What does this poster communicate? I see another generalization about all Emergents. I think it suggests that being comfortable in a cool way has a higher value than preaching. It even communicates that Emergents thinking preaching is harmful.
In the referenced article, Doug Pagitt (who is not all Emergents) that "preaching is broken". My first reaction, "I sure wish we wouldn't be so eager to publicly point out what is wrong with the Church." Even when it's true, criticism of the Church ought not feel easy and good. But I don't know what Pagitt had on his heart. It may have been ugly and mean or it may be a simple, honest challenge of a status quo that is far from perfect.
Later Pagitt adds;
A sermon is often a violent act. It's a violence toward the will of the people who have to sit there and take it. To treat the sermon as an oratorical performance delivered by a paid and trained professional who claims to speak for God sets up an artificial power imbalance within the congregation. It's hard for a congregation to practice the priesthood of all believers when the preaching perpetuates an image of the pastor as somehow more authoritative or spiritual than his or her listeners.
Emergent or not, those words resound with believers around the world. Whether intentional or not, a by-product of our traditional church is exactly what Pagitt is confronting. Too many congregations are filled with people turning out for the show. They are not active in their faith. They think the paid clergy somehow is their link to God. Etc.. Let's not pretend this is a concern only of the ECM. This valid concern has been around my entire life. The key here is to address it in a healthy way, i.e., don't abandon the Church. But I don't find anything deserving of mockery or misrepresentation in Pagitt's words.
As I read on through the article, I see a lot of really good stuff. Here's one point that made me twinge, "In a recent service, they used a clip from the cable TV cartoon South Park 'to explicate holy communion.'" But what can you expect, I don't like TeamPyro's use of cartoons either.
Karen Ward is quoted a lot in the article. I've read some of her stuff and wasn't so impressed but frankly I liked what I read here. She's no Spurgeon but ...
It's like water over rocks. Effective preaching takes course over time. It's not some sort of instant gratification, some sort of, 'This is a high point, and I better nail this sermon or else.'
Net - I don't see this article as an Emergent thing nor do I see any error in it. I only see it a launch point for TeamPyro to affirm a negative false notion to a general population about another part of the body of Christ. What am I missing here?
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