Where Is the Emerging Church?

No one knows more about the ECM, especially in the UK, than Jonny Baker. He’s been around since before the beginning, and he’s published on it as well. Recently, he received an email asking what happened to the emerging church, and he posted his response on his blog:

i was asked a question via e-mail this week from a pastor in the usa which i thought i’d run by you. it went something like this…

I have noticed that many of the emerging church blogs and websites have dried up. Where I live, there were virtually zero churches doing what you were doing. I like to play and create and offer worship experiences that are different from the traditional 1900’s models; however, I have found it difficult to find folks in my area who share this.  These blogs were my discussions of ideas, etc. Have these churches and creators of worship arts gone somewhere else, or are they just gone? If you have suggestions on where else I can go to find discussion and idea creation for alternative worship, I would greatly appreciate it!

i sent a reply saying that i thought a lot was happening but inevitably the conversation moves and things like twitter and facebook have had a part to play in that. but equally the phases of the church reconfiguring that were called emerging church and alternative worship have been passed through i suspect. lots of things now seem to be configuring around mission and community. quite a few people have got involved in moving worship into public space which is good. others are gathered round meal tables in small missional communities under the radar. but i do think it’s harder to find groups who are creating worship that grabs the imagination, soul and spirit.

via jonnybaker: a question….