Since our launch in 2003 emergingchurch.info has grown to include over 100 unique stories and reflections with more added every month - so where do you start if you're here for the first time? This then is a constantly evolving collection of recommended stories and reflections for if you're wanting to get a quick picture of what the emerging church is all about. Of course, it's impossible to summarise something as diverse as the emerging church but if you click and explore, read and discover, perhaps you'll start to get a picture of what this site is all about..
Move your cursor over the images below to begin. Click on the image to go to the article.

What is 'Emerging Church'? [REFLECTION] 10.03 What is 'Emerging Church'? GEORGE LINGS "The phrase “Emerging church” is an attempt to express succinctly the re-imagining of church that has been taking place in the last 20 years as a response to our rapidly changing UK mission context..." What is 'Emerging Church'? [REFLECTION] 11.04 How is Emerging Church different? MICHAEL MOYNAGH "If I was going to give one easy to read book to church pastors/leaders for an intro to emerging church in the UK this would be it." - JASON CLARK emergent.typepad.com. Take a look for yourself with this excerpt from Michael Moynagh's latest book. What might an emerging church look like? [STORY] 09.03 Visions of the future SUE WALLACE : Visions, York UK "Our story is a long one, and sometimes it scares me to see how the dates have whizzed by. Those of us who have been in Visions since the beginning have now been on this strange journey for 14 years. I find that unbelievable, and yet being here is still a constant surprise, constantly new..." What might an emerging church look like? [STORY] 03.04 Emerging down under ROSEMARY NEAVE : Futurechurch, New Zealand "While many congregations on Sunday mornings around New Zealand may be 'greying' and shrinking, as in other parts of the world there are a growing number of people and groups who are gathering in other ways and on other days to reflect on their faith journey and to celebrate it." What might an emerging church look like? [VIRTUAL CAFE STORY] 09.03 Iconic, apocalyptic, heretical, emerging, failing PETE ROLLINS : Ikon, Belfast, Northern Ireland Pete pops in to our virtual cafe to tell us about Ikon: "a community becoming Church, becoming Christian Some personal stories. [STORY] 08.03 The Birthing pains of an emerging church GARETH WILLIAMS : Myriad, Perth, Australia "I was content in my knowledge that as youth pastor of a "successful" church I was called to be there. Until God started messing with my calling. I remember having a conversation with a pastor from another church and sharing some of my frustrations. His reply was simple, "why don't you start something yourself?" I was floored. I couldn't do that. I didn't want to be the leader of something, that was too difficult..." Some personal stories. [REFLECTION] 03.05 To clarify this 'journey'... 'BROTHER MAYNARD' : Winnepeg, Canada "I long for a church that is low-key. I’m tired of hype, I’m tired of noise, and I’m tired of intensity..." Emerging church and mission. [STORY] 12.04 Mind, Body and Spirit BEN EDSON : Sanctus1, Manchester, UK "'Your aura is all sparkly' was the first comment that I received after I had prayed with someone at Manchester's annual Mind Body Spirit fair. This is the place where spiritual searchers come to explore spirituality. Sanctus1, an emerging church in the city centre of Manchester, decided that they should also be there to offer a Christian alternative." Emerging church and mission. [STORY] 04.05 Post-missionaries or 'walking amongst cats' KAREN WARD : Church of the Apostles, Seattle USA "at easter we throw a real party at which Christ hosts, apostles tend bar and wait tables, and where anyone off the streets is welcomed to attend." Emerging church and mission. [REFLECTION] 09.03 Reaching the Unchurched CHRIS STODDARD : RUN Network "A few years ago a woman walked off the streets into one of our 'Sunday Night Live!' 'Seeker' services and took a seat at the front. Afterwards she was telling a team member how much she enjoyed the programme and then asked, "By the way, what is this place?" "Well it's a church," came the reply. "Oh no it's not!" she said. "I've been to a church once and, believe me, it's nothing like this."" Ideas, thoughts, theory and theology. [REFLECTION] 08.04 The Body of Christ could use some sleep (Or what the Church can learn from iTunes) KESTER BREWIN : Vaux, London UK "We must first believe that change is both necessary and possible. For many in the church, change is neither. Either their faith is settled, the Scriptures are clear and closed, their minds an eternal, spotless sunshine, or the task is simply too great, the institution too large and the energy required too massive for change to be thought achievable." Ideas, thoughts, theory and theology. [REFLECTION] 08.04 Network Church STEVE COLLINS : Grace, London UK "If there's one single thing that characterises emerging forms of church across the western world it's that they are networked... It's the context and lifeblood of the emerging church, the arteries of the Body so to speak, and yet it's largely invisible to the existing institutional forms of church." Ideas, thoughts, theory and theology. [REFLECTION] 08.04 A to Z of emerging church STEVE TAYLOR "We seem reluctant to name the emerging church. Perhaps our naming yet lacks an alphabet. We need some A, B, C’s before we can spell the word."