I’m glad you and McKnight pointed out that what God is birthing in our hearts extends even beyond the self-identified emerging church. I don’t think the common thread necessarily is the creation of an alternate church structure either, but is the change God is creating in our hearts.

I wish there was a term that includes us all. But part of who we are defies having a label. If you have to be part of an emerging church structure to be an “emerging Christian,” then I wouldn’t qualify. I don’t like “post-modern Christian” because there is so much anathema to Christ in post-modern thought (as defined by Wikipedia). So what are a growing portion of especially younger Christians experiencing?

How about this: I am a Christian who shares many of the values and ways of thinking with the emerging church but who is called by God to attend a more traditional church structure (at this time) and participate there with others in whom God is moving. NVM, that’s way too long. LOL!

Really, if the emerging church is part of a movement of the Spirit in conjunction with a large societal shift and not just a new church fad, then the whole Church could be said to be emerging. We will all end up looking different because humanity is diverse, some old forms will persist, but no one will be left unchanged. So for me the question is not, “Who is emerging?” but, “God, how do you want us/me/my church to emerge?”