Emergent Models are Mimicry

Linstead and Hopft (The Aesthetics of Organization, 2000, 75-77) propose that four types of games, which correspond to four types of play, can be distinguished. These are:

1. Agon, or contest, in which the player desires to win by merit under conditions of regulation, by relying only on themselves (or the team) and their efforts.

2. Alea, or chance, in which the player desires to win by luck, by anxious submission to fate, relying on everything except themselves and powers that are elusive.

3. Mimicry, or illusion, in which the player desires to be another personality and succeeds in acceptable imaginary universe.

4. Ilinix, or carnival, in which the player desires ecstasy, unboundedness, and freedom from constraint, and does this by confounding bodily equilibrium, ordinary perception and conscience.

Reading this, it occurred to me that these four types loosely correspond four ways in which churches operate. Let me illustrate:

The Agon church tries to operate and succeed by virtue of their own power. They “try harder,” and “go the extra mile,” and “make sacrifices.” The thought is that if they do enough, long enough, they can achieve success. Often, they achieve fatigue and burnout long before they see the enigmatic success they long for.

The Alea church believes that revival, growth, “success” is all in the hands of God. They have very little to do with it. It all has to do with God’s “timing,” and God’s “plans” for His church. They pray and believe and if it is “God’s will,” people will miraculously start appearing at their church and running to the altars.

The Mimicry church is always trying to find out what is working at another church and tries to replicate that success at their church. The pastor is always going to seminars, always up on the latest church growth strategies that worked at Willow Creek, or Saddleback, and trying to copy it in their own context. This church is marked by continually changing programs. From Evangelism Explosion, to Small Groups, to 40-Days of Purpose, they are always trying to replicate the success of other churches.

The Ilinix church is looking for a spiritual connection with God. It seeks a fresh approach, is unrestrained by either human effort or mimicry of other models. It doesn’t follow a pattern, but invites disorientation as a method of reorientation and integration of an ecstatic/spiritual experience. I am tempted to suggest that this is the desired approach of the Emerging Church Movement, but the minute Brian McLaren or Leonard Sweet wrote their books and others began to employ the Emergent Church model, they were already engaged in Mimicry.

What should the church be? Is it one of these types, or some combination? I am intrigued.