This came by way of comment – thought I might share without agreeing or disagreeing with their purpose:
Who are Concerned Nazarenes?
In August, 2008, Tim Wirth, a former drummer in several rock bands, helped coordinate an event featuring author Ray Yungen (“A Time of Departing”, and “For Many Shall Come In My Name”), at the Piqua Church of the Nazarene in Ohio. Since joining the church, he’d become deeply concerned about emerging church philosophy that had crept into the Nazarene denomination – and wanted to alert others to the emergent movement. Tim met Don and Sue Butler, long-time Nazarenes, who shared the same concerns – and Concerned Nazarenes was launched.
After several meetings and conversations with the Butlers, it was evident that the Holy Spirit had impressed upon their hearts to alert Nazarenes around the world to the emergent agenda. Shortly after this, Nazarene evangelist Beverly Turner joined Concerned Nazarenes and gave the movement a voice. Beverly shared the verse that would become the Concerned Nazarenes’ anthem: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)
Concerned Nazarenes has grown to include Nazarene pastors and evangelists across the United States – each grieved by the spiritual demise of our much-loved denomination under the influence of the emergent movement. Concerned Nazarenes is a grassroots movement that serves to give voice to all those in the church that share our dismay at the direction in which the emergent movement is striving to guide Nazarene beliefs and practices. In 2009, more than 500 Nazarenes across the United States delivered a petition to our General Superintendents, seeking clarification of their stance on the Emergent Church movement. Our fervent hope and prayer is that the General Superintendents will respond by purging our denomination of the emergent cancer before it is too late.
You can find more here:
I do view some in the Emergent Church differently than those which practice the CP movement, you know, like IHOP, etc…
Joel Landon Watts is a Masters of Theological Studies student with a focus in Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark. His interests include exploring the role of mimesis in human civilization, specifically in the study of religion and media, as well as science fiction and the way in which it has allowed mythology to be explored in light of scientific ideals of the past century. Currently, he is a TA for Old Testament at United Theological Seminary under Dr. Vivian Johnson, Associate Professor of Old Testament. His first book, Rhetorical Strategies of the Evangelist: Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark, is expected to be published by Wipf and Stock early next year. He is currently co-editing a book on moving from Fear to Faith (Energion, 2013).
Concerned Nazarenes Taking on Contemplative Spirituality #tcot #atheism #god- http://tinyurl.com/yh4aemf
I am not a Nazarene by denomination, nor am I an emergent, but a born again Christian viewing this fight to maintain truth, I am on the outside looking into the Nazarene’s fight to maintain Biblical truth. It is my perspective that the Concerned Nazarenes are right, and within their rights Scripturally to guard and protect the Gospel that was once delivered to the saints. There can be NO DIALOGUE with the perveyors of spiritual darkness and death, the light of Scripture must expose the abberant doctrines of emergents everywhere.
Only another spirit would attempt to change the doctrines that the Holy Ghost established when He breathed Scripture into the minds and hearts of the New Testament writers. Contemplative spirituality and emergent theology is spiritual adultery, and as such needs to be cleansed from the Body of Christ and His Church universally regardless of denomination. As God divided the light from darkness during creation, we must divide truth from error.