Welcome to Nazarene Cohorts

Not long ago I started a blog called Emergent Nazarenes. I did this because I wanted to foster conversation with other Nazarenes who also identified with the emergent movement. The blog has several contributors, who contribute far more than I do, and conversation seems to be growing and expanding in ways I could not have imagined. One of the blessings of the blog has been the ability to meet and connect with many passionate people; some of these people have started other conversations, groups and blogs. Not all of these people would label themselves “emergent” but all desire to have genuine conversation and explore together what it means to be a Christian in today’s world. I think it is awesome that Nazarenes want to connect and dialogue about these things and I hope that we will not just keep the conversation to ourselves but also take part in the larger conversation of the body of Christ. Together we will work on how to carry on the mission of Jesus Christ and be and live the Kingdom as we love and serve our neighbors in this world. The idea of “cohorts” are nothing new, and are simply groups of people that gather regularly to dialogue about our faith, ministry and missions in today’s world. They tend to be more ecumenical and are missional focused. Organizations like Emergent Village do a great job at connecting people, and I myself regularly take part of the DC Cohort here in Washington DC. I would encourage everyone to take part in these kinds of ecumenical conversations; the idea of Nazarene Cohorts can never replace the value of broader Christian discussions that transcend denominational lines. Why have Nazarene Cohorts? Because they are springing up already across the country. As Nazarenes are engaging in the broader conversations of the Kingdom they are also developing a parallel conversation among fellow Nazarenes about how our unique heritage and tradition contributes to the whole of the Church. The Church of the Nazarene was founded to be missional and to live out holiness; both motivated by Christian love for God and our neighbors. Like all traditions, we have something unique to contribute and being both missional and holy in today’s world are relevant to the conversation.