Post-Evangelical Pastor and Leader Gathering
Join other post-evangelical pastors and leaders October 12-13 to connect, learn from one another, and know that you’re not alone
For a while now I’ve been connecting with pastors and leaders who feel like they don’t belong anywhere in the church landscape. The phrase we’ve borrowed from Jason Miller is that we feel ecclesiologically homeless. Folks who once had a tribe but for various reasons no longer feel at home on that tribe. Post-evangelical seems to be the best term that’s currently being used to describe this space.
On a weekly basis, I’m connecting with pastors and other leaders who find the boundaries of evangelicalism too narrow for our experience of God and its politics corrupted by an un-Christlike vision. Who seek a more just and inclusive expression of faith, but also reject the temptation to trade one exclusionary stance for another in the effort to address the need for justice and inclusion. Who believe in the importance of deconstruction, but also believe in rebuilding faith as followers of Jesus. Who see the Spirit moving through new ideas and theological visions, but who also embrace the depth and breadth of historical faith.
It’s a really unique and beautiful crew of people who are doing significant things in the church, and I’ve been working to find ways to build community in this space, to help these leaders find one another, and to figure out how to help each other and share resources.
We’ve been trying to figure out a way to be together in one space. Not to hear more content from the stage, but to build relationships, to learn from one another, and to see the larger movement that the Spirit is stirring beyond our local context.
So, October 12-13 in South Bend, Indiana we’re going to gather together to do that. Brit Barron and Scott Erickson will serve as sort of spiritual guides for our time – creating space for us to encounter the Spirit. But a lot of our time will be focused on creating space for conversations – both guided and unguided. There is going to be no cost, in order to make it as accessible as possible for whoever would like to be a part.
Hi Mike. I was listening to the “Can I say This in Church” podcast and Jason Miller was the guest. He mentioned that you may be able to help recovering evangelicals find churches similar to South Bend City Church near them…
My husband and I used to attend East Lake in Bothell, WA (so I recognized Brit’s name from that).
We recently moved to Fort Myers, Florida. Do you know of any churches of this kind (not sure how to describe them but I trust you get the vibe) near here? How would I find one?
Thanks.