Scum of the Earth shows 21st century Christianity
More and more churches are getting a new look. Walk right in and you might see people knitting, drawing, cooking, maybe even enjoying a massage, as part of what is called the “Emergent Church,” a new approach to preaching and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s not a denomination. What it is, is a loose network of churches nationwide, whose size and influence is on the rise.
Some are tempted to point to the Emergent Church as an example of Christianity Lite, but those who choose this path of worship say it is Christianity updated: taking the suit and tie off Sunday services, replacing pews with couches, taking out kneelers and bringing in easels, and interpreting the Gospel for a frustrated generation of faithful.
America is a country in which an overwhelming majority profess a belief in God. A CBS News poll found that 82 percent of Americans surveyed said that they do. But that same poll also found that nearly a third of those surveyed believe traditional religions are out of date.
The philosophy is more than a theory, it’s a call to action. At one church in Denver, the integration of life plays out at the dinner table. Congregants cook meals for the homeless as part of the church service. The church’s youth minister, Eric John Branch, explains why that is not the same as cooking meals at some other time, for instance, after services.
“You can’t just come and listen to a message and say, ‘Oh hey, I’m a Christian, I’m a follower of Christ,’” says Branch. “It’s gotta be in every aspect of your life.” The church’s name “Scum of the Earth” sounds odd in this message, but the name is a reference to both the church’s mission of reaching out to those who have not been reached by traditional churches, and who may be, or feel, cast out by society, and a Bible passage about man’s lowly status and need for God:
“To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.” (1 Corinthians 4:11-13)
“Scum of the earth” was used long ago as a term to describe the first Christians, whose beliefs put them on the fringes of society. “We were looking to build a place where folks who didn’t fit in other church settings would actually feel welcome,” says Mike Sares, the pastor.
Scum of the Earth uses many tools to accomplish that goal, including podcasts of sermons, creative writing classes, cooking and sewing classes, comic book clubs, bible study groups, exhibitions of poetry and art by church members, and a photo gallery of snapshots showing congregants enjoying the company of family and friends.
The pastor says that while the approach is new, the message is not. “It’s just church,” says Sares. “It’s not nearly as radical as you think it is - I mean there’s no moshing during worship.” Even the older members feel comfortable. “The worship for us,” says Janice Horsley, “is something that you’re a part of, and we’re all in that.”
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great to hear they are doing well. always nice to see church go back to its roots in teh kitchen and knitting and where people are.
Comment by tall skinny kiwi — April 15, 2006 @ 7:58 am