Several years ago, when I pastored a church in Michigan, another nearby minister rose to international popularity as an "emergent" poster boy. His name is Rob Bell, his large mega-church was Mars Hill in Grandville, MI, and he had authored the books Velvet Elvis, Sex God, and Jesus Wants to Save Christians. The purpose of this article is not to discuss or critique the "emergent" movement but to ask some hard questions about our own non-emergent, confessionally-reformed churches.

The Christian life is characterized by joy. This article explains what this joy is, the basis of it, and the hindrance to Christian joy. 

Can it be that believers leave their churches for the emergent church because their churches have become submergent? Defining a submerged churchas lethargic, apathetic and self-focused, the author shows that this is the threat facing the church. He suggests that rediscovering a God honouring and Christ-centered worship is crucial to avoiding such a threat.