This dissertation examined the influence of missiologist Lesslie Newbigin on the innovators and early adopters of the emerging church paradigm. The work has demonstrated a connection between Newbigin's missiology and the innovators and the early adopters of the emerging church paradigm. His influence emerged in three primary arenas: the belief that Christendom crippled missionary consciousness in Western culture, the emphases on the communal dimensions of mission, and the necessity of a gospel expression that unleashed a timely message with a timeless word. Examination of the writings of Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Dan Kimball, and Mark Driscoll revealed great familiarity with Newbigin's work as well as a desire to adopt and adapt his stances to their own ministries. Newbigin's staunch polemic against the mindset of modernity was one avenue that each of the early adopters and innovators addressed. The emerging church embraced Lesslie Newbigin's contention that Western culture emasculated the church from true gospel expression. Newbigin's influence on the epistemological views of the innovators and early adopters of the emerging church paradigm revealed a new dynamic engaged heavily with the Kingdom of God. Lesslie Newbigin's contention that a true missionary movement required a communal dimension of witness as the congregation served as a hermeneutic of the gospel resonated fully with the emerging church paradigm. The corrective idea of Newbigin emphasizing the corporate nature of discipleship contra the consumerism and individualism of Western culture was seen as a needed emphasis by the emerging church practitioners. Each proponent of the emerging church paradigm embraced incarnational praxis, although expressions varied and were not uniform in practice. Newbigin's viewpoint of the necessity of placing the church in the center of contextualization was tempered by a desire to avoid syncretism and irrelevance. Each of the innovators and early adopters of the emerging church paradigm reacted against what Newbigin termed the confinement of the gospel in the existing plausibility structures of the West. The emerging church attempted to bridge the arbitrary divisions in the culture between the sacred and secular. The embrace of practices and prospects emerged from Newbigin's connection with the emerging church paradigm. This final focus demonstrated a connection with emerging church proponents as they embraced the dynamic of identifying with the life of Jesus, transforming secular space, and living communal lives. The fracturing influence of the emerging church paradigm was seen as largely a result of embracing theological liberalism rather than a result of a focus on Newbigin's missiology. Proponents of his conclusions adopted different monikers such as "missional" to be able to fully embrace Newbigin's missiology and social emphases while downplaying theological ambiguity.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-156).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-156).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-208).

In this study, we have considered if, how, or to what extent emerging Christian expressions within the context of the Emerging Church (EC) movement, and related Emerging Missional partners and postcedents, might reform, contextualize, innovate, or revise Christian forms, language, practices, or doctrines to reform the church and inculturate the gospel in postmodern contexts, while retaining continuity and congruence with apostolicity and orthodoxy. We also wished to see if, how, or to what extent EC voices considered accountability to apostolicity and orthodoxy and, if not, to what they were accountable and also to what extent they remain authentically Christian. We have done so by examining the perspectives of leading EC authors, practitioners, and current and historical conversation partners including Vincent of Lérins and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, using historical, theological, ethnographic and narrative inquiry and analysis methods. Our review of literature from EC authors provides insights into debates that led to fracturing of the EC movement and that offer challenges to orthodoxy. Our analysis also reveals methods EC authors appealed to in order to justify their views, or defense or revisions of core historic doctrines. When they rarely appealed to orthodoxy, there were two common but divergent approaches in which orthodoxy was either viewed as a system of beliefs, in which one could treat orthodox doctrines trans-subjectively, or else as being subjectively grounded in the incarnate Christ, in which accountability to Christ was primarily evidenced in materialist acts. We also placed our analysis of key EC sources and their approaches to apostolicity and orthodoxy in conversation with the historical perspectives of Vincent of Lérins and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as well as with current EC practitioners, via an ethnographic questionnaire. We found that Vincent’s method of consensual orthodoxy, instead of seeing orthodoxy as a system of universal beliefs, or as entirely subjective, appeared to center orthodoxy in the unified life of the Body of Christ in which doctrine may grow and, yet, its apostolic meaning is safeguarded by requiring Christians to surrender current interpretations of Scripture to the universal ecumenical consensus of the Body of Christ through history. Then too, our review of Bonhoeffer’s works reveals the ways that he provides room for questioning and flexibility, while holding that the creedal beliefs and sacred practices of the apostolic faith must be surrendered to as-is, as agents of revelation. In further analysis of primary sources and ethnographic responses, the study also reveals a third EC approach to apostolicity and orthodoxy, in which, in synergy with Vincent and Bonhoeffer, orthodox doctrine is seen as the unified faith, obedience, worship, and witness of the Body of Christ, and in which body doctrine may contextually grow in faithful alignment with apostolicity. Additionally, we considered Vincent’s method as providing orthodox EC voices a rule to guide contextual listening, inculturation and growth of doctrine while ensuring continuity and congruity with apostolicity. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Church History and Church Policy / PhD / Unrestricted

Many Emerging Church preachers claim the Bible is not viewed the same way it once was. Consequently ministers need to rethink some aspects of how they go about preaching and communicating. Emerging Church preachers argue that Christianity must develop a new way of describing, defining, and defending the gospel. The aim of this study is to answer the question: To what extent, if any, is preaching in the Emerging Church different than that of traditional expositional preaching in the Evangelical Church and how does one compare with the other as far as success in addressing the needs of post-modern Christians? Chapter one gives a brief introduction of the Emerging Church movement by briefly defining and describing the diverse movement (EC movement) that arose within Protestant Christianity due to a reaction to modernism in Western Christianity. Chapter two provides a literature study where definitions of both preaching styles are considered – emerging style(s) and expository preaching. Included with the emerging preaching style(s) and expositional preaching will be characteristics comprising these styles. Chapter three (methodology) consists of charts, definitions, and descriptions comparing both the modern and postmodern movement through their characteristics and values, purposes for the movements, and homiletics of the movements.Chapter four, "Findings From of The Comparisons From The Two Models of Preaching" consists of the results found from the research. Chapter five, "Conclusions Of Preaching For The Two Models Of Preaching" will consist of a critical analysis of the homiletics in both the Emerging Church and the Traditional Evangelical Church. Chapter six, "Expository Preaching In the Traditional Evangelical Church For Post-Modern Christians" will offer a model as a proposal on how to effectively preach to the postmodern congregation. Chapter seven contains concluding remarks concerning the effectiveness of the traditional expository preaching compared with the emerging dialogical/storytelling preaching for postmodern Christians. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

THE MINISTRY OF DAN KIMBALL: A MODEL FOR REACHING EMERGING GENERATIONS Blake Thomas Ring, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2011 Chair: Dr. Charles E. Lawless, Jr. This dissertation examines the ministry of Dan Kimball to determine if his ministry is a contributing model for effective ministry to emerging generations. Chapter 1 begins with an examination of the landscape of North American Christianity, seeking to demonstrate that the church is struggling to reach and retain emerging generations. It establishes the need for exploring effective ministry models and presents Kimball's ministry as a possible model for effective ministry to emerging generations. Chapter 2 provides a biographical account of Kimball's life. His adolescence, college years, conversion, pastoral ministry, and roles in the ECM and contemporary Christianity receive examination. Chapter 3 examines an evangelical theological taxonomy, or classification, of Kimball. Attention is given to his theological presuppositions and his doctrinal beliefs regarding Scripture, Christology, the gospel, and Ecclesiology. Chapter 4 explores Kimball's methodological framework. Attention is given to those presuppositions that guide his methodology. His approach to evangelism, discipleship, worship, and preaching are examined. Chapter 5 critiques Kimball's theology and methodology, ascertaining positive and negative contributions. Further consideration is given to the types of adjustments traditional churches might adopt as they engage emerging culture. Chapter 6 summarizes Kimball's involvement in the ECM and his contribution to emerging generational ministry, while also identifying areas of further study regarding Kimball's ministry.

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-125).

Thesis (M. Div.)--Emmanuel School of Religion, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-63).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-125).