Very cool.
Very, very cool.

First you appear in the PBS documentary Evolution.
Now you are shooting video for an awesome short.

When you are going to hollywood man?

:)

Nony Mouse, if you want to make snide comments on other people's blogs, at least have the balls to not do it anonymously.

Calm down buddy... don't get upset... just making a comment...

Remember what Paul said about letting no coarse joking or filthy language come out of your mouth...

You still haven't signed you name or provided a link to your own website. Until you do, your comments are not really welcome here.

And I have no idea what your reference to Paul has to do with anything.

The reference to Paul has to do with the word "balls" that you used... I thought you would have stated your opinion in a different way. I guess you could have said, "have the guts to sign your name" but sure, you can use the other word... just a little nasty.

Some of the experiential "progressive" theology of the emerging church fits right in with Marcus Borg and the Jesus Seminar... because if the end result of the church doesn't have to do with evangelism and calling people to repent and follow Christ as the only way, then it is not about the Kingdom of God...

Signed,
Rudolf Bultmann, aka. Nony Mouse

Pretty cool Mike. If there was one in our area I'd probably attend, or at least visit as able on friendly terms.

Hi Mike, I stumbled across your blog...somehow! I'm part of a church in Waterloo, Ontario that has embraced a missional philosophy of ministry and is in the process of creating 'missional cohorts' to meet on a regular basis. I'd like to hear your perspective on the differences between a cohort and a traditional small group. Thanks!

Hi Brad,

An emergent cohort is not a group that meets as part of a larger church ministry. Rather most cohorts tend to be networks of people (pastors and lay-people) from many different churches. So someone from "First Baptist Church" might be part of the local emergent cohort, as could someone from "First United Methodist" or "Zion Apostolic" or someone who doesn't attend church at all, but the cohort wouldn't be considered a subsidiary small group of any of these particular churches. It is broader than that.

I am a different Brad than the last Brad but have a similar question. I've been involved with a few different "small groups" over the years and each of them included people from various churches in the area. If that's the only difference then I don't think there's much of a difference at all. Are there any other differences?

Well, a cohort would also naturally focus primarily on topics vaguely related to "emerging church" stuff. They're intended as a connection point for those interested in the emerging church conversation and need a safe place to talk about these things with others. We don't restrict the conversation of course, but generally at our cohort meetings our conversations revolve around issues of missional ministry, emerging theology, postmodern philosophy, and social justice.

So yeah, I don't think any old small group would be considered an emergent cohort. It'd have to be at least vaguely emergent related.