Booksigning

The booksigning last week was exhilarating. We had 140 in attendance -- many people from outside the Fuller community, which was way cool...Eddie and I told the story behind Emerging Churches -- how we had met, why we decided to write together, how we wrote the book probably four times because of our own starts and stops, how our ideas changed after we saw new communities form in the US in 2001 and 2002, etc. We then put up on the screen our definition of Emerging Churches: 

Emerging Churches are those who take the life of Jesus as a model way to live (one), who transform the secular realm (two), as they live highly communal lives (three). Because of these three activities, they welcome those who are outside (four), they share generously (five), they participate (six),  create (seven), they lead without control (eight), and function together in spiritual activities (nine). 

For the next hour, we opened it up for questions and then wrapped it up to let people get going home...

I love doing these events with Eddie because still, even after six years working together, our perspectives are so different. Eddie is an ordained Anglican, and I am a 'lay' non-denominational mutt. Eddie is English, I'm American; Eddie is retiring from faculty, I've just getting going; Eddie is top-down and organized, I am bottom-up and, er, creative.

I like teaming up with Eddie because If I don't feel I can answer a question adequately, he is there to back me and up, and, hopefully vice-versa. All in all, a great night...

Comments

[Bret]

Congrats on the book signing. It sounds like an awesome event. I am in the process of reading your book. It’s very inspiring . . . so inspiring that I am trying to take Emerging Church courses through the Fuller distant learning program. Unfortunately, those are not offered at this time. As soon they are offered, I’ll be signing up.

Keep up the God work.

Blessings,

Bret

[stew]

congratulations on the book signing! I was just at Fuller for the MAGL and got to hear you and Eddie. You guys are a great team...

[Sivin Kit]

finally I managed to get the "emerging churches" book at the bookstore today. :-) looks good thus far

[dikka]

Good for you guys! Congratulations!