I agree with a lot of what is said there. I think that some people have to leave. There will be/is a time for that. Now is that time. this has to happen so that there can be living breathing examples of emergent. The church also needs people to stay and help others see and be missional.

What about the Church of God seems to work against emergent theology and philosophies? What exactly are you seeing that is moving towards death? The particular church where my husband and I pastor shows many signs of life and growth, though modern and mainly traditional in its approach. But I realize we are an exception in the movement. I work with the college agers who are really crying out for more than what the church seems to be offering them, but I cannot discount that people are being saved, called and equipped for ministry, bringing their friends and neighbors, and finding true fellowship. All that, and yet myself and the kids I minister to are finding something missing, longing for a greater purpose, desiring a more passionate journey with God. And so my approach is to create a community for these young people where their hard questions are being addressed, authentic worship is explored and they are given an opportunity to voice their concerns about their faith. I don't feel a need to change my church (or leave it), just instead provide an alternative to those who are seeking more. I'm not sure what my point is, other than to say that I don't feel a conflict between staying to bring change or leaving to start fresh. Even in terms of my involvement in the National Church of God College Age Ministry (Restless Warriors), I only want to offer an alternative need-based ministry to students who are not finding the nourishment and experience with God that they desire in their home churches. Help me understand the Church of God dilemna. If a church is going to die, let it die. If people don't find what they need, let them go where they do find what they need. If there are people who see a need and have the passion and calling to invest in fulfilling that need, let them serve with the strength that God provides. I guess I have a "shake the dust off your feet" mentality with the churches who squelch the person who desires to minister to a new generation of Christians. Wow, sorry for the rambling. Just trying to bring the conversation into the realm of what's real for me.

I think its great that you feel like you can do that. Awesome, do it!
I think the biggest problem that I see is that we have married the Body of Christ and how we do church. My expeirance talking with moderns is seems to them I just want to throw everything away and start over. If your so attached to the way of doing things that it becomes the being, that's scarry. Rather than being the Body we're doing the body. Now that doesn't sound right, but you catch my drift? In some cases, some elements of worship, or traditions we follow just don't have a place in worship or the body. It is differant things in differant places. It just seem there is a lack of sensitiviy to God in general. I think that can have to do with modernity. Over analytical and left brained. At my church its flow of worship. Even good modern worship should help people focus on God. But there are so many things that distract us from God before I know it's sermon time. Other places it could be how meeting are conducted. Or how teachers or leaders are empowered.
I don't think it's our theology that the problem. It's our practice. I guess I have a problem with us ChOGers who have married our theology to meathod. Our theology is supposed to be free, supposed to help promote unity and freedom in Christ. I would dare say that most of us are not living that.