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Assemblies
of God Theological Seminary heading toward Emerging
and Contemplative Spirituality. One example of this is Professor
Earl Creps' list of recommended reading on Leadership, which include materials from mystic proponents Daniel Goleman, Bill Hybels, Laurie Beth Jones, Steven Covey, Eugene Peterson (The Message), Margaret Wheatley (see A "Wonderful" Deception), Larry Crabb, Rick Warren,Dallas Willard, Ruth Haley Barton, Henri Nouwen,Ken
Blanchard, and Leonard
Sweet.
*Dr. Creps Blog
*The
Leadership Network (the Creators of the Emerging Church) Interview
with Earl Creps
Assemblies
of God: Committed to Spiritual Formation, Contemplative and Emerging
Earl
Creps, director of the Doctor of Ministry program and associate
professor at AOGTS, is a heavy proponent of both contemplative
and emerging. In his course
syllabi over the last five years, Creps has classes with titles
such as "Leading the Emerging Church" and "Models of Ministry
in the Emerging Church." Syllabus reading materials include those
from Henri
Nouwen, Brian
McLaren, Ken
Blanchard, Dan Kimball, Erwin
McManus, Sally Morgenthaler, Leonard
Sweet. A visit to Creps' "Spiritual Adventures" blog gives
a hearty helping of emergent discussion. In one
blog, Creps tries to show how there might be a union between
Pentecostalism and the emerging church, saying the relationship
is "gaining some traction." While Creps ends that discussion with
"I am painfully orthodox doctrinally," resources he offers throughout
his blogs and websites would paint another picture. Under Apologetics
Resources, Creps recommends Leonard Sweet's book, Quantum
Spirituality. Listen to Sweet, as he describes the New Light
in his book: "I have followed those 'New Light leaders' ... [S]ome
of those who led [me] into new light are: ... Matthew
Fox, Richard Mouw, Rowan Williams." Others that Leonard Sweet
thanks include: Morton Kelsey, M. Scott Peck, Walter Bruggemann,
Ken Wilber, Thomas Berry and many other New Age sympathizers.
And then:
The
first of these five untheorized observations is that New Light
embodiment means to be "in connection" and 'in-formation' with
other Christians. Deeper feeling and higher relating go together.
The church is fundamentally one being, one person, a comm-union
whose cells are connected to one another within the information
network called the Christ consciousness." —Quantum
Spirituality, P. 122
He
goes on:
Energy-fire
experiences take us into ourselves only that we might reach
outside of ourselves. Metanoia is a de-centering experience
of connected-ness and community. It is not an exercise in reciting
what Jesus has done for me lately. Energy-fire ecstasy, more
a buzz than a binge, takes us out of ourselves, literally. That
is the meaning of the word 'ecstatic.'Quantum
Spirituality, P. 93
This
ecstasy Sweet speaks refers to the New Age ecstasy that occurs
in an altered state of consciousness. (See
more research on Sweet.)Sweet has written an endorsement for
Creps new book, Off-Road
Disciplines. With Creps influence at AOGTS and his admiration
for Leonard Sweet, it looks like Sweet will play a role in the
future of many Assemblies of God students. Read More of this article.
Endorsements on the AGTS website for these
resources include:
"Assemblies of God professor Earl Creps, a man for whom many
in the emerging church movement give thanks daily."—Marcia
Ford
"I
have instructed my web people to link to your marvelous resource.
There is truly nothing out there like it. I can't thank you enough."
—Leonard Sweet
RECOMMENDED
AUTHORS BY AGTS and Dr. Earl Creps:
Dallas Willard
Leonard Sweet
Richard Foster
Eugene Peterson and more...
Earl
Creps and the Emerging Church |
Emerging
Leaders Forum
November 18, 2005 - 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (2005)
"Earl
Creps will share on the subject of "Ministry in a Postmodern Culture"
with this group of Emerging Leaders."
"Being
on the road and the internet a lot has connected me with ... friends
like Len Sweet, and numerous Districts
of the Assemblies of God, along with other parachurch organizations
like Youth Specialties ..."
His
Required Reading to Students |
Smith,
Chuck, Jr. The End of the World As We Know It: Clear Direction
for Bold and Innovative Ministry in a Postmodern World. Waterbrook,
2001. (272 pages)
McLaren, Brian. A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two
Friends on a Spiritual Journey. John Wiley & Sons, 2001. (192
pages)
Sweet, Leonard. Postmodern Pilgrims: First Century Passion
for the 21st Century Church. Broadman & Holman, 2000. (224 pages)
See more required
reading by Dr. Earl Creps
Earl
Creps Book on Spiritual Formation 
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