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Sorry it's taken me so long to post about this meeting last week. What can I say? Life is busy.

A group of about 18 folks gathered in Chattanooga last Thursday to converse about Emergent Village and CBF. Mike Young, of Tennessee CBF, facilitated the conversation. The gathering was comprised of a wide variety of people who are all connected in some way to EV and CBF. We had church planters, CBF employees, PhD candidates, pastors, non-profit workers, ministry residents, a publisher, a journalist and even a chemist coming from three states.

We began the conversation with an overview of the similarities that already exist between EV and CBF. Both groups find value in diversity, foster a loose affiliation centered around four core convictions, are passionate about partnering with like-minded groups to facilitate kingdom work, unequivocally affirm women in ministry, honor trust rather than suspicion, and appreciate fellowship as a kingdom value. There were other comparisons made that I didn't write down.
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Next we delved into a discussion about the differences between CBF and traditional denominational structures. It was very helpful to have people like Bo Prosser there, who played an active role in the formation of CBF. Here is what emerged. One person described CBF as the car we are riding in for missional ministry. We chose to ride in this vehicle as long as it is heading in the right direction. Most CBF folks were fleeing from the control and institutionalism of the SBC. Those who saw that ship sink under fundamentalism have learned not to place their trust in institutions.

CBF seeks to facilitate missional work through partnerships, intentional friendships, and networking. Denominations are controlling, even constricting institutions. They want to keep their thumb on things they support, forever. Not so with CBF. CBF desires to partner with other individuals and groups as peers, regardless of size. So, if denominations can tend to digress into the wicked step mother in Cinderella, CBF is like the genie in Aladdin. In other words, denominations are restricting and constricting institutions while CBF is an enabling and equipping fellowship. One person commented that CBF is constituted by "semi-religious institutionalism, that doesn't want to be institutional." Doctoral candidate and Texas Hold'em aficionado, Eric Barreto, suggested that denominations are about authority and that that authority is manifested in three ways: ideology, cash and institutions. Denominations want to control these things. We all found Eric's points helpful.

Next we discussed the phenomenon of CBF Emergence. Many were in agreement that both CBF and EV gatherings "feel like home." We seek a movement within a fellowship, a humble gathering within a gathering. The passion of many of those attending the Chattanooga conversation was to create intentional space within CBF life for the emergent conversation to emerge. We are interested in facilitating a network within the fellowship. Some even shared their passions for this generative fellowship. Mike Lewis, planter of Fellowship of the Valley in Birmingham, shared his passion for facilitating new church start initiatives. Jon Spencer, pastor of Druid Hills Baptist Church in Atlanta, said that he is passionate about working with traditional pastors who are trying to emerge within established churches. Mike Young shared his passion for connecting people to form dynamic partnerships. My passion is to bring CBF and EV into an official partnership whereby CBF can help fund and support EV initiatives and EV can help educate CBF about kingdom work in this emerging culture.

I thought that the conversation was a wonderful first effort in what I imagine will be an ongoing discussion. Soon I will be working with EV and CBF leadership to broker this partnership. Hopefully, a generative, symbiotic partnership will emerge. Peace.

Chattanooga Gathering

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