There is a cultural wave overtaking the West.  Postmodernism is dismantling the establishments of modernism, and with it, the influence and power of Christendom is falling.  What should be the response of followers of Jesus?  Can Jesus be relevant in our times?  How can we replace the fear of decline with deep inward reformation and outward engagement?  These are the questions (and many more) that are creating the conversation known as emerging church.  In other words, emerging church is all about the church that is emerging from this conversation.  With much in flux and exciting experiments in new kind of living, this isn't the church of yesterday, and it may even be the church of tomorrow.

What is EMERGING Church?

The emerging church or emergent church is a diverse, conversation within Christianity that arose in the late 20th century as a response to the influence of modernism in Western Christianity, and the declining influence of Christianity as a cultural force in the West.

Proponents of the emerging church embrace the reality of postmodernism and seek to deconstruct and reconstruct Christianity in order to meaningfully engage with Western society which is pre-dominantly post-Christian.

Some proponents call the movement a "conversation" to emphasize its decentralized nature with contributions from people of a variety of beliefs and lifestyles. Within the core of being emerging, the concept of being a missional people guide many discussions about the emerging journey. The idea centers around the thought of being a "called people." Called out into the world, called to be a active part of a community, called to be a voice for those who have no voice and called to be in culture. Being missional is knowing that we all are living in the Kingdom of God, right now, and that there is a strong desire for others to share in that blessing. Being a "missional" people means being a people of action and not just talk. [Read the whole wiki here.]

Jump into the emerging church conversation by visiting Tracking the Movement > Emerging Church.  Here you'll find current feeds from websites and blogs involved in emerging church.  Experience the broad and adventurous experiments going on out there as church meets culture.

Find other revolutionaries in the emerging church movement in your area and around the world in Find a Revolutionary > Emerging Churches .  Add your own listing to the directory by registering for an account.  Also check out other simple church / house church directories below.

Read some books by people involved in the emerging church conversation by browsing Books and Resources > Emerging Church.  You'll be able to purchase books through Amazon.com, reveiw items for other readers, and even download free e-books.