This is part 2 of a series of posts about how a “youth leader” movement was created. More important documentation below, from the years 2000-2001, reveals how the Leadership Network spawned the Young Leaders Network and the Terra Nova Project, which would then go on to become the Emergent Church. This annotated list of urls comes from a series of E-publications called “Church Champions Update” put out by Leadership Network.
Note the use of the term “labs” – laboratories in which to experimentally create this youth movement. Note the many activities, forums and events that were sponsored by Leadership Network.
2000
http://tinyurl.com/a3kvb “The first Large Church Team Forum for staff teams of churches over 1000 in attendance will be held at Calvary Church – Westlake Village, California from February 8-10, 2001. There will be peer-learning forums for the following groups. . . And in cooperation with our Terra Nova project, a special forum for Youth Pastors.”
http://tinyurl.com/79qdk “The Terra Nova Project – an initiative of the Young Leader Networks, September 5-7, 2001. Hold the date. I have been told that several church planting agencies are sending large groups of Church Planters to this gathering. Look for more details soon.”
http://tinyurl.com/9dz9q “YOUNG LEADER NETWORKS UPDATE CHICAGO FORUM-Sponsored by the Young Leader Networks and Christ’s Church of Wrigleyville. The purpose of this forum is to gather emerging leaders in the Chicago region (and beyond) in order to model and facilitate skills for effective ministry and to provide access to resources that help these leaders navigate the emerging culture with the gospel. We hope to inspire hope and action through the holistic experience of worship, conversation, teaching, art, and prayer. We want each person to discover friends for mutual encouragement and ongoing learning. Saturday, October 28th, Christ’s Church of Wrigleyville, 1242 West Addison, Chicago, IL. Begins 8:30 A.M. – 6:30 P.M. Cost: $45 – includes lunch.”
2001
http://tinyurl.com/cot64 “. . . 2001 will bring two large events: The Terra Nova Project designed for Younger Leaders on September 5-7; as well the New Century: New Church 2 on September 23-27 brought to you by Leadership Training Network.”
http://tinyurl.com/7rj5h “THE LAB. As mentioned last week, the Terra Nova Project/Young Leader Networks LAB event is next week. Our Young Leader Networks are hosting their first working lab of the year down in Waco, Texas this month at the University Baptist Church on February 22, 2001. The cost is a very reasonable $50. All of these labs are building towards the Terra Nova National Event in September. Read all about all the events targeting young leaders at www.youngleader.org. For more information or to ask for a copy of our new event and information catalog, call our customer service team at 800.765.5323.” [Ed. note: be sure to read the article at the above url, entitled “Assisting Systemic Change,” because it has much to do with how leaders are manipulated into accepting change (“transformation”).]
http://tinyurl.com/946ss “THEY’RE DOWN IN THE LAB CREATING SOME NEW STUFF. When a research organization or company tells you: ‘The people down in the lab are working on it’ you know something is going to be created useful. Our Young Leader Networks are hosting their first working lab of the year down in Waco, Texas this month at the University Baptist Church on February 22, 2001. The cost is a very reasonable $50. The day seeks to provide immersion in the kingdom of God by communal experience, teaching, reflection and practice. It will seek to allow people to experience the various facets of leadership, compassion & justice, theology and the arts. We will be looking at what it means to embody these four areas within our culture and act as a transforming presence in the Christian experience. The event is designed for people who are doing ministry within churches and other non-profit settings. Those that are church planting, church leaders, artists, urban leaders, social justice advocates, and others. The event will coincide with the beginning of the Art and Soul Festival that is taking place at Baylor University Feb. 23-26, . . . All of these labs are building towards the Terra Nova National Event in September. Read all about all the events targeting young leaders at [Young Leader’s former website, ed.].”
http://tinyurl.com/dvpkz “ANOTHER YOUNG LEADER LAB. As I mentioned last week, the best way to understand this younger generation is to go hang with them. Here is a safe place where you can do that later this month. TERRA NOVA LAB, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2001, CAPO BEACH CALVARY CHURCH, CAPISTRANO BEACH, CALIF. Interact with a number of artists, theologians and practitioners who seek to worship and learn through various means. The process for the day will include: experience, teaching, reflection and practice. This one-day connection event, sponsored by the Young Leader Networks of Leadership Network, will seek to provide a place to ask questions and be a part of various art experiences including: Photography, Music/song writing, Multi-media worship, Painting, Film. To register: [Young Leader’s former website]. Cost: Individual $50.”
http://tinyurl.com/btrua “In May 2000, Leadership Network held a major learning experience called “Exploring Off the Map(EOTM).” Field reports from EOTM have appeared in past issues of EXPLORER. Audiotapes of most of the sessions are available at http://www.conventioncassettes.com/. One of the featured spots at EOTM was a series of “Man-On-The- Street” interviews filmed in San Francisco by Jason Mitchell, leader of LN’s Terra Nova Project. This six-minute video contains responses from a demographically diverse crowd to questions such as, “What really makes you angry about the world today?” “If you could add/subtract one thing to/from your life, what would it be?” The interviews are “brain binoculars” for understanding the unchurched.” [Ed. note: The “Exploring Off the Map” conference was reported on in Herescope on October 10, 2005. Interestingly, this newsletter signs off with Leadership Network: Advance Scouts for the Emerging Church. http://www.leadnet.org/ 800.765.5323.]” [All emphases above are added]
The above urls reveal just a small fraction of the total picture of how this youth leader movement was birthed. It is clear that the formation of this movement served a useful purpose for those leaders trying to bend and shape neo-evangelicaldom into a new mold.
The Truth:
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5-6)
To be continued . . . . !