Gibbs, Eddie & Ryan K. Bolger - Emerging Churches

[Hans Deventer]

This book may be a little dated, it's from 2005, but I'm loving reading it, underlining stuff at almost every other page. Going through it quite slowly but so far I've noticed that many of the concerns of emergent leaders resonate with me. I guess I'm more a part of this movement (dead or not) than I thought it was.

Review to follow!

[Hans Deventer]

I've reached the last part of the book, which is an appendix with testimonies of 50 emergent leaders from the USA and the UK, so it's time for a review. First of all, I love the book! If this is the emergent church, then I'm far more emergent than I ever thought I was.

The subtitle should have been "In their own words". Gibbs and Bolger basically did 5 years of research and organised their material, but this book is hardly a critical look at the movement. But it's a very good look into the thoughts and practices of those emerging churches, and these leaders do mention their failures and what they learned through trial and error. You do get a great insight, enough to do your own critical analysis if you want to.

Fortunetely, Gibbs and Bolger did not forget to offer a definition of the emerging church and 9 practices that are included in the practices in the definition.




Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern cultures. The definition encompasses the nine practices. Emerging churches

identify with the life of Jesus
transform the secular realm, and
live highly communal lives. Because of these three activities, they
welcome the stranger
serve with generosity
participate as producers
create as created beings
lead as a body, and
take part in spiritual activities
(p 44-45)

Highly recommended if you want an inside view.