Lessons From the Field: A New Type of Missions

I have lead many trips for churches over the years. The largest trip I led, for a large and well funded church, had about 65 students and 20 adults. For some reason I thought it was a good idea to take this hoard of people to sleep in tents, without real showers or restrooms, to build houses in Mexico. We …

Praxis 2017: Meet Deb Hirsch

Praxis 2017 is thrilled to announce the return of Australian-born writer and speaker Debra Hirsch, wife of acclaimed writer Alan Hirsch. This year’s gathering is dedicated to discussing God’s work in neighborhoods and to how we can partner in loving those whom God has positioned us near. Meet Deb Hirsch Deb Hirsch is a speaker, church leader, and writer who …

How to Plant a Church Without Going Broke

Currently I am teaching a church planting class at Gateway Seminary. During each session, the class interviews planters who are in start-up phases. One conversation was with a leader who is planting in a fairly wealthy community in the Silicon Valley and the plant will be fairly well funded. After class, one student, clearly stunned, took me aside and asked …

Praxis Gathering 2017: Don Coleman

This year at the Praxis Gathering we’re submerging into a theology and practice of Loving our Neighborhood. We’ll explore the unique possibilities in the urban, suburban and rural contexts. Meet Don Coleman In addition to his pastorship of a local church, Don Coleman is a community leader who passionately cares for the city of Richmond. He has a reputation of …

Overwhelmed? Two Key Practices to Reinvigorate Your Life and Mission

The greatest joy in my life is my wife and 4 kids.  I love being a dad and husband. I am always trying to be aware of how our involvement in planting churches and pastoring is affecting our family.  I have seen and heard and know too many stories of the loss of family at the alter of church leadership. …

Praxis Gathering 2017: Michael Frost

This year at the Praxis Gathering we’re submerging into a theology and practice of Loving our Neighborhood. We’ll explore the unique possibilities in the urban, suburban and rural contexts. Meet Mike Frost Mike is a 20-year veteran of the academy, but doesn’t consider himself an academic, but rather a teacher. He taught at Morling College in Sydney during those years and …

Practicing Cinematographeum Divina (Theology at the Theater, Part 4)

If you have followed this blog series from the beginning, you know we’ve been discussing how our experience of film can augment our relationship with God through a process I call cinematographeum divina. To read more about that, please read Theology at the Theater, Part 2, here. Let’s see how this 6-step process can be applied to another Sundance film, …

How to Unbuild a Church Planter

From my first days in ministry as a pastor I remember those around me telling me consistently to enjoy the journey, that I need to slow down and enjoy the process. I have always been a high energy, determined, hard-driven, goal-oriented individual. The Disenfranchised Planter Therefore, when I entered church planting, I had all kinds of dreams, aspirations, and goals …

How Sacred Spaces Help Us Feel Loved

I have just recently started working a new church in December 2016. It is lovely congregation, small, older, traditional and kind. I am the age of most of the congregants grandchildren. So far, everything is going great. Yet, when starting at a new church it can get very overwhelming and isolating. Overwhelming because you are constantly learning a new system, sub-culture, …

Last Week to Sign Up for Learning Cohort 2017

It’s almost that time! The good news is the Cohort is just around the corner, but that means time’s almost up to join in on the community and mentorship. Click here to learn more. What People Have Said About the Cohort “Ever since the beginning I’ve been grateful for the vision of V3. Combining practical training from neighborhood practitioners and …