A Creed for the Emergent Church

I will never forget the first time I heard the “Prayer Warriors Creed” from Michael Frost. His reading of this poem during a sermon was truly moving. Frosty is very good at getting people discontent with mediocre forms of Christianity (which I think makes up in part for his lack of bible exposition in preaching!). Given its focus on doing Christianity rather than merely knowing doctrine, I submit that with some tweaking it could easily become the first holy creed of the emergent church!

I belong to the fellowship of the unashamed
I have the Holy Spirit with me
The dye has been cast
I have stepped over the line
The decision has been made
I won't look back, let up, slowdown, back off or be still
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, and cheap living.
I no longer need prominence, position, promotion or popularity. I don’t have to be praised, recognized, regarded or rewarded.
I now live by faith, I depend on his strength
I walk by patience, I live by prayer, I labour by love
My face is set, my gait is fast
My mission is clear, my goal is heaven
My road is narrow, my way is rough
My companions few
My God is reliable
With God's help, I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, or ponder at the pool of popularity.
I cannot be bought or compromised
I won't give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, paid up, prayed up, and preached up for the cause of Jesus Christ
I must go until he comes, give until I drop, work until he stops me, preach until all I know is gone.
And when he comes he will have no problems recognizing me.

As much as I like this poem/creed I think that a more urgent theological task for budding young emergent theologians is to articulate the content and meaning of the gospel in such a way as to be faithful to the biblical texts, to maintain theological integrity, but also to contemporize the expression of the gospel so as to gain a fair hearing from unchurched postmoderns. Indeed, I think the greatest question posted to Emergent leaders by mainline Evangelicals is: ‘Let us hear how you construe and define the gospel of Jesus Christ!’ A legitimate question too!!! Maybe it can be answered at the first emergent ecumenical council.