Defining the emerging church

It seems that as soon as I start to think I understand what the 'emerging church' is... I come to realize I don't have a clue. So the past couple days I've been trying to read a lot about it and think about it. What is the emerging church?

I say this as not an expert at all, so please don't read it like I am (kinda naive of me to think someone is reading this, I guess). Anyway, these are just my thoughts.

The two words that come to mind are: reaction and identity. And I am not saying this is what it means to ALL people, but this seems to be what it means to a lot of people.

REACTION:
Every generation, and even pockets within each of those generations, need to rebel against the previous. maybe 'rebel' isn't the best word, but we 'react' to the previous generation, or to those around us that we 'don't want to be like.' It has been happening since the beginning of time - Adam and Eve, even. And I think a lot of people with a church background call themselves emergent because they don't want to be like the church health movement, or church growth movement, or seeker sensitive movement, and on and on. So for these people, the emergent church is another "movement" in a succession of movements throughout church history. In this sense it's not so much a 'reaction to post-modernism' as it is a 'reaction to modernism'.

As a 'reaction', the emerging church can take on many shapes and forms. It is not going to be the same thing to everyone. It defies age, culture, theology, and philosophy.

IDENTITY:
I believe that for many people the emerging church has become more of an 'identity.' Even if it is also a reaction. In this sense it would be more of a 'reaction to post-modernism. It's a label. And as much as so many post-modern's say they don't like labels, or as many emergents say they can't be labeled... I believe that is the label they want to identify with.

Again, it means different things to different people. For some, emergent is a young person's movement. For some it's a 'way of thinking/living/doing church/doing life.' For some it is what seperates them from those Christ-followers they don't necessarily want to associate with. It's like a tattoo, or a brand.

And it's kinda funny... my son made an observation yesterday about it... Some people don't like that the emerging church is gaining in popularity. Probably the same people who don't want it to be defined. Because then it's kinda like an 'Indie band' that someone happened onto, and they are such a cool band mostly because no one else seems to know about them. But then when they start to gain popularity... they're no longer "cool." For these people, the emerging church is just the latest trend. It's a form of 'identity.'

Anyway, I say all that, because this morning I happened on a definition of the emerging church that I really like. And it's from 1970! I saw this on Andrew Jones' blog; it's from Larson, Osborne: "Wherever there are a few individuals willing and ready to be Christ's people in their own situation and place, there the emerging Church is coming into its own."

Hmm. I like that. Simple, yet profound. Defined with no borders. I think that will be my definition for now. I want to emerge. I want to be Christ's person in the situation I am in; the place I am in. And I hope others will join me. I think they have.

Good day. Peace... and revolution!