Emerging Churches

Emerging Churches in MCC – An Introduction

The Mission of the Emerging Church program is to develop:

• Sustainable new churches in
• Strategically chosen communities and
• Support each Emerging Church with professional leadership and spiritual formation.

Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) is committed to encouraging and nurturing the creation of new congregations around the world. Today, MCC is training both Clergy and Lay Ministry leaders in all areas of the world to lead vibrant and healthy churches of all types and in multiple languages.

Each Emerging Church has a unique culture reflecting the multiple diversities of MCC and context of each location, rather than follow a formula, or set of criteria, associated with the phrase “emerging church” or any specific form of church development.

The purpose of the Emerging Church program is to lead all types of ministries through a discernment process that moves from concept, to small group, a community, and finally to a fully recognized MCC church. 

Three Steps to Becoming an MCC Emerging Church

The following outlines common steps for most churches to successfully emerge as vibrant and healthy MCC churches.

1. Authorization of Ministry and Leader through the Office of Emerging Ministries. Initial contact, conversation, and discernment begin the Authorization process. Following initial contact and conversation, a potential Ministry Leader may be invited to complete a Discernment and Ministry Proposal. Authorization of an Emerging Church Ministry and a Ministry Leader is finalized by the Emerging Church and Spiritual Communities Co-Ordinator. The Co-Ordinator will assist with each step of this.
2. Formation: 1-3 year process from concept to core team, legal recognition, launch team, and then public worship. The timeline varies according to context.
3. Affiliation with MCC is the final step for an Emerging Church. The Criteria for Affiliation is a framework which may be applied differently in each global area; indicators of an Emerging Church’s readiness to affiliate are contained in a separate protocol for each global area.

If you’re the leader of an existing ministry, or considering developing a new MCC church, please send all inquiries related to becoming an MCC Emerging Church to Emerging@MCCchurch.net.

Discernment in Developing an MCC Emerging Church

All persons who seek to develop an MCC Emerging Church are asked to provide demographic and strategic research along with a philosophy of ministry through the form: Discernment and Ministry Proposal for an MCC Emerging Church (PDF). 

Please adapt to your global context and vision for ministry. If submitting in a language other than English, please allow time for translation.

Development of Leadership for an MCC Emerging Church

The primary objective of the Emerging Church Program is to develop strong Emerging Church leaders, establish a knowledge base directly related to church growth and utilize existing gifts. The program will guide each person, lay or clergy, through a program that is both online and in-person.

There are six particular areas of training:

1. Orientation to the Emerging Church Program
2. Creating diverse and inclusive MCC churches
3. How to inspire and empower small groups and volunteers
4. Build organizational skills directly related to not-for-profit formation
5. Increase personal awareness as a ministry leader
6. Formation of an action plan for a specific MCC Emerging Church.

Once an Authorized Ministry Leader, the Emerging Church and MCC Communities Co-Ordinator or Affiliated Partner Church will provide consistent and personal contact, to listen, encourage, and assist in the Emerging Church process from concept to Affiliation.

Global Emerging Church Development

Living into the plurality of our name, Metropolitan Community Churches, we recognize the need for many churches to reflect the diversity of MCC. The process of identifying communities in need of MCC is done with great care and intentionality. Regardless of what part of the world you may reside, we work with individuals to collaborate and form MCC Emerging Churches and Ministries.