Israel, the Church and Common Covenant

Missional communities’ look differently all across the globe, but each has core values (whether they realize it or not!) that fuel and drive their life and practice.  My community – NieuCommunities – is a covenant community.   What does that mean? In a similar way that the community of Israel consciously entered into covenant relationship …

You’re Invited to Golden Hill

This fall we are thrilled to have the capacity to invite 10 aspiring missional leaders into our one year apprenticeship at our NieuCommunities site in Golden Hill (San Diego).  Although we understand that we are all apprentices of Jesus, this experience is guided by mentors who foster and coach our NieuCommunities’ apprentices towards their unique …

Thin Places Launch & Video Trailer

While I have been at work on the development and writing of Thin Places: Six Postures for Creating and Practicing Missional Community for over a year, the contents are the culmination of over 10 years of lived theology, story and practice.  While I love to write, this project has been uniquely fulfilling as it is …

When Dreams Meet Reality: Life in Intentional Community

After years of being a youth pastor, I remember the time I came home from yet another event that required endless administration, energy and resources and asked myself, “Is this what it means to be the Church?  And if so, there have to be better ways to embody the supposed life-giving, relational aspects of Jesus …

Sitting at the Unlikely Kingdom Banquet

As I scanned the room electric with people from such vastly different backgrounds, yet interacting in such dynamic ways, I couldn’t help but seeing this as a snapshot of the Kingdom Banquet Jesus describes in Luke 14.  All having been invited because of some personal connection with someone in our community, I talked with a …