START HERE"This beginning has been quietly forming, waiting until you were ready to emerge." -John O'Donohue

Hi, I’m Ben and I’m the creator of this site. I’m thrilled you’ve arrived here! 

Here isn’t so much this site (though I’m glad you’ve stopped by!). Here is this moment of imagining, cultivating, or leading expressions of church and spiritual community in the places you live, work, and play.  

Maybe you are a pastor. Or about to leave the church. Or a pastor about to leave the church. Perhaps you’ve arrived here because you are a leader looking for practical ways to be more “missional” or you are a church planter searching for a new model of “doing” church and you are curious about neighborhood church expressions.

Or maybe you’ve arrived here because you’ve experienced or are innovating spiritual community in places beyond what most consider to be “church” – a local business, wellness group, arts community, or initiative for social change. 

Regardless of how you got here :  Welcome, I’m so glad you’ve arrived! 

WHY RePLACING CHURCH?

It’s no secret that a growing number of people are disengaging from the more institutional, traditional, and attractional expressions of church. But it’s not because they are closed off to the Spirit or disinterested in the way of Jesus. Instead, countless people are leaving because they are longing for church expressions that:

•  Integrate faith with the places they live, work, and play.

•  Foster an expansive space to know and experience Christ.

•  Cultivate wholehearted, creative community.

•  Pursue justice and social renewal locally and globally.

In other words, people are replacing the church with new expressions of. . .  church.

Not only that, but people are replacing the church by. . .  rePLACING the church,

seeking to join God in the renewal of all things in the actual PLACES of our lives – our neighborhoods and workplaces and third places – parks, gyms, and cafes; and hubs of creativity, learning, and social change;

shifting from Sunday event-centered, commuter-driven church expressions to PLACE-based expressions of spiritual community.

These emerging church expressions go by all sorts of names, use varying levels of “religious” language, and exist in all shapes and sizes… but they all have shared hopes and dreams, and face common questions and issues.

The mission of RePlacing Church is to help individuals and groups imagine, cultivate, and lead church expressions in their neighborhoods.

RePlacing Church is for the curious novices, the bold pioneers, and the seasoned leaders who are journeying into the church of the future, fostering Christ-centered communities of personal and social renewal. I look forward to learning from you and sharing with you what myself and others are learning on this journey!

If you want to stay connected, sign up here.

WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE:

• Practical ideas for starting and cultivating neighborhood church expressions (“church planting”)  and other place-based spiritual communities.

• Wisdom from seasoned leaders of neighborhood church expressions.

• Inspiring stories from parishes in the US, Canada, and beyond.

• Encouragement and support for the struggles of leadership and community.

• Innovative missional practices from church expressions.

• Insights about current local and global shifts in Christianity.

• Guidance for churches, denominations, and organizations that are considering replacing their church expressions.

• Access to the RePlacing Church podcast, exploring themes of spirituality, community, and social change.

• Updates about training opportunities and events in your area.