all things emergent

i have been given a grand compliment by deoduce in my comment section. he said i was a great resource for the emergent church. that makes me smile (please don't think i'm mocking you deoduce, honest) because i am so 'outside' the real discussions and actual work that is being done.

what i am gifted in is gathering information - so i'm going to send you to the places where the real conversation is happening. i'm a 'lurker', never been to an event or even an 'emergent church' but pray that one day will actually be able to 'do' all of the dreams and ideas that i've gleaned or been inspired to by this discussion.

there are really three circles of emergent (please again, i am no expert here and don't claim to have it all figured out - if there is something happening that i don't know about i'd love to hear it). most of these are blogrolled to the right.

the one that seems to be farthest ahead and most on the edge (imho) is down under. my favorite is kiwi steve his ideas, thoughts and ability to distill and illustrate a concept is a gift i fear not many have. his blogroll will link you to many other like minded.

next i think that great britian has a jump (minus some really amazing pockets of emergence here in the states) on us stateside. jonny baker blogs and vj's the world over and is so generous with his ideas and creativity - he has almost 100 different inspirations he gifts us with. andrew is the heartbeat of all things emergent 'across the pond' - he knows what's up in both GB and across europe and keeps us all up to date on what is happening - everywhere! he also does it with a lot of personal flair and great humor thrown in.

here stateside the list is incredibly long and diverse. of course there is the godfather as jen lemen the emergent midwife calls him. both of those blogs will inspire you in different ways. brian's site will challenge your mind, and jen's will inspire your soul.

corporate thought is really the most exciting aspect to american emergence - you can find out lots of people, places and things through ministries (conglomerations?) - or should i say 'cohorts' :) like the ooze and allelon and of course the emergent convention there are probably more that i can't remember (but will add as i find them) or that i don't even know about.

then you can see this working in emergent churches all over the states. brian's church cedar ridge and solomon's porch which is doug padgett's incarnation of what an emergent church looks like.

i know there are more - chris at desert pastor blogs about his california incarnation. it is the most contemplative, ancient modern one that i can find (and the one i'd choose to go to except that it's in a desert and i'm a pasty white scandinavian who doesn't even like 'dry heat' and of course he's all the way in california)

there are so many more but i'm running out of blogging time this a.m. (please don't be offended if i've left you off my 'list' - i'll edit and improve it when i have more time). my blogroll has the ones that inspire and challenge me.

deoduce - the best way to find 'all things emergent' is to bunny trail blog rolls, read book suggestions and ask questions on the comments. you will find that this community is as real as it claims to be. it is filled with honest, incredible passionate people who truly want to meet people where they are at and live jesus with them.

the other thing you will find is that each and every one is tailored specifically to their community and looks a lot like the gifts that it's leaders possess. rachelle's incarnation looks a lot like her and her community out west. brian mclaren's looks a lot like him and the community he ministers to. there isn't 'one way' or 'one look' and that is the beauty of the emergent church.

i hope that helps, again, i am no expert - just an observer right now, but maybe one day we'll be able to start that church we dream of. have a great day!