© 2005 by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger

Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakeracademic.com

Ebook edition created 2014

Ebook corrections 12.18.2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-0048-8

Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

“If you still question the emergence of a new non-megachurch tradition among the evangelical younger sorts, you need to read Emerging Churches. Not only do Gibbs and Bolger write careful firsthand accounts of new ministries, but they also clearly delineate nine missiological convictions and set forth a vision for the application of the gospel to a postmodern culture.”

Robert Webber, Myers Professor of Ministry, Northern Seminary

“Too many books on the emerging church I’ve come across have been a mile wide and an inch deep (focusing on the ‘coffee, candles, and cool videos’ veneer of emerging church), but not this book. Emerging Churches is a thoroughly researched snapshot of the worldwide emerging church movement and includes extensive interviews with the practitioners who are truly engaged in the emergence of the twenty-first century church.”

Karen Ward, Church of the Apostles, Seattle

“Based on extensive research and study, Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger have helpfully identified common patterns of belief and practice in churches that are seriously engaged with postmodern culture. The result is the best book available on the emerging church. It is important reading for all those who are concerned with the future of the church in our culture and the viability of Christian faith for the next generation and the generations to follow.”

John R. Franke, professor of theology, Biblical Seminary

“There are many books about and from the emerging church, but no one has done, as of yet, what Gibbs and Bolger have done—to take an honest, missiological, and thoughtful look at the movement as a whole. Gibbs and Bolger don’t do this as disengaged theorists, but they put themselves inside the churches and the minds of the pastors and leaders of the movement. They tell the story of its development and offer helpful reflection on its implications. All who ...