Origins of the terms "Emerging" and "Emergent" church - Part 2

I started writing what I understand as the origins of the terms "the emerging church" and "emergent" or "the emergent church" in the previous blog entry which was Part 1.

With all the wondering about the origins of the names and even web sites, I was motivated to look up web sites to see when they were first started in figuring out the time period when these terms were being used. Tony Jones suggested I post these dates here for those wanting to know more about timing and origins.

Web Sites first using "emergent" or "emerging"

emergingchurch.org   - May 21, 2001 -  Karen Ward from Apostles Church in Seattle got this domain name and began discussing emerging church issues on it.

emergingchurch.net  - June 12, 2001  - Since the book, The Emerging Church I was writing was in the works, I got the domain name back in 2001.

emergentvillage.org and com   - June 21, 2001 - "Emergent" the organization was formed at this time and they bought these domain names

emergingchurch.com  -  June 22, 2001 -   Youth Specialties bought the domain name on this date from someone who originally bought it in the year 2000 but didn't use it. But Youth Specialties at this time was looking at being involved in emerging church issues so they bought it  from someone else in 2001.

So, we can see that the term "emerging church" was being used to the point of a few of us actually buying domain names in 2001.

"Emergent" was the reestablished theological group from Leadership Networks Young Leaders Network

For the term "emergent" as we use it today about church was first used formally on June 21, 2001 when Tony Jones, Brian McLaren and Doug Pagitt met and had a conference call with some others to come up with a name for a new network they were starting. The reason they were starting "Emergent" was because Leadership Network had orginally formed a theological working group as part of their Young Leaders Network. In this original group with Leadership Network, some key people were Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Chris Seay, Mark Driscoll and Doug Pagitt (and several others). I wasn't in this group, but I was involved in some of the practitioner events and ministry focused events with the Young Leaders Network.

The Leadership Network Young Leaders theology group was disbanding and had ended. So, Doug, Tony, Brian and some others reformed it and named it "Emergent" on June 21, 2001 and got the domain name "emergentvillage.org and .com" on that day.

Confusing because the terms "emerging" and "emergent" are so simliar

The confusing part in all this in terms of words, was that the "emerging church" was being used at that time and becoming more prevalent as described in the earlier blog entry. Tony told me that when he, Brian and Doug were thinking of new names for the theology group that was formerly the Leadership Network one - they were not trying to play off the "emerging church" term. Tony said, that naming it "emergent" was because the word is defined as the "coming to the surface" of new organic life beginning and reproducing and that was why they chose the word. Marko described in his blog the definition of the word "emergent" in terms of the organic nature of it really well.

So "emergent" was not named because it was similar to "emerging church" - that was coincidence and Tony told me if there was any connection, it was subconscious, not intentional.

Youth Specialties got involved

What happened next, was that Mark Oestreicher from Youth Specialties and myself were talking a lot about what happens beyond youth ministry. There was growing interest at that time for Youth Specialties to be developing events and books for the post-youth ministry years. So Mark and I flew up to Minneapolis to meet with Brian, Tony and Doug. This was on June 22-23, 2001. It turned out that Brian, Tony and Doug and others on a conference call the day before had formally named the new theological group "Emergent". So with that having been established, the conversation in the meeting then turned to Youth Specialties partnering with "Emergent" (the organization) to publish books and events. Thus the "emergentYS" line developed and the "Emergent Convention" that was attached to the National Pastors Convention that Youth Specialties was already putting on.

Meanwhile, the term "emerging church" was continuing to be being used for churches rethinking what it means to be the church in our emerging culture and about the mission of Jesus etc. And now "Emergent" the organization was birthed which was primarily a theological discussion in the beginning. Yet everything we do should be thought through in terms of theology, so even if the initial emerging church discussion was more on methodology, there still needs to be discussion on what is the theology behind our methodology.

The terms "emerging church" and "emergent" began being used as the same thing to many people

Because the words were so similar (emerging and emergent), through time they sort of became interchangeably used rather than two distinct terms as they were originally. Because "Emergent" was part of the growing "emerging church" discussion, it sort of became confusing knowing what was emerging, what was emergent, what was the same, what was different.

As the terms "emerging church" and "emergent" began being more and more known, the confusion of course was natural because of their similarity. Some people also starting thinking "emerging church" or even "emergent" was a style of ministry. I still hear people today saying we have an "emergent worship service" and all they are talking about is the style of a worship gathering catering to younger people. Emergent is an organization and network, not a style of ministry. The Emerging Church is also not just a style of ministry - it is about rethinking what it means to be the church in our emerging culture. But that is also what Emergent is doing, so the confusion and blending of the two terms is understandable.

Through time people started even saying "Emergent Church" instead of "Emerging Church" or use both terms as describing the same thing - instead of having Emergents focus more on theology and Emerging Church more on methodology as it started initially.

It would be so interesting to think if back in June 2001, if they would have named the group "Odyssey" or something instead of "emergent". Then there wouldn't have been the confusion and blending of "emerging" and "emergent". I wonder if we would have "the odyssey church" used as a term today.

It is confusing and I get confused thinking through the terminology sometimes as they mean so many different things to different people. But in how things have now developed, it really is not important to be making any definite distinctions of the terms "emerging" or "emergent anymore. What is important is whether or not our churches are faithful in serving Jesus on the mission He sent us on, and whether we are seeing the gospel of Jesus change lives and make a difference - not whether we are "emerging" or "emergent" or anything else for that matter.

"The Emergent Church" circa 1981

What is funny, is a couple of months ago, as I stumbled on the "The Emerging Church" book written in 1970 as I described in the previous blog entry I also stumbled upon another book. There was a book called "The Emergent Church" written in 1981 by Johann Baptist Metz. It was a book focusing on change in the church happening at that time period both theologically and politically, and was written in Germany so it has that perspective. So, nothing new under the sun, as the saying goes in terms of names.

So this ends all you ever wanted or didn't want to know about how the words "emergent" and "emerging" were first used. That is the best I can remember and seek out. I may have some things wrong, but from my persepctive thats how I best can explain it.

All of this word discussion is very silly and trivial

What all this word origin discussion means in the light of world problems, people suffering, wars etc. is so incredibly insignificant and even silly - but now I have answered what I get asked a lot and hope for those that care - this helps distinguish some of the idfferences of "emerging" and "emergent" as originally developed as we use them today.

Comments

[Carl]

So where do you stand on some of the theology and criticisms of the "Emergent" church? Can you explain?

[Tom Wood]

I am struggling to make sense of the whole Emergent/emerging thing. I attend a Calvary Chapel where the teachings that are coming from us call you all heretics. They say you accept all religions as equal to ours, practice ancient mystic rites and are basically part of the prophetic coming of a conglomerate, new-age style church that believes everything. They are throwing people I love in this mix, like Beth Moore, Chuck Swindoll, the Awanas organization. I'm trying to be a Berean here, but I'm feeling a lot of heat at church.

[andrew jones]

hey - i bought the german book and used it to teach from in germany last week - thanks

also - the book "Prodigal Project: Journey into the Emerging Church" was published in 2000.

[Dennis]

Thanks, I have been excited to hear of Vintage and hope to visit this summer.

[Dan]

Hi Dennis -

Justin Stevens was leading a very cool bohemian type of worship gathering and he would speak at it too for several years. We were about an hour south of there, but several people I knew went there. He called it "Graceland" - and after it ended and wasn't meeting any longer, and we were starting a young adult ministry (a SUnday night gathering) at Santa Cruz Bible Church we called it "Graceland" also. Justin actually led worship at the Graceland we started two or three times. He recently came to Vintage Faith Church and led worship also. He is a very fine musician and if you follow what he is doing now you can go to http://www.tremolomusic.net and see his latest ventures.

[Dennis Heida]

Interesting. I am also curious about the name Graceland. I was under the impression that Graceland was orginally the name of a post-modern church plant/evening service in the East Bay started by Justin Stevens, and Justin had been asked if you guys could use the name. It wasn't mentioned in the book. What was the connection?

[matthew]

I want to flick through that book...hilarious!

[russkirby]

Nothing boring about that!

Good stuff.

b blessed
russ

[el mol]

your name needs more prominence in this history . . and the mouse

[Matt Overton]

I'd be curious to see you define a really misused term, "missional". It has become quite trendy as of late and some of those who helped coin the term are having a difficult time understanding how it is being appropriated. How about something on that?

[andrew jones]

dan, it might be "silly and trivial" to you but its REALLY FASCINATING to history geeks like myself who want to tell the story right.

just LOVE it. keep going . . .

[chuckk gerwig]

Great stuff Dan. Thanks for the history. But you left out the part where Tony Campolo and David Crowder came to the Emergent Conference in penguin costumes riding in the World War 2 hovercraft and started the whole emergent hovercraft worship experience... or was that a dream... Oh well. thanks great article.-

[Kenny]

Fascinating to an origins man such as myself. Thanks for the history lesson!

[djchuang]

Fascinating to read of the historical reminiscing from you, Dan, and Mark O, and perhaps others will be chiming in. And true to postmodern form, all this to say that labels don't really matter, long as the tribe knows what and who they're talking about.

These historical records perhaps may be a part of the annals of some church historian, or of a roast or this-is-your-life podcast or vodcast one day for one of these friends of emergent :)

[Sivin]

informative though :-) and keeping a good historical context in perspective ...