“The Neighborhood Became our Classroom” – Part 1

I was recently praying along side a few other people in our missional community when a picture developed in my mind of what the Good News might look like in our neighborhood.  Trusting that the Holy Spirit is already present and embracing our vocation as mediators between God and humanity (of which Jesus passed on …

What My Muslim Friend Taught Me About Jesus

Ali is my good friend and one of my hero’s. He has taught me so much. Let me tell you about him. Ali grew up a Shi’ite Muslim in Iran. In an effort to complete his studies as a doctor of neurology, he moved to the United States about three years ago. His whole life …

Watching the Missional Church Come to Life

Every once in a while I sit back, reflect and realize what a gift it is to serve and live among a missional church community like ours. While the mission of NieuCommunities takes many different forms (click here for explanation of such forms), one key element is the weekly gathering of the church community. Every …

Practice #2: The Upside-Down Job Description

I recently had a conversation with NieuCommunities’ founder, Rob Yackley, about my role within the missional church community we serve among in San Diego (NieuCommunities has two other sites in Vancouver, BC & South Africa).  Coming from a leadership paradigm where I had been used to getting a piece of paper with a job description …

Two Essential Practices of Missional Church Leadership (or any leader)

Having studied and now served/lived among a missional church community, I am seeing more and more the unique role leadership plays in this model of ministry. Initiating the paradigm of flat leadership (as apposed to hierarchal), these aren’t easy waters to navigate. In fact, in an attempt cultivate an ethos of shared leadership, the lines …