What is a Cohort?

A cohort is a local learning community.

From "Starting an Emergent Village Cohort", Mike Clawson, Chicago Cohort Coordinator

What is a learning community?
While being a place of connection and support, an Emergent learning community (cohort) is primarily a place of communal exploration, theological and professional reflection, honest connection, and strategic collaboration. These learning communities are geared toward post-critical, constructive conversation, rather than deconstructive rants about the current state of the Church.

However, cohorts are not intended to be “churches” or new church plants per se. Instead they are connection points for people from many different church communities, as well as those who have left the institutional church.

Why learning communities?
1. Local (Intrinsic)
2. National (Extrinsic)

3. To generate new forms/ideas of the Church.
4. To enhance the local participation and the grassroots nature of the emerging church conversation.
5. To identify/support a new generation of leaders.
6. To host regional gatherings.