TallSkinnyKiwi / Luctor et Emergo

What on earth is the connection between New Zealand, 'Old' Zeeland, Andrew Jones and the emerging church movement?
Just read this posting and you will find out...

Andrew Jones is a New Zealander living on this side of the globe (in the UK to be more precise). Recently I have been reading about the emerging church phenomenon and several times I noticed that people were referring to TallSkinnyKiwi's blog. I have added his blog to my growing recommended blog list. Check it out!

Talking about Zealand... Last week our family had a nice vacation in Renesse in Old Zealand: the Dutch province Zeeland (the name says it all: sea-land).


Zeeland (satelite picture)

For the past 2000 years, the inhabitants of the Netherlands have often had to cope with flood disasters. The name 'Netherlands' gives a clue to the problem: 'Nether' means 'low'. It literally means 'The Low Countries'. When a storm develops and the wind stirs up the waves, the Dutch coastal area can become flooded. The last time this happened on a large scale was just over fifty years ago. Almost 2000 people died following the flood disaster of 1953.

Source

In Zeeland we have visited the Deltawerken ('Delta Works') - an enormous project with dikes and so called storm surge barriers to protect the southern part of the Netherlands against flooding. Visit this site if you want to know more about this 'eight world wonder'.


Keeping dry feet thanks to drastic measures...

New studies point out that the level of the sea might rise dramatically due to a rise in temperature caused by the greenhouse effect. At this moment the Dutch government is developing new plans to build higher dams and stronger dikes along our coast line.

But what on earth is the connection between New Zealand, 'Old' Zeeland, Andrew Jones and the emerging church movement? Well, take a look at this:



LUCTOR ET EMERGO is the motto from the Dutch province of Zeeland, meaning 'I wrestle and emerge'. I think this credo is also very appropriate for the emerging church worldwide. Sometimes it feels like the church is struggling to survive and (almost) drowning in a sea of secular culture. Maybe we have to re-think church and take advantage of modern technologies and management methods - if we want the church to survive. Well, I guess that is exactly what the emerging church movement is all about. Not because we want to protect our buildings, but because we want all souls to be saved...

Sssssshh.... can you hear the Lord's still small voice?
I never expected him to sing THIS song!

The tide is high but I'm holding on
I'm gonna be your number One...

The church is not a passive entity. We are told that the gates of Hades will not prevail, or as Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message:

...a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out!

[Matthew 16:18, The Message]

I believe Christians should turn things around: let's not be afraid of the flood waves of postmodern, secular culture. We must try to make some waves ourselves. Jesus never told us to stay safely within our comfort zones. Our Lord is the Master of the wind and the waves and he told us to go OUT! If we obey his voice, we will make some exciting new discoveries.

Please let me know what you think about this...


Are we afraid of huge waves? Come on! Let's have some FUN!