The Emergent matrix: a new kind of church?

Christian Century, Nov 30, 2004 by Scott Bader-Saye

The Emerging Church, by Dan Kimball (Zondewan)

Kimball is the creator of the Web site vintagefaith.org and founding pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California. While protesting that "emergent'" is more a mind set than a model, Kimball provides the closest thing to a "how-to" book on the emerging church. Though the book lacks the theological depth of Webber or MeLaren, it is strong on pastoral insight and creative vision.

Reimagining Spiritual Formation: A Week in the Life of an Experimental Church, by Doug Pagitt (Zondervan)

Through multiple voices this book describes the spiritual life of Solomon's Porch, an emerging church in Minneapolis that eschews the thin gruel of "church growth" talk in favor of thick reflection on spiritual practices.

Mission-Shaped Church, by the Church of England's Mission and Public Affairs Council (Church House Publishing)

This report from an Anglican working group looks evenhandedly at "fresh expressions of church" in the United Kingdom and makes suggestions for renewal and evangelism that would be relevant to mainline denominations in the U.S.

WEBSITES

www.emergentvillage.com: the closest thing to an "official" site of the emergent conversation in the U.S.; includes information about conferences and other gatherings.

www.emergingchurch.info: excellent UK site with thoughtful articles, stories and discussions.

www.emergingchurch.org: Karen Ward's helpful introduction to the emergent conversation with extensive links to other sites and blogs.

www.theooze.org: a site to help church leaders converse, collaborate and share resources for the emerging church; includes articles, a blog and live chat.

www.vintagefaith.org: a site created by Dan Kimball and Josh Fox, pastors of Vintage Faith Church (vintagechurch.org), an extension of Kimball's work in The Emerging Church and Emerging Worship.

www.alternativeworship.org: UK site arising out of the alternative worship movement; good combination of theory and practice.

www.resonate.ca: part of the emerging church conversation in Canada, with articles, links and discussions, complete with virtual lounge parties and a virtual prayer room.

CHURCHES

Church of the Apostles, Seattle: www.apostleschurch.org

A joint Lutheran/Episcopal church plant pastored by Karen Ward, a member of the Emergent Coordinating Group.

The Church at Matthews House, Oceanside, California: www.matthewshouse.com

A growing community of house churches in Southern California.

Cedar Ridge Community Church, Spencerville, Maryland: www.crcc.org

A nondenominational church near Washington, D.C., where Brian McLaren is pastor.

House of Mercy, St. Paul: www.houseofmercy.org

An American Baptist church that reflects the ancient-future eclecticism of the emergent conversation, though not consciously founded as an "emerging church."

Solomon's Porch, Minneapolis: http://solomonsporch.com

An experimental church pastored by Doug Pagitt, described in Reimagining Spiritual Formation.

Mosaic, Austin, Texas: www.mosaicaustin.org

Mosaic meets in a Baptist church, embraces the progressive culture of Austin, and creates its liturgy out of homegrown art, music and storytelling.