I'm amazed at how many of these younger people I'm talking to right now for this book, are all saying, "Christianity from preachers is a one way thing. They don't care what I think, all they care about is dispensing their information and forcing their belief on me, not caring what I am personally believing at this time or wanting to dialogue and interact with me." That's common. Every single person is saying that. And if we're serious, then that changes how we go about preaching, how we set up our church to be more interactive. Maybe not in the big meeting, but somehow we need to be doing this.

How do we have more trust built in us who are up on the platform? Generally — and if you're from outside the church in particular — all they know, for the most part, is abuses of power and authority. And they think people are mindless who just sit there and listen to somebody and don't challenge their thinking. I've already sensed most of this, but it's been fascinating listening.

Advertisement

And here's the other thing: they want to learn, I've heard this many times — if they come to church, they don't want to sit and have like a kindergarten explanation. They want to be digging deep, to know in depth; they want to be respected for their intelligence. So it isn't like you have to dumb things down at all. I don't know how that's going to impact the future of the church as a whole in our culture, but these are really fascinating observations that preachers need to pay attention to.

Preaching: Some observers have said that in order to talk to people in a postmodern environment, it requires the use of narrative and story. It sounds as if your preaching is, if not propositional, at least pretty heavy in content.

Kimball: When I talk about narrative and story, I try to set it up. When I talked about heaven, I didn't jump in and start talking about "here are the facts about heaven." I go to try to say, "We talked last week about how God created the garden of Eden and it was this paradise." And I go back there and tell some of the story of what occurred there and then thread through to when the thief on the cross used the word "paradise." Look in Revelation 22 and possibly could heaven be a garden? What I try to do, in a narrative sense, is to be constantly piecing in wherewhat we're talking about fits in with the grand narrative of the biblical story. So it isn't "here's how to have a happy family and here's three principles with three Bible verses to back up each principle." I listen to some sermons, and they're so helpful, but it's pretty much just the pastor's opinion about things.

When we did the Sermon on the Mount, we set up a great story of what was going on. We actually even projected on the walls the hills of Northern Galilee, trying to get people in this setting, to really try to say see who Jesus was as a Rabbi. We talked about what a Rabbi meant at that time, and how Rabbis would find disciples. Then we talked about what was a disciple back in that particular time period and that history, and how intense they were in imitating the Rabbi they followed. It colors the whole story of what's going on so it isn't just Jesus telling the facts. It was a colorful story, the narrative way of presenting this so it made more sense, I hope, to people.

Preaching: Where do you see the emerging church going over the next decade or so?

Kimball: It's very difficult to say. I hope what will occur is that we will see a change in our culture as a result. And to me, the great test of the church is: are we seeing local towns having a climate change in their spiritual and kingdom living? I would say that where I hope it will go, that no matter what form and expression emerging church communities take, is that we will see people being drawn to know Jesus as a result of Christians really living out their faith. Not that we have better preaching or not that we have better music — all that stuff is so non-important if we're not seeing any actual change in people's lives and in our towns and cities. And what I'm saying now I believe is what most emerging church leaders I know are focusing on. That's what I keep hearing over and over again.

I think it'll be non-denominational, but not a denominational itself — post-denominational in many ways — still very much attached to various denominational histories, but not focusing on that. I just see us being very passionate about mission and I think very passionate about the Scriptures.

I think God has us all in different roles and ministries and there isn't one that's better than another or more hip than another, or anything. The men that have made a difference, that God's used in my life, you know they had almost nothing in common with me culturally. Except they were Jesus to me.