What is a Emerging Church

I found this on the weblog of the Freeway. There is a lot of good conversation happeing about these concepts. Ryan Bolger has a good blog as well fyi.

THE COLLOQUY: "What Is An Emerging Church?

I like this definition by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger in their book Emerging Churches:

Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus in postmodern cultures.

Gibbs and Bolger also identify nine practices of emerging churches:

1) They identify with the life of Jesus.
2) They transform the secular realm.
3) They live highly communal lives.
Because of these they:
4) Welcome the stranger.
5) Serve with generosity.
6) Participate as producers.
7) Create as created beings.
8) Lead as a body.
9) Take part in spiritual activities.

Some folks (like Andrew Jones and Jonny Baker) say this is the best book written on the emerging church yet. I disagree... but it is good, for sure."