I’m up here in Seattle, and Doug Pagitt’s heart-felt record of his church’s, Solomon’s Porch, work, called Reimagining Spiritual Formation, which for many Emergent folk is “old hat,” was a wondrous read and gave me many things to think about.

But I begin with this one and it is a Question: What should 50somethings say about 20somethings who are doing all they can to “incarnate” the gospel in their own terms in unique situations and all for the glory of God and the good of the Kingdom? And who are doing it on top of what those 50somethings did themselves? And who think that 50somethings (like me!) didn’t always get it right?

Well, I say, the first thing they (read: we) should do is listen and listen hard enough until they (we) really hear what they are saying. So, my first comment is this: I’m listening and I’m processing and I’m grateful that there are young pastors and Christians who are willing to act on their God-given principles and do something that they think is more centered on the essence of the Kingdom.

They remind me of what we tried in my generation (using guitars, for instance, and hanging out in the church and having Bible studies with Christians from different churches and just generally getting in the way of the older folk) and I am SO grateful for the essential stance: we need to change and we’ll be the ones who give it a whirl.

I’ve got all kinds of ideas swirling in my head, but the first one is simply this: I want to hear what they are doing and if Solomon’s Porch is anywhere near expressing heart-felt concerns of the Emergent movement — however unique and all that and not typical — then I want to take it all in first. I want to let that vision settle in some.