I’ve been invited back to my place of origin (where beer and cheese flow freely – {that would be Wisconsin} and I’m not a fan of either {beer and cheese that is}).

I’ll be presenting a free one day seminar called ALTERNATIVE TO EMERGENT. New Tribe Bible Institute is sponsoring this event for their student body and they’re making the event available to anyone who wants to come.

I sat down with my host Adam Demark, (the rep who invited me), in order to learn more about New Tribes and their rationale behind the event.

1. What is your role NTBI? I am involved in student discipleship, teach Bible classes, and function as the school registrar.   My wife Jena and I and our three kids have ministered with New Tribes Mission since 1997.
2. NTBI trains students to minister in other cultures. Why did you want your students to be educated about the pros and cons of the emergent church? New Tribes Mission specializes in communicating the gospel in a way that is relevant to the people group that we are targeting.  Being relevant in that context and within that culture is the key to effectively communicating God’s Word.   We want to communicate in the “heart language” of the people.   As I have observed our students in their own culture, I feel that many are possibly missing the balance of relevance and truth.   One of the cries of the emergent movement is the cry for relevance.  People are searching for what is relevant in their lives.  The answer is Jesus Christ, and I want our students to understand that there are positive aspects to this movement as well as some aspects to be cautious about.
3. Why is it the “right time” for this one-day event – alternative to emergent? The rejection of absolute truth in a postmodern worldview has overflowed into the church.  Jude exhorts us to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”  It is important that we understand the times that we live in.  It is the believer’s responsibility to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”   The time is now before we lose an entire generation to irrelevance. 

More about this special FREE one day event =

April 23, 2009 – Alternative to Emergent:

Navigating the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Movement

9:00 – 9:15 am:  Worship

9:15 – 10:30 am:   Session 1

Navigating the Conversation: A Brief History Concerning What & Why
This session introduces vocabulary, origins, and motivations for the movement.

11:00 – 12:15 pm:  Session 2

Unintentional Atheists: 4 Reasons why you’re Probably an Atheist without even Knowing it & what to do About it
This session demonstrates the strengths of the movement which return us to a biblical, methodological, embodiment of the Gospel.

6:00 – 6:30 pm:   NTBI Campus Tour

6:30 – 6:45 pm:  NTBI DVD

6:45 – 7:15 pm:   Session 3

The Fine Line: Alternative to Emergent
This session presents the Third Way – a balanced and bold approach of integrating Christ with Culture.  

7:30 – 8:00 pm:   Session 4

A Faith of Substance: Clarification and Commitment to Orthodoxy
This session presents a confident affirmation of Truth and the doctrines not up for negotiation.

* Please join us for dessert and coffee in the NTBI Dining Hall following last session

For more information about this special event, please contact me at adam_demark@ntm.org.  More details to follow.   Visit us online at www.ntbi.org 

The event is free to the public. Seating is limited. Relevant resources will be available for purchase onsite.

New Tribes Bible Institute

915 N. Harwell Ave.

Waukesha, WI 53186