I hated to love this book, and loved to hate this book. There was much that I disagreed with, much that caused me to think, and much that I loved. It was complicated read for me. ( )

Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. This book is basically commenting on the need for embracing the Tradition in order to overcome divides within evangelicalism (and does so holding onto Calvin as the interpreter of that tradition). It was good for me as a survey of the development of emergent Christianity and for thinking through practical ecclesiology. ( )

Very well researched and thought out. Excellent book written by Jim Belcher that attempts to unite the polarized views of the emerging church movement with the traditional church, thus creating a third way called "Deep Church". Belcher does a great job in remaining objective and I sincerely applaud his efforts in attempting to bring the two different views together. His heart for unity, grace, and truth are very evident in the way he presents himself throughout this book. And, I learned more about the emerging church and what they believe, along with their protests against the traditional views. Although a noble attempt, I believe Belcher falls short in bringing about reconciliation between these two views. He touches on seven issues at which the two sides are at odds: Truth, evangelism, Gospel, worship, preaching, ecclesiolgy, and culture. In each chapter he systematically presents the emerging view, the traditional view, and then describes what the third way should look like. In most part it seems that Belcher has succeeded in reconciling the two views. However, as a minister in the Presbyterian church he can't help but revert back to the institutionalized and dogmatic ways of the traditional view. After all, he has a presbyter that he is held accountable to. Although Deep Church seems compelling, it seems a bit imbalanced, favoring the traditional views. In his review of Deep Church, conservative and neo-Reformed author/theologian Kevin DeYoung thinks Belcher went too easy on the emerging church, while I think Belcher went too easy on the traditional church. Perhaps this is indicative that the two sides are too polarized. However, if we can remain united on the fundamentals then I am hopeful that someday there will indeed be a Third Way that we can all agree on. Until then, I hope both sides will look past their differences and continue to impact our culture for Jesus Christ.

Here are some of my favorite quotes taken from the book:

When the stress is only on how people are saved from sin, Christianity turns into nothing more than "fire insurance" for the end of life. It does not teach how we are to live and witness in the here and now. (page 41)

The church is known for what it is against more than what it is for. (page 43)

How do we get to the point where both sides can talk about their differences and learn from each other without being accused of heresy? By first agreeing about what binds Christians together. It is that simple. We have to arrive at what John Stott calls the "unity of the Gospel". (page 53)

We place doctrinal purity over unity, or we stress relational unity over sound doctrine. The reality is that Jesus wants us to be equally committed to both. (page 54)

The best description of a twenty-first century human is a person watching TV alone. (page 73)

A third way rejects classical foundationalism and hard postmodernism. This i what it means to be the deep church. (page 83)

I think its legitimate to have an unbounded set with no barriers to the church community so that non-Christians can wander in and out. But the bounded-set of the traditional church also has positives, there are reasons for pushing people to make a decision to accept certain truths in order for them to understand that they are being converted from one way of life to another. (page 100)

The more I study the Bible and reflect on the life and teachings of Jesus, the more I think most of Christianity as practiced today has very little to do with the real Jesus found there. (page 108 quoting Brian McLaren)

For Jesus, the kingdom wasn't something we build or advance or expand. It was something we see and enter and receive. (page 118 quoting Brian McLaren)

In the quest for truth, nothing can be privileged over the community, and certainly not a theology that had been worked out in the fourth and fifth centuries. (page 146)

Christianity can't exist without boundaries. Being a Christian in any biblical sense requires that we not only say yes to many things, but that we are also willing to say no to a number of beliefs and behaviors. (page 150 quoting Kevin DeYoung)

God's vision for the church is one of thrilling mission, not one of ingrown tribalism. (page 162)

The traditional church is pacifist in the area off culture but not in the realm of politics, and the emerging church is pacifist in the realm of politics but not in the realm of culture. (page 190) ( )

Fantastic book - great points for all Christians and all churches to keep in mind, and brings up a great balanced alternative to the emerging vs traditional church debate. ( )

Deep church is yet another book looking at the subject of the 'emerging church'. In in the author, Jim Belcher posits a 'third way' between traditional evangelical churches locked into foundationalist Enlightenment thinking, and some of those in the emergent movement who tend towards a relativistic 'hard postmodernism.' Belcher is pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian church, and a Calvinist, but I won't hold that against him. Unlike some others in the Reformed camp, he approaches things with a healthy degree of 'cognitive humility', maintaining that the only essentials that we must agree on as Christians are basic creedal Orthodoxy as believed my virtually all Christians in all times an places (ie Apostles and Nicene creeds).

Belcher suggests that our churches should not be defined by the boundaries of specific doctrine, but rather should focus at the wellspring at the centre of our communities - Jesus. His church is open to all who are seeking the life giving water that Jesus provides, regardless of what beliefs or life experiences they come with.

As the book progresses Belcher looks at some of the emerging criticisms of traditional church in areas including evangelism, worship, preaching, ecclesiology, and culture. Many of these critiques he sees as quite valid, it's just in some places the emerging crowd in their alternatives go too far in another direction. Belcher affirms the need of postmodern Christians to engage with these issues (de)constructively as a sort of dance, yet he affirms that you cannot dance without a floor to dance on, and that floor is the bedrock of Nicene Christianity.

Ultimately Belcher's "Third Way" isn't always clearly spelled out, but it seems to me to be basically a traditional church structure with a healthy dose of postmodern cognitive humility and creativity thrown in. Probably wouldn't satisfy those on either extremes of the Traditional / Emerging debate, but it sounds good to me, and would quite possibly be the sort of place that might just appeal to those people outside the church who have no idea about these sort of debates anyway. And that's what's most important.

As I thought again on the subject of postmodernism and the church today I realised that we don't need one set kind of church anyway - we still need Traditional churches and Modern churches doing things in their way (although without some of the critical attitudes and political baggage please!) and we need emerging postmodern ministries doing things in new ways. Because our culture is not homogenous - there are still plenty of people locked into a modern mindset - probably the majority even of younger people. What we need is churches of all varieties focussing on the mission we have been given, throwing aside all the non-essential debates that "so easily entangle" so that we can most effectively reach the people around us who desperately need to hear about and experience the love of God.

A thoughtful book, which speaks to where I am - a postmodern Gen-Xer who still feels called to serve in a (relatively) conventional church community. Well worth reading, especially if you too find yourself inhabiting this sort of space. ( )