Emergence
By Bo Sanders
The Loft is attempting an interesting experiment that intersects and overlaps several different streams of thought and tradition . There is , of course , a deep heritage with our Methodist roots that allows us to draw on songs , imagery , and the precedent of innovation . Gatherings at the Loft are also employing some elements from a school of thought known as the Ancient-Future model . The author Robert Webber helped popularize this intentional blending of ancient practices with 21st-century elements in a way that honors the tradition while engaging the sensibility of modern believers .
Perhaps the greatest influence on the way that Loft gatherings are designed and facilitated is a school of thought known as emerging . The term has been used several ways in the past thirty years , leading to a little confusion and a steep learning curve for those looking to get initiated . The term is borrowed from science . Emergence is the way that complex systems and patterns arise out of the smaller , simpler elements and groupings that comprise them . Another way to say it is that small elements , organisms and systems give rise to larger and more complex systems which then in turn impact the environment of all involved .
What does that have to do with church ? It has two interesting applications for the Loft . The first is global and long-term . The second is very local and immediate .
More than twenty years ago , largely in the former colonial countries of New Zealand , Australia , South Africa , Britain and Western Europe , a conversation / movement materialized around a new de-centered , non-hierarchical approach to Christian community and the denominational church . The conversation was quite vibrant and took on a variety of expressions around the world including some based in youth outreach , in charismatic circles and in postmodern contexts .
Then the conversation migrated to North America . It came in through youth pastors who recognized a shift in the culture and that techniques that worked so well in the 70 ’ s and 80 ’ s had lost their effectiveness . Voices like Phyllis Tickle and Brian McLaren became spokespeople for the concepts . This conversation quickly found an audience among mainline , evangelical and non-denominational young people around the country . For a while it looked as if it would blossom into a full-fledged movement , but that has yet to be seen .
This vibrant , global conversation has impacted churches and those training for ministry deeply . Part of the reason is
4 that it begins with the small and the local and then looks to what larger and more complex systems are generated . This is a very different from the bureaucratic ( top-down ) denominational structures of centuries past that start with the big ( what do we believe ) and then attempt to figure out how we implement that at given locations .
This is where The Loft comes in . Emergence thought is very environmental ( contextual ) and looks to the surrounding atmosphere first . In West LA , there are a different set of concerns , priorities , challenges , opportunities and resources than one would find in a rural , suburban or other urban setting . Loft gatherings are designed to both account for those environmental realities and to address them by building spaces of spontaneity , contribution , and
The Loft at Six Months
Westwood UMC made a bold , innovative move this past year by creating a new event as an entry point into this loving community . The Loft is the result of several years of strategizing , praying , dreaming , and investing as we fashioned a gathering that is true to our Methodist heritage but accessible to the diverse inhabitants of West LA . After six months of Loft gatherings , here is where we are :
• The Loft attendance is averaging a little over forty people each Sunday . This is from a roster of approximately ninety who show some regular pattern of attendance . Seventy percent of these participants are completely new to Westwood UMC . Most of them report they would not be attending here if not for The Loft ; they simply were not looking for a traditional-style service .
• We continue to see new visitors “ shopping ” on a regular basis . There are usually four or five guests present at each gathering . We feel these numbers are a good sign of enthusiasm as word spreads through the community .
• Perhaps the most exciting news happened on May 26 when The Loft experienced both its first new member joining Westwood UMC and its first baptism . By the grace of God , there will be many more to come .
Starting this July , The Loft will begin receiving payments from a grant awarded by the Cal-Pac Annual Conference New Ministries EMT ( Essential Ministries Team ). Our United Methodist denomination has set aside monies for the development and support of new churches and ministries that are pioneering the future of the church . The Loft won a grant this past year to help us move forward with excellence . This investment by the Annual Conference ’ s leadership has been an encouragement in direction and a powerful tool for ministry . Things are looking bright .
— Chris Spearman