What is emerging church?

this is a question i get asked a lot and one i’m sure random readers will be pondering. sooo… i’m compiling this page as a reference and resource for this growing movement/phenomenon/fad thing.

• Jonny Baker has some helpful thoughts in what is the emerging church? a USA answer
• myths about emerging church from i wonder as i wander
• St. Cuthbert’s Wrose has a good summary.
• An Emerging Church Primer(commented on by tony jones)
• The Great Giveaway- Theological Issues Confronting the Emerging Churches – Yet Another List
• gathering in the light has A Beginners Reference Guide
• tall skinny kiwi is giving an excellent tour of the emerging church at emergant: a one week tour, Part 1
  Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. He also has compiled this tour into a website called EmergAnt.
• Read the wikipedia definition
  
• 
  Darren Rowse tries to avoid defining it.
• Alan Creech argues there is no such thing.
• 
  tall skinni kiwi had a great conversation about it.
• 
  brother maynard has some actual concrete (somewhat) definitions. also read to clarify this “journey”… where i’m keeping track of his series of nine points on emerging church.

i’ll add more links as i find them…

oh… “what do i think?” there’s always that isn’t there?

well… i agree with all of the people i’ve linked. even though that is often contradictory. i guess in a word i hope it’s about being honest. that includes humility, but also means being ourselves, being authentic. i think, hope and pray that the questions, criticisms, new ideas and expressions of “church” come from people’s honesty with themselves. honesty about their feelings, questions, beliefs and practice.

that’s my definition… some things i think it’s not (or at least don’t want it to be).

1. it’s not about age or generations. please don’t write it off as something the “young people” like.
2. it’s not a fad or a phase. it deals with foundational and imprtant questions about the very nature of our faith and understanding of it.
3. it’s not a worhsip style. in fact it’s not a style at all. if you know people you suspect are doing something that’s about style under the guise of emerging or postmodern church, report them immediately to the appropriate authorities. i repeat it’s not about style.
4. it’s not about rebellion and anti-establishment. i often struggle with this personally, but i also realize that it’s not the point. it’s not just about being against something. it’s about being for something else.

there are more things it’s not about, but i’ll stop there. if you still have questions, feel free to hang out and join in the conversation or email me a question (lucas at myfourwalls dot net).