I read Liquid Church by Pete Ward and it is an interesting and thought provoking book on the future of the Church. His distinctions between Liquid Church and Solid Church are fascinating. Although I think the book was somewhat lacking in historical context and at times I found the theological arguments wanting (he could have flushed these out further), it was well worth my time.

There is so much I liked about the book and the concept of the fluid church. Unlike the solid church of modernity (indicating a concept that the church of modernity was often defined by a building, organizational structure or institution), Ward suggests that the emerging church will be based more on a network of relationship that is harder to identify and impossible to solidify.

Although I agreed with Ward through most of the book, I found myself questioning a couple of his proposals and concepts. First, he repeatedly talks about the fact that the emerging church will be less build around the common regular assembly (church worship service). Although I don’t believe that a church has to be a set number of people who meet every Sunday at 11:00am, there have throughout history beginning with the early church, been some kind of regular meeting/gathering for the local church. I am not saying that this has to be as “solid” as the modern church but it can’t be so “liquid” as not to exist. I also found the idea that the liquid/emerging church needs to embrace consumerism troubling. He is not referring to materialism (he makes that distinction clear), which we would all say is problematic, but the idea that humanity at its core are consumers and it is that driving desire we need to get to as the church. He has some great ideas and theories in this area but I struggle with any concept that says we need to give people what they are looking for just because they are looking for it and embrace that part of our culture. What happens when what someone is looking for is wrong or mistaken?

Once again, I found this book to be intriguing and stimulating. What I really appreciated is what I see in many emergent writings, the commitment to historic Christianity and orthodoxy (something often missed by its critics). To quote Ward: “A commitment to orthodoxy provides assurance in the midst of the flow.” (page 71)

Well off to Bolivia and hours of travel which hopefully will allow me amble time to catch up on my delinquent reading schedule.