Yes, it’s true. I’ve tangled with Doug Pagitt today. This was a heated, sordid affair. Let me explain.

On my facebook, Doug Paget (a founder/leader of the Emergent Church and pastor at Solomon’s Porch) sent me a picture of a fuzzy, cuddly puppy. You know the ones I’m talking about. You get them forwarded/spammed from person to person for no apparent good reason. He’s really got some nerve!

I usually just delete them, but this being a fuzzy, cuddly puppy spam from prominent Emergent leader, Doug Pagitt, I couldn’t let this go unanswered. I couldn’t take it. Truth may be relative, but my theology on on spam/forwarding comes strictly from Dr. John “I hate everyone” MacArthur’s book of backhanded pimp slapping. That’s right I sent Mr. Emergent an email referring to him as a dirty “manwhore” and re-forwarded him back with said fluffy, cuddly puppy in triplicate.

Then to make matters worse, Pagitt apologized graciously and went back to yoga and contemplative thinking.

In my anger, I cursed Rob Bell and Brian McLaren, then went down to a street corner to proselytize anyone who walked by. Then I felt justified.

[Note: this post is to be read with thick sarcasm and in jest. Most of the events are true (including fuzzy, cuddly puppy, the interchange, and the graciousness of Mr. Pagitt).]

Okay here’s the assignment. Read the quote, watch the video. Give your impressions. I really want to see a dialogue started here. Agree or disagree, let’s talk.

Quote of the week:

 ”Times change. God doesn’t, but times do. We learn and grow, and the world around us shifts, and the Christian faith is alive only when it is listening, morphing, innovating, letting go of whatever has gotten in the way of Jesus and embracing whatever will help us be more and more the people God wants us to be.”

Rob Bell - Velvet Elvis

Video of the week:

Solomon’s Porch. Check this video out, it’s really interesting. Solomon’s Porch one of the more well known emerging churches.” Interesting ideas here, both good and bad. {saw this video thanks to Virgil}

My input: I agree with Bell on many levels, but there’s a danger/fear in changing. What will happen? What will things look like? Will I still feel comfortable with the new changes? And after watching the video, I embrace some of this sense of freedom, but feel real uncomfortable with the “whatever goes” feeling as well. I’m quite torn.

We are creatures of habit. We hate change. Some change we should hate, others are good for us.