I want to make something clear, something that I don't think many get. I don't think there are any of us in leadership with Horizon that are against traditional worship/churches. I know that for me, that was my upbringing. I never went to a contemporary service, or a church that had one until I helped to start them. My bread and butter, so to speak, growing up was suit and tie, preaching behind a pulpit, and organ/choir music. I wore a suit and tie to church every Sunday until 2000, the beginnings of Horizon.

Also, I believe that in some parts of the country, a traditional church is the most effective way to reach it's community. I have no doubt that this is true. Not one doubt.

One thing, though... I know that there is a new generation of pre-Christians that have emerged. And on the whole, the traditional approach does not reach them: suit and tie? what's that? organ music? I though Bach died centuries ago. a pulpit? what's that man hiding from? I know God has called myself and Horizon to reach that elusive fish... the postmodern/emergent culture dude/dudette.

My only wish is that traditional churches would offer churches such as ours, their blessing. I am reminded of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabus had been reaching non-Jews, people that did not know the Torah, that did not follow holy days, that did not observe the Sabbath, that were not circumcised, yada, yada, yada... And this strange new group was suddenly embracing the good news that God had come in the flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ. In return, God was showering this strange new group with His presence, His Holy Spirit. Lives were changed, and this was evident to all... The Jerusalem Council met to meet about these strange happenings...

I will quote the whole passage here, if you don't want to read it, skip to
below:

Acts 15.1-31:
Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me. Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: “‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ that have been known for ages.
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers.
With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul — men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

You know what I long for? What I crave? Is for this same thing to happen today. The emergent church needs the blessing of those in the traditional camp. Now... I know there are many who do not think we need a blessing... in fact, Paul sorta gives us a clue in Galatians about what he felt along these lines:

Gal. 2.6-10:
As for those who seemed to be important — whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance — those men added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Still, I feel like a blessing is needed to heal the conflict that is arising in our churches. Is there a group within a traditional church that seeks to have a more contemporary style? Give them a blessing... send them out to start a new work. Equip them. Give them support. Pray for them. BLESS THEM. Likewise... if there were a traditional group to appear out of a contemporary one... the same thing.

More to my ranting later... perhaps someone has something to add?