AMA Series: Emergent Thinker in a Independent Baptist Church

I'm a 30something guy from the northeast USA who is part of the same church my parents joined when I was seven. When I was younger, the church was a typical independent fundamentalist church, though somewhat moderate because of a large population of teachers, professors, and other professionals. (As an example, we had the KJV only fight when I was in my young teens, the church moved to the NIV as the standard for teaching/reading/memorizing)

When I was in college, (I have a BA in Biblical Studies) I was wrestling with the normal discontent of a 20 year old, when a friend gave me Brian McLaren's "New Kind of Christian." The book, and ensuing conversations with this friend and others completely changed my outlook on how Christianity could look.

I came home with a mission: To settle back in the area, and start the conversation in my own church. To help my rather ingrown and out of touch church move into the 21st century. To love the people I find myself journeying with, and help them encounter Christ apart from a program or an institution. To that, I've had to add: To help those wounded and abandoned by my church and others, who are trying to follow Jesus but don't find the church a helpful place to do that.

I have to work, I'll be back about 4:00PM EST to answer questions through the balance of the evening. I love Jesus, I love my church, AMA!

Edit: Ok, I'm home from work. Ask away.