerging church movement.

I never thought I would return to the church of the Nazarene, but God had different plans that He made evident to me while I began talking to the district leadership of the Mid-Atlantic District. What I found over time was a group of believers in the Church of the Nazarene on this District open and even conversing with the emergent church movement. I am also encouraged after reading several of your post’s here at NazNet about books by McLaren or Rob Bell’s “Velvet Elvis”. This shows that there is acceptance for those who are culturally post-modern and that as a church we are not afraid to blow up our mental models and look at things in a new way.

Now I am back with the church of the Nazarene and am planting a post modern emergent church in Maryland. One thing that is cool about our church plant is that it’s being done through the partnership of the Church of the Nazarene and a local non-denominational Church here in Maryland. I think this is a very progressive and bold move to partner with other churches outside our denomination in order to plant something new.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I was encouraged by your online community. To learn more about our church plant in Maryland you can visit our website at thecorridorchurch.com (http://www.thecorridorchurch.com)

I have also just started a blog that I will be inviting other contributors to participate in over the next few months called emergentnazarenes.com (http://www.emergentnazarenes.com)

James


=== This is an automatically generated message ===

This is my first post. My Welcome thread is here. Please post all my welcome messages there.

=== This is an automatically generated message ===

Welcome, James.

I enjoyed the website. It has a nice flow and subtle colors. Did churchwebsites.com design the site? or did you?

We are going to try an incubation at a restart on the upstate district (no details yet - still in the planning) and it seems like an exciting way to start/restart a church.

God Bless your work

Doug Kitchen

[James Diggs]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and encouragement. Many of you have mentioned Ken Mill’s and I have to tell you that it was Ken Mill’s that actually drew me back to the church of the Nazarene to take on the endeavor of planting an emergent Nazarene church. He is a man I greatly respect and I am blessed to be able to work with him and have his support. Some one also mentioned Ken and Terry, and I have to say that both Ken Balch and Terry Sowden have also been immensely supportive as part of the district staff; in fact Ken Balch and his family are committed members of our church plant core group and great friends.

Thank you also for checking out the website and blog, feel free to comment on the blog any time, just click next to the subject and you can add your comments. The emergent movement values conversation so I welcome anything some one might have to say.

A few of you have asked where we are. Well our small core group is meeting with a non denominational church on Sunday mornings in Odenton Maryland. You can check our website for more details. At the moment our target area to plant is broad- somewhere between Baltimore and Washington; when our core group is bigger and we are ready to move out on our own we choose a place that is central for the group to meet. We have not targeted and area to plant in because we believe the church is where ever you live, not where the building you meet in is.

Thanks again, I look forward to many great conversations.

James

[Marsha Lynn]

James, you might be interested in this site (http://www.theclay.org/home.htm). My daughter is involved in this group in Boulder, CO.

Marsha

Thanks everyone for your kind words and encouragement. Many of you have mentioned Ken Mill’s and I have to tell you that it was Ken Mill’s that actually drew me back to the church of the Nazarene to take on the endeavor of planting an emergent Nazarene church. He is a man I greatly respect and I am blessed to be able to work with him and have his support. Some one also mentioned Ken and Terry, and I have to say that both Ken Balch and Terry Sowden have also been immensely supportive as part of the district staff; in fact Ken Balch and his family are committed members of our church plant core group and great friends.

Thank you also for checking out the website and blog, feel free to comment on the blog any time, just click next to the subject and you can add your comments. The emergent movement values conversation so I welcome anything some one might have to say.

A few of you have asked where we are. Well our small core group is meeting with a non denominational church on Sunday mornings in Odenton Maryland. You can check our website for more details. At the moment our target area to plant is broad- somewhere between Baltimore and Washington; when our core group is bigger and we are ready to move out on our own we choose a place that is central for the group to meet. We have not targeted and area to plant in because we believe the church is where ever you live, not where the building you meet in is.

Thanks again, I look forward to many great conversations.

James

[James Diggs]

Thanks for the website Marsha, what I read and saw on that website resonates with me a lot. This is the same idea I am shooting for, and it looks like it is working well in Colorado.

James

[Andrew Henck]

Andrew,

Are you part of the Henck family that was around North East Camp grounds
in the 60's and 70's?

Gerald...

Indeed I am! My Dad and several other relatives grew up at North East Camp and in that area. I have several great aunts and uncles who were there many summers during the time frame. The tradition continued with my folks making the trek each summer to Family Camp at North East when we were little. That is a great place where many hot summer nights were spent!

Enjoy your day...