(This article originally appeared in The Brethren Evangelist, Spring 2017)

It was four years ago that I caught wind of this movement called "church planting" at our General Conference. That year, I heard from people like Hugh Halter, Brandon Hatmaker, and our very own Bill Ludwig, talking about kingdoms here on earth that were radically different from the previous status quo. These were the conversations that sparked my overzealous, punk rocker, anti-establishment attitude to start something different, something unique. It was during this time that I was at a crossroad with my current definition of church. It was a paradigm that was about to be shifted, and at the core of this change there were these values that are still faithful to this day.

We need to be in community. To share the burdens of each other, and to give comfort to those who need it. Also, the life changing, paradigm shifting, truth of the gospels is best interpreted, shared, and discussed together!

How we start new forms of community is not revolutionary, but we sensed that people are not going to church like they used to. We live in California, and in my part of the state, there are many un/de-churched folks. We are 2-3 generations from the “grandma took me to church” reality. There are folks that when I say “Jesus,” they might have never heard of that guy. So we try and go where the people are, and not just create a community for ourselves.

In doing so, our hope is that we can train, disciple, mentor, and help individuals realize their potential in this Kingdom that Jesus constantly talked about. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is dwelling inside us, ready to transform ourselves and everyone we meet!

What does that look like for us?

We have a Monday night gathering that meets every other Monday evening at the Machado House. We hang out, read scripture, discuss what we liked, didn’t like, what we had questions about, and how we apply the text to our lives. It is very low key, and very informal. It’s the longest standing group that we have and has morphed throughout the years. I like to think of it as a launching point group, using that time to see what Jesus is doing in our lives and see the passion that starts growing in those who join us.

We have another expression called The Burrow. You know, the house in Harry Potter that was a place of security and safety – yes, like that house. This unique community reaches out to the kids in the Trailwood neighborhood around Colony Park in Manteca. Our friends, the Yetters, open their home to these children to play games, feed them, and get to know them individually while showing the love of Jesus.

This past year my buddy Joe and I started a podcast called ZAO Church Podcast. The podcast was the brainchild of Joe, as he was eager to explore his faith journey and do it in a more public space. I sprinkle in some of my “pastoral commentaries,” and we have a splendid time talking about our past church experiences and how that has shaped our current world view.

What’s new on the horizon? Daniel, our brewmaster extraordinaire, had a vision for a beer church and beyond. It was a year and a half ago that this little idea got started, and as excited as we were, it never felt like the right time. Fast forward to today, we have a name for this new venture: Brethren Brew Pub. It will be a unique and different way to view church.

We have a warehouse space that a friend of ours is willing to let us use a few times a month. We have tables, chairs, and of course fresh homebrew! More than all that, it gives us a very easy way to invite people in, who otherwise would never step foot in a church building, and invite them to church and hear about this Jesus that has transformed our lives. I think our German forefathers, who appreciated a good brew, are smiling down on this new expression of church.

Based on the needs of the people around us, we’ve met in a tattoo shop, Panera Bread, and other various locations. These are all hyper contextualized comminutes that are there to serve the needs of those participating. And that’s the beauty of it all. If one of these communities needs to close or transform into a different expression, we have the freedom to turn the ship in a different direction very quickly. I’ve learned early on in this process, and through the growth in my life that Jesus wants to show up! There is this eagerness that is inside us all that wants us to get closer to Him. I feel it in the conversations I’ve had with those not connected with



I’ve learned early on in this process, and through the growth in my life that Jesus wants to show up! There is this eagerness that is inside us all that wants us to get closer to Him. I feel it in the conversations I’ve had with those not connected with church. They want to have a conversation about Jesus! God gave us this mind of creativity and discovery, but we are too often limited to our reality that is starting at us today. I think God wants to do more, to form different and unique expressions of church, to start new and exciting communities that usher in the transformative power of the Gospels and to have that empower his people to do great work. We just have to trust and patiently await his timing.

We just have to trust and patiently await his timing.