Emerging Church and the brain washed people of God

I have been wondering a little more intentionally lately about why people allow themselves to be dictated to by churches who still treat women as being lesser to men in the church. These churches say that women and women are equal but men and women have different roles. However, men can preach to women but women cannot preach to men. In some churches women are no longer allowed to be elders.
How can men make their partners attend churches like these? Why do men allow male clergy to get away with this kind of discrimination? Why do women go along with it? Why would parents want to bring their children up in this sort of environment? Is there something else controlling them? Fear? Fear that if they leave they will lose their salvation or that they are not good Christian women or men? Could this be a form of brain washing? How could people be tricked into thinking this is the gospel?
Has anyone left this kind of church and discovered that they are still loved by God?

The Emerging Church and the ungathered people of God

When we speak about an emerging church I wonder if we are restricting ourselves to only viewing God as working through the church? I wonder if we also restrict ourselves to seeing the church as Christian denominations, independent churches and congregations?

Maybe those who see themselves as an emerging movement within the church are responding to a God who is both within and outside the church; a God sensed in every part of life yet never pinned down to any part of life. Maybe we who call ourselves the 'gathered people of God' are recognising or being converted by the activity of God in those who could be named the ungathered or dispersed people of God.

Creating New Uncontested Spiritual Space

The St. John’s strategy is to find new uncontested spiritual space, which provides new opportunities. Space can be created by expanding current boundaries or going beyond the boundaries.

The traditional rules for building the church are common to all church strategies. Boundaries are defined and accepted. This means by attracting enough people, a congregation can support the ministry team, administration, building expenses etc.
With fewer people wanting to attend churches, churches are competing with one another to attract new members.

Rather than competing with other churches such as Evangelical or Pentecostal churches for people seeking a more conservative theology or with more high church leaning Anglicans or Roman Catholics with a more liberal and traditional theology, St. John’s has been seeking to create new space for other people beyond those attracted to church to develop their sense of spirituality and interest in Jesus.

In market terms it means focusing on non-customers rather than on customers. In religious terms it means focusing on those outside the church rather than those who attend church. Rather than trying to attract church attendees with certain styles of worship the focus is on engaging with those who do not ordinarily attend church services. This engagement may take the form of partnering or collaborating on certain projects or activities. For example providing physical space for groups involved in issues of social transformation.

By interacting with people outside the church and by providing space for people to do what they want in the church along the lines of activities compatible with St. John’s values, an income has been generated which has freed the church council from having to focus on the numbers of attendees to finance its on going ministry.

St. John’s is going beyond traditional boundaries and creating uncontested spiritual space.

About St. John's Uniting Church, Neutral Bay

St. Johns Uniting Church is more than a congregation of people who attend worship on a Sunday morning. The community of St. Johns is made up of the expected Sunday worshipers, the children and families associated with our child care centre, the participants of various fellowship groups held during the week, local artists, meditation groups, and other who wish to explore their spirituality.

We at St Johns acknowledge that we are human and accept all the associated struggles that this brings. Saying this, we also want to recognise the value of inquiry, discussion and the gift of the intellect. We believe that there is more than one way to be in and part of the church. We believe, that we, the church, exist for people other than our members. We do not believe in forcing our religious beliefs on other people; but we do believe in supporting people who are spiritually searching. Our mission is to be Christ’s ever present light in a broken world.