An Emerging Desire for Intimacy among the Body of Christ

Before moving on into the Biblical passages that support the idea of the interrelation of the Body let us revisit why I am relating this to the emerging church movement. Those who have been in any conversation with the emerging church idea know that it can be characterized as a reactionary movement. Well, reactionary to what? Some would suggest that it is a reaction to the strict doctrinal creeds of some denominations. Others would suggest that it is a reaction to the watered down “Seeker Sensitive” churches that reach out to everyone but truly touch no one. Still others would say that the emerging church is a reaction to modernity and the Enlightenment’s sway upon the Church at large.

All of these examples, and more, are legitimate reasons why another church movement is emerging among the Body. What I would like to point out is that all of these reasons, and probably many others, are inherently connected to the fact that the church is simply not functioning as a Body. I have seen the brutality of a father in disciplining children that he has never taken time to build a relationship with but whom he expects to obey his every conscious and subconscious expectation. I have also seen the man who meets everyone and has “connections” all over, yet could not tell you an intimate detail of any one of his acquaintances. And we have all seen the man who is so driven by his independent reasoning and opinions on the world that he is oblivious to the importance of another’s point of view. These are all men who have not “interrelated” properly. They set their own agenda, make their own expectations, seek their own ends, and sink their own ship. As I suggested earlier, the church has long been the pulpit of such men, or rather, of such ideologies.

It is my observation, as I have interacted with the Body, that the emerging church movement is really a subconscious and conscious desire among believers to seek a community that looks and acts more like Christ. There might be some deviations of opinion about how exactly this should look but the foundational desire is a common one. If some individuals are looking for something other than that then all they are really looking for is another avenue to indulge the self, to lift up the idol of autonomy. In what way do you view the emerging church movement? Do you simply desire to live with brothers and sisters in Christ in such a way that would do honor to His presence among us; that would image His presence within us? Do you desire to live an intentionally interrelated life within our Savior?

(Post originally posted on March 30, 2006 at www.interrelationalchurch.blogspot.com)