New Apprenticeship House
The Apprenticeship House is a one-year program designed to give people an on-ramp into The Simple Way and life in the neighborhood. Though there are many elements of spiritual formation and discipleship that happen during the year, Apprentices are folks who have had a fair amount of experience in urban and communal living, cross-cultural relationships, and initiating and leading programs. We try to match up the gifts and dreams of folks who apply with the needs and possibilities of our neighborhood and create custom-fit internships for the year. After the year, we discern with each of the Apprentices what the next step in their journey is, and whether or not that includes life here in Kensington with The Simple Way.
Simple Way Live Stream
LIVE from North Philly
The Simple Way will participate in a vigil with Heeding God's Call at the Shooter Shop in our neighborhood as we continue to ask the owners to sign on to a volunteer Code of Conduct. More information about the event.
Live stream begins 4:00 pm Friday, April 2.
Rutba Peace Project
Over the next year we hope to raise $30,000 to help rebuild the Rutba Hospital that was bombed in 2007 by US and Coalition forces. The hospital has a special place in our heart as they treated community members and friends in 2003 who were injured in an auto accident... and then refused to accept any payment.
Pictures of Shane
Here are some pictures of Shane you can use on your website or event materials, if Shane is a confirmed speaker.
Sample Gunshop Letter
HERE IS A SAMPLE LETTER TO THE GUNSHOP OWNER. (This letter was personalized and sent by nearly 100 Methodist Clergy in the Philadelphia area).
February 16, 2010
Mr. Lawrence R. Haney, Owner
Shooter Shop
2001 E Allegheny Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19134-3811
Dear Mr. Haney,
As a United Methodist, I mourn for the victims of gun violence, including the recent death of Papito on February 5, 2010 in Philadelphia, his family, and the local Kensington community. In our Wesleyan tradition and as part of the Body of Christ I am called to be a witness to a loving God, to love my neighbors, to heal my community, and to restore God's kingdom of justice and peace.
As a person of faith and action, I join Shane Claiborne, local clergy and community organizers requesting your signature on the Code of Conduct, a 10-point covenant created by a national association of Mayors committed to decreasing violence on the streets. This is an urgent issue and you truly have an opportunity to set a precedent for other gunshops across the country. You can help reduce and eliminate the practice of straw purchasing and, with integrity, refuse to profit from the sale of illegal handguns.
You and your employees will be included in my prayers.
Respectfully submitted,
XXXXXXXXX
Our Expressions
Life within the Simple Way is always changing. Sometimes things we start like our after-school theater program spin-off into entirely new organizations like Yes! And..., other times, changing seasons simply bring changing times, as we started with one house, expanded to a few, went back to one, and now are preparing to launch a new Apprenticeship House. A lot of what goes on in our neighborhood is a local expression of The Simple Way, while some of our larger, national and global projects, are about connecting with and fostering other outposts of grace and discipleship.
Here are our current expressions
Daily Prayer
We gather with friends and neighbors every weekday morning at 8 AM for morning prayer. Often, we use the Celtic Book of Daily Prayer, but sometimes we lead each other in other forms of prayer. Shane and some friends are working on a book of Common Prayer. Morning prayer is open to however is in the neighborhood, in town, or wants to join us.
Friday Night Dinners
We have a weekly community dinner, sometimes fondly known as “Family Dinner”, with neighbors and friends. This is a time for us to check-in with each other, share, laugh, celebrate, (and sometimes cry). Friday night dinners are generally not public but for folks in the village here, but on occasion we do something special open to visitors.
Nights of Celebration
Nights of Celebration started several years back as a public gathering of Christians and communities all over the Philadelphia area.
They usually happen a few times a year and are a good excuse to get together outside of our own little neighborhoods and celebrate all that God is doing in our City. In recent years, the Nights of Celebration have coincided with the release of Conspire magazine so folks can pick up their copies. Things kick off with a good ole potluck dinner and then we sing some songs, pray, have some testimonials, send people off on adventures, and finish up with communion. The Nights are hosted by different folks each time, so it may be at the Cathedral, in the storefont church, or in a park....
You can find information on upcoming Nights of Celebration on our Connecting page.
Timoteo Football League
Timoteo is a youth flag football league for young men ages 13-18. Actually, Timoteo is becoming more than a flag football league, it is becoming a unifying movement of local congregations to empower youth to make a difference in their neighborhoods! “Timoteo” is Spanish for “Timothy,” and has been in operation since 2005. In 2010 alone, we anticipate about 200 youth and 40 adults from our neighborhood involved in the league.
Read more about the league and support the kids, including buying jerseys for the teams.
Conspire Magazine
Conspire! is a quarterly publication from a diverse network of communities and groups. The magazine exists to explore in a collaborative, creative, and corporate way some o the unique issues that arise from community life. At the same time, it engages the struggles of many who are not in such communities.
Read the current call to submit, locate a co-conspirator near you and pickup a copy, complete the application to become a co-conspirator
Community of Communities
Community of communities is a space for individuals and intentional communities to learn and connect. We are developing a map-based database of communities. We are currenting in limited beta so help us get started by submitting your community.
www.communityofcommunities.info
Centurion's Guild
Centurion’s Guild is supports and defends prospective, current, and former service members while bearing true faith and allegiance to God. The guild is a community grounded in our shared vocation and Centurion's Purse is a kind of relational tithe to help support alternatives to the military
Jubilee Fund
More information coming soon!
Cielo Azul Fund
The Cielo Azul Fund provides a basic living stipend for Ruth and Alex Orantes, Salvadoran Baptist pastors and community organizers, and supports outreach programs and development projects in communities they serve in El Salvador, including construction of a community center at Iglesia Bautista Shekina, health clinics and social services, youth leadership workshops, art and music activities for children, community Bible studies, education scholarships, and more. Ruth and Alex's commitment to faith-based community development, justice, peacemaking, and healing has been a cherished model and inspiration during many years of friendship across the borders.
You can read Ruth & Alex's story, see pictures, and contribute on our Cielo Azul Fund page or you can read their own blog.
International visitors, academic researchers, and journalists
If you are interested in speaking with or meeting someone from The Simple Way, please contact Darin Petersen. He will respond within 5 business days.
Timoteo Flag Football League
The simple way is proud to introduce you to our newest project: Timoteo Flag Football League! That’s right, we have partnered with several local congregations in our neighborhood to sustain a vital ministry among the youth in our neighborhood. “Timoteo” is Spanish for “Timothy,” and has been in operation since 2005. This year alone we anticipate about 200 youth and 40 adults from our neighborhood involved in the league.
There are several things that make Timoteo unique and has us excited about this new partnership.
- For the past five years coaches have been mentoring youth from our neighborhood. Several youth have moved on to college or have assumed leadership roles in their congregations and football teams. Youth have been empowered to be leaders and to mentor those who come after them!
- Several different congregations are working together! Timoteo provides a platform for several area churches to act as “the Church.” It is amazing to see congregations working together for the good of the youth.
- There is a lot of vision and hope stirring up with this league. Coaches are talking about organizing their teams to do local service projects. The league seeks to be concerned about more than just football games, but for the well being of the youth, both at home and at school. Who knows, maybe one day we will see a Timoteo after-school program?
- Timoteo is home grown! It’s beautiful to be a part of something that was birthed and is being led by folks from our neighborhood (Kensington). Through Timoteo we have built relationships with several pastors, youth pastors, youth, lay folk, all from our neighborhood. It is beautiful seeing how God is bringing us together!
- Please take the time to check out Timoteo’s website: www.timoteofootball.com. Stats on each of the kids will be updated once the season starts. Also feel free to come to the games. They are around the corner from our house at Scanlon Park starting April 10. Check the Timoteo site for the schedule and directions.
We really do appreciate any support that you may be able to give us. The following are several specific things we need each season to make the league run effectively. For some items, we've listed the number needed per team, we invite you to consider sponsoring a team by donating enough to cover one team. If you prefer to give by check, you may send checks to
The Simple Way,
PO Box 14751,
Philadelphia, PA 19134.
Indicate what you would like it used for in the memo line (ie. Timoteo: flags). If you would like to give a gift for the general operation of Timoteo, put “Timoteo” in the memo line.
Give Monthly
Use PayPal to setup a monthly contribution to Timoteo. Your on-going support ensures that we will be able to continue this ministry for seasons to come. You may cancel at any time.
Give Online
If you would like to give to the general fund, this will help with everything we forgot to list. We are also looking for ways to create some salaries within Timoteo as well, and your donation to the general fun would help us with this.
Buy Equipment for Timoteo
Flags
Unit Cost: $40 for 12 pack 42” flags
Quanity Needed: 15
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Footballs
Unit Cost: $30
Quanity Needed: 18 (1 per team + 6 game balls)
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Down Markers
Unit Cost: $90
Quanity Needed: 2
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Cones
Unit Cost: $12 for 6 cones
Quanity Needed: 24 units (teams need 12 cones)
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Armbands
Unit Cost: $10
Quanity Needed: 144 (12 per team)
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Refs
Unit Cost: $25
Quanity Needed: 117 (2 per game regular season, 3 per game post-season)
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Field Paint
Unit Cost: $30/case
Quanity Needed: 10
Quantity Donated So Far: 1
Coaches Playbook with Armband Interactive
Unit Cost: $35
Quanity Needed: 12
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
This year we are seeking to equip our coaches with tools that will help them coach their teams more effectively.
Jerseys
Unit Cost: $20
Quanity Needed: 180 (15 per team)
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Scoreboards
Unit Cost: $118
Quanity Needed: 2
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
Storage Locker
Unit Cost: $240/month
Quanity Needed: 3
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
With this item we will be able to safely store our equipment on site, which will reduce the wear and tear than can occur transferring the items off site each week. We also plan on paying a few youth to help manage the equipment each week!
Website
Unit Cost: $165/year
Quanity Needed: 1
Quantity Donated So Far: 0
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Cielo Azul Fund
The Cielo Azul Fund provides a basic living stipend for Salvadoran Baptist pastors Ruth and Alex Orantes, and supports outreach programs and development projects in communities they serve in El Salvador. The fund is administered by an advisory committee from The Simple Way, Central Baptist Church (Wayne, PA), and Iglesia Bautista Shekina (Santa Ana, El Salvador) which is pastored by Ruth Orantes. Ruth and Alex's commitment to faith-based community development, justice, peacemaking, and healing has been a cherished model and inspiration for The Simple Way and for Central Baptist Church for many years.
The Simple Way was first introduced to Alex and Ruth in 2003 through our friends at Central Baptist Church (Wayne, PA) who have known this Salvadoran family since the 1980s. Our lives have been increasingly woven together through visits with us in Philadelphia and our own visits and internships in their communities in Santa Ana and Atiquizaya.
From 2003 to 2009, the original Orantes Fund supported the Orantes family in their pastoral work. Beginning in 2010, the newly renamed Cielo Azul Fund is committed to an even broader level of support not only for Ruth, Alex and their son Victor Hugo, but also for the programs that have arisen out of their ministries in the communities where they work – construction of a community center at Iglesia Bautista Shekina, health clinics and social services, youth leadership workshops, art and music activities for children, community Bible studies, education scholarships, and more.
In the weeks and months after the March 2009 election of Mauricio Funes as President of El Salvador (“the first President to support the needs of the poor in 150 years,” as one Salvadoran activist put it), that has been a new sense of great hope for the future of a people who have struggled so long for a dignified life free from political, economic and criminal violence.
Our choice of a new name (Cielo Azul means“blue sky” in English) is an attempt to symbolize this new reality. And there are signs of a move in that direction. But continued reports of economic struggles and increasing violence in El Salvador remind us that hope can be very fragile. (Read Alex's report on violence in El Salvador from Oct 2009)
More than ever, our friends in El Salvador need spiritual and material support to continue build communities based on faith, justice and service to all who are in need. Please consider a gift to the Cielo Azul fund in order to send a message of solidarity to Ruth and Alex and the communities where they work.
Visit our blog at CieloAzulFund.blogspot.com for current reports and information on how to contribute.
You can earmark donations for the Cielo Azul Fund by donating below
People of The Simple Way
If you're unsure who to contact, it's best to see our Contact Us page to make sure your message gets to the right person.
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Brooke Sexton Caz Tod
Coz Crosscombe Darin Petersen |
Dave Janzen
Lara Lahr Shane Claiborne
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Brian G. Murphy
Chris Lahr
Dee Dee Rischer
Kristen Prasetyo Utomo
Taehoo LeeInternship Program
The Apprenticeship House is a one-year program designed to give people an on-ramp into The Simple Way and life in the neighborhood. Though there are many elements of spiritual formation and discipleship that happen during the year, Apprentices are folks who have had a fair amount of experience in urban and communal living, cross-cultural relationships, and initiating and leading programs. We try to match up the gifts and dreams of folks who apply with the needs and possibilities of our neighborhood and create custom-fit internships for the year. After the year, we discern with each of the Apprentices what the next step in their journey is, and whether or not that includes life here in Kensington with The Simple Way.UPDATE: We have temporary suspended our plans for the Apprenticeship House as we have launched a pilot program entitled "Village House".
Friends & Partners
These are not “official” projects of TSW but close friends and folks we like a lot.
Local Partners
Yes! And... - Simply the best in collaborative arts education, Yes! And... works with some of Philadelphia's most underserved populations, bringing programs such as: Summer Theatre Camps, After School Programs, our Winter Sort of Thing new play workshop, High School Leadership Development and SHADOW Camp. Their programs strive for excellence in artistic and educational training. And they have a lot of fun while at it! Yes! And... equips children and young people with the tools to become better learners, to believe in themselves, their dreams, and their potential through the work of creating collaboratively with their peers and professional artists.
Jamie Moffett Media & Design - As a co-founder of The Simple Way, Jamie and his crew at the shop are intimately aware of the stories and struggles of our neighborhood and ones like it. The Ordinary Radicals, Return to El Salvador, and the Another World is Possible series all come from the little barbershop turned production studio just across the street here.
Dotted Line T-Shirt Company - Dotted-Line T-shirt Company and The Simple Way have kissed (in fact we now have a committed relationship. After the fire, we have taken time to step back and map out some goals and priorities (in fact our whole community and Board of Directors will go on a retreat together this month). Our t-shirt company Cottage Printworks went up in the flames, and it allowed us to think through our goals with this micro-business. Adam Woods and our friends in Camden have a vibrant and classy grassroots t-shirt company called Dotted-Line T-shirts with whom we have been long-time co-conspirators. Now we¹re making it a little more official. They¹ll be taking on our t-shirt business and helping us keep dream about this as a sustainable cottage industry. Like Cottage Printworks, they are a faith-based missional business committed to using fair-trade t-shirts, eco-friendly inks and energy, as well as hiring folks from the neighborhood. We are so excited about this collaboration and the adventures ahead. Thanks Adam!
Alternative Seminary - The Alternative Seminary is a little underground seminary here in Philadelphia area. Visit the website for more information and keep an eye out for upcoming events. We are grateful for all the tireless work of our friend and TSW board member Will O’Brien for facilitating the Alternative Seminary all these years. Keep an eye out for ongoing events, especially if you don’t mind a little homework here and there.
Global Partners
Relational Tithe - Relational Tithe is an interactive platform for connecting and meeting needs across socioeconomic and geographic barriers. It is also a place to explore, to meet, to share dreams and ideas, to ask and discuss questions, to learn and to grow together.
Mission Year - Founded by Bart Campolo in 1997, Mission Year offers an amazing opportunity for hundreds of young adults to live and work together as full-time urban missionaries in inner-city neighborhoods throughout the United States.
Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education - EAPE, which seeks to inspire and enable followers of Jesus to live out God’s love for the poor and oppressed, manages the speaking and writing ministries of Tony and Bart Campolo (and their good friend Shane Claiborne, as well), and uses their considerable experience and connections, along with the financial resources entrusted to us by their donors, to initiate and support a dynamic array of creative ministries around the world.
Red Letter Christians - Red Letter Christians is a group of itinerant speakers and writers engaged in an ongoing conversation about the social implications of Jesus’ teachings and how to best communicate them.
12 Marks of New Monasticism
1) Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire.
2) Sharing economic resources with fellow community members and the needy among us.
3) Hospitality to the stranger
4) Lament for racial divisions within the church and our communities combined with the active pursuit of a just reconciliation.
5) Humble submission to Christ’s body, the church.
6) Intentional formation in the way of Christ and the rule of the community along the lines of the old novitiate.
7) Nurturing common life among members of intentional community.
8) Support for celibate singles alongside monogamous married couples and their children.
9) Geographical proximity to community members who share a common rule of life.
10) Care for the plot of God’s earth given to us along with support of our local economies.
11) Peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution within communities along the lines of Matthew 18.
12) Commitment to a disciplined contemplative life.
Newsletter Archives
When we began The Simple Way, we sent regular newsletters to our friends, family, and supporters. After ten years, we wanted to include more voices in our conversation so we transformed our newsletter into Consp!re magazine.
2008
2007
Summer 2007
2006
Christmas 2006
Fall 2006 (Text-only, sorry.)
2005
Summer 2005
Spring 2005
2004
2003
2002
Winter 2002
2001
2000
1999
Neighborhood Park
UPDATE 09.01.10
Many thanks goes out to all of you that helped make this neighborhood park reality by donating financially and volunteering your time. We invite you to come back to this space to read stories, view photos, and videos. For many of us in the neighborhood we still cannot believe that it's completed. So if you would like to stop by and spend some time in the park feel free to do so, simply let us know.
A Dream for the Village
We have a dream of a village in the middle of the urban desert – with a little cluster of row homes sprinkled about and a neighborhood where folks are committed to God and to each other. Some are indigenous to the neighborhood. Some are missional relocators. Some have gone off to school, trained as doctors, lawyers, social workers, business folks… and they have returned to the neighborhood to offer their gifts to the work of restoration. The houses are small, and that is all we need – a place to lay our heads… because most of our life is lived on the streets, on the stoop, sweating in the practice of resurrection, planting gardens on abandoned lots, rehabbing vacant houses, and making ugly things beautiful again. Every morning we greet the day with prayer, and in the evenings we share a meal or grill out on the street.
We have a dream of a village and it’s coming to life. Maybe sometime there will be a village center where folks can cook healthy breakfasts for the kids as they head off to school. Maybe we’ll have a tool library so folks can check out a saw or drill for the day… maybe an exercise space to lift weights, run on the treadmill or do an aerobics class to keep our bodies healthy. Perhaps in that center there are laundry machines that we can all share and a game library where kids can borrow a game for the afternoon. A place to gather and dream and plot goodness.
It’s a dream for a village that shares things in common, that laughs in the face of a recession… a space that makes sure possessions and privileges are available for all… and when something breaks there are many hands to fix it. Call it new urbanism… or intentional community. We call it a village that gives the world a glimpse of the Kingdom of God. May God continue to breathe life into our dreams and to move the universe towards the beloved community that God is longing to see come on earth.
The Onion
We call them layers. As we have matured grown over the past few years, we have developed several different layers of communal commitment (we say "layers" because "levels" connotes a progressive movement upward, which is not the case). We believe defining these expectations and accountability will allow for a healthier family as we grow together, rather than people feeling they need to take on more responsibility than they are comfortable with, or not feeling the freedom to take more responsibility. This new skeletal structure for our community will allow more intentionality for people entering in and transitioning out of our community. It is not something that we are imposing from the outside, but something that has emerged from our midst. The structure itself works no miraculous healing, but hopefully it will facilitate the space for wholeness to take place. And in fact it is nothing new. We are just putting words to something that has existed in fragments of ambiguity.
As you can imagine, at each layer we have different commitments, expectations and accountability.
Family
The broadest layer is "Family" -- that is you -- our supporters, relatives, Board members, neighbors... everyone who takes care of us and is on this adventure with us.
Visitors
Then we have "Visitors." These are people who come to check things out for a day or week -- wanderers, volunteers, summer groups.
Guests
Then we have "Guests." These are folks who come to stay longer and observe, help out, experience community life. At this layer people do a significant amount of reading and education, and commit to "Love God, Love People, and Follow Jesus."
Nomads & Novitates
Next there is a layer consisting of two groups: "Nomads" and "novitiates". Both of these share deeply in communal life and work, perhaps living with us a year or so. They commit to our Foundations and Functionality commitments. Nomads do all of this with the goal of taking what they experience elsewhere, and starting another intentional community or joining an existing one. Novitiates are intentionally working their way deeper into the simply way family with the idea of continuing to live here.
Partners
Finally, there are "Partners," those of us who have committed a large chunk of our lives to the simple way. Partners share the decision-making and vision-casting. They take vows to one another (not just to the simple way vision), and they are in rotating (every three months) small groups together to help facilitate community health and functionality.
Life Partners
There is one more layer still in the formation stage (as none of us are there yet), which would be life partners who are sharing a common pool and who have committed their lives together.
Resources
Folks are often asking us for resource recommendations. We've put together some things that have been helpful to us. Have your own suggestions? Let us know!
Request An Endorsement
To request a book endorsement from Shane, email a copy of the book and deadline to:
Melissa will be in touch with you if Shane is able to endorse your book. Thanks!
Shane’s Bio
Bestselling Author, Prominent Christian Activist, Sought-after Speaker and Recovering Sinner
With tears and laughter, Shane Claiborne unveils the tragic messes we’ve made of our world and the tangible hope that another world is possible. Shane graduated from Eastern University, and did graduate work at Princeton Seminary. His ministry experience is varied, from a 10-week stint working alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta, to a year spent serving a wealthy mega-congregation at Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago. During the recent war in Iraq, Shane spent three weeks in Baghdad with the Iraq Peace Team. Shane is also a founding partner of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped to birth and connect radical faith communities around the world.
Shane writes and travels extensively speaking about peacemaking, social justice, and Jesus. He is featured in the DVD series “Another World Is Possible” and is the author of the several books including The Irresistible Revolution, Jesus for President, and Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers. Shane speaks over 100 times a year in a dozen or so countries and nearly every state in the US. Shane has given academic seminars at Vanderbilt University, Duke University Pepperdine University, Wheaton College, Princeton University, Goshen College and Harvard University. Shane also speaks at various denominational gatherings, festivals, and conferences around the globe. Shane’s work has been featured in everything from Fox News and the Wall Street Journal to CNN and National Public Radio.
Speaking Inquiries for Shane
Shane tries to keep a healthy rhythm for speaking and travel, held in sync with the rest of community life and activities here at The Simple Way and Potter Street Community. Because he so highly values his time in the neighborhood, Shane has a group of friends that help him carefully discern speaking engagements so that he is a good steward of his time. If you are interested in having Shane speak, please check out this form, complete it and send it by email to: mdelong@eastern.edu. We will consider this initial inquiry and get back to you in 3-4 weeks.
Please include:
- A detailed description of how you would like Shane to participate, including all possible times you would like him to speak.
- The attendance and type of audience you expect, and a description of the event and venue.
- The proposed date or dates for the event (please note if your dates are flexible, and give preferences).
- A full description of your organization/institution/community.
- Your complete contact information including name, address, phone, and email of the primary contact person.
Thanks!!!
(Shane generally plans 6-12 months in advance for speaking engagements.)
Speaking Details
Honorarium: Shane has no set fee for speaking, but rather asks the hosting group to suggest an honorarium (payable as a donation to The Simple Way) they think is appropriate. Because he is passionate about money not being the only determining factor for where he speaks, Shane often speaks for groups with little money to offer (or who take a freewill offering for The Simple Way). On the other hand, because he so highly values his time in the neighborhood, Shane seeks to be a wise and careful steward of his time away.
Travel: Shane requests travel for two. We have found great wisdom in the Gospel mandate to travel in pairs -- for accompaniment, accountability, and shared leadership. When within 3 driving hours, car rental or Greyhound is a good option.
Creation Care: Being mindful of the impact that our hyper-mobile pace and fuel use have on Creation, and of the fragility of the current patterns of consumption that have led to wars over natural resources and the degradation of God’s earth, Shane has a commitment to offset the ecological impact of his travel. There are two ways a group hosting Shane to speak can participate: either have a group of folks fast (go without) oil for a day the week Shane visits (a good guideline would be, at least one person go without fuel one day for every 100 miles Shane travels) -- this may mean something as simple as carpooling or biking to work or as imaginative as converting your car to run off used veggie oil (awip.us) –OR- (less exciting) you can add an additional $100 to the honorarium and Shane will donate that to a group dedicated to erasing the footprint his travel has on the environment. For more information on this, check out demotorize.org.
Lodging: Homes, not hotels. Shane does not like to stay in hotels. In the Spirit of the early Church's houses of hospitality, we request to stay in the home of someone in the community or congregation. Dorms are also fine.
Food: Not picky -- Shane prefers a vegetarian diet, and likes to have meals in people's homes, or prefers choosing small family-owned restaurants over corporate chains when possible.
Discussions: After a large group event, Shane often has "Talkback Sessions" with people who are interested, inviting questions and response to a message. Shane is very relational, and enjoys having group dialogues whenever possible – these can be incorporated into the large gathering (i.e. with an open mic) or can be scheduled as a separate post-session event.
Logistical Needs: We request a table setup to display photographs and literature. Copies will be made available. Depending on the event, we may also bring merchandise such as handmade buttons, t-shirts, or books and DVD sets, which will be available at a suggested donation.
For speaking, Shane requests a music stand or small podium (or just something to put papers on!), and prefers a handheld microphone.
Video/Audio: Shane usually uses video clips in presentations (VHS/DVD), and occasionally uses Audio (CD) clips. This can be worked out prior to the event.
Publicity: Shane has a biographical brief available to help with program material (usually included with this letter). Feel free to edit this appropriately for your context. Photos are also available upon request and are usually included here as well.
Contact info: Don't hesitate to call if you have questions or need anything further. This was just put together to help with details that usually come up initially. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact the office who handles Shane’s engagements by mail or by phone (610) 341-1735, or Fax (610) 341-4372. Or email Melissa Delong at mdelong@eastern.edu
Melissa handles speaking requests only, all other letters can be mailed to The Simple Way PO Box 14751 Philadelphia, PA 19134. Letters or donations to the community can be addressed to “The Simple Way community”, and personal letters for Shane can be to his attention at the PO Box. Shane reads all his mail, and responds to as many letters as he is able (granted it usually takes him several months).
Contact Us
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Office Hours Closed on holidays |
Office Address |
Office Phone |
Contacting ShaneThe best way to contact Shane is through post mail. Send your letter to Shane Claiborne C/O The Simple Way, to our PO Box. Shane reads all mail, and responds to as many as possible… but he’s about 6 months behind usually ; ) Shane's Speaking EngagementsMelissa Delong coordinates Shane's schedule. If you are interested in having Shane speak, please begin that process by reading about Shane's process and filling a speaking request. If you want to find out where Shane is speaking, checkout his calendar. |
Letters to the communityLetters can be sent to any of the community members at TSW via our post office box. You may also address letters generally and someone will respond to you. We read and respond to each letter by hand so we hope you'll be patient, it can sometimes take a month or two to get back to you. General InquiriesFor general inquiries, please use the Contact Us form. This helps us get your message to the appropriate person and get you a response as quickly as possible. |
Technical ProblemsIf you have trouble viewing, browsing, or otherwise using our website, please use the Contact Us form. If you are unable to send us a message that way, email webmaster@thesimpleway.org. Please provide a description of your problem and links to any relevant pages. |
e-Store QuestionsIf you have a question about items in our e-store or about a recent purchase, please use the e-Store Contact form. Contacting us via this form will get your inquiry to the appropriate person quickly and enable us to track and respond to your problem promptly. If you prefer, you may email sales@thesimpleway.org |
Shane’s Speaking Schedule
Speakers & Facilitators
Shane Claiborne
Simple Way Speakers & Facilitators
Darin Petersen is a co-founder of Relational TIthe and can facilitate workshops on tithing, God’s economy, and stewardship.
Jessica Schnoffer is the Simple Way’s resident gardener and can provide presentations on urban gardening, including practical tips, and can also assist in planning, logistics, and sustainability.
Speakers' Bureau
Our friends at EAPE have put together an extensive and enlightening collection of Christian speakers. If you’ve already heard Shane and others from The Simple Way and are eager for more--you should definitely check out Red Letter Christian Resources!
Frequently Asked Questions
This list is compiled by Shane. The answers do not necessarily reflect those of every member of tsw, but Shane has done his best to represent us here, and the things he's heard others say... so don't think he's this smart on his own!
Is The Simple Way a non-profit?
Yes, we are a 501c3 non-profit organization (sometimes we joke about being a 501c3 ANTI-profit organization). All donations are tax-exempt. We started the non-profit because we thought it could help us function better as a community (and because a friend flipped the tab for all the legal fees). However, we have also said from the onset that we are a community first and a non-profit second, and if the non-profit organization ever gets in the way of the community we will abandon it. It is simply a tool to help us function as a community.
Do you recommend other communities becoming a non-profit organization?
We don’t necessarily recommend (or discourage) other communities from establishing themselves as a non-profit. There are lots of pros and cons either way, and plenty of communities like the Catholic Workers reject official non-profit status on principle (in that it means lots of beaurocracy and regulation). Others umbrella themselves under a congregation or establish a fund within the congregation – that’s a great model (church within the Church). For us, we like the accountability and transparency that being a non-profit and having an official “Board of Directors” demands on us (by the way our financial records are public documents that we are proud of, and we view our budget as a moral document… which we invite you to look at). Nonprofit status means that we don’t have to pay taxes, which is attractive to us as Christians since nearly half of every tax-dollar goes towards weapons. Non-profit status also allows us some privileges that bear fruit for neighbors, such as having access to local food banks and other resources (like free tickets to the circus!) that might be difficult to come-by otherwise. Finally, being an incorporation allows us to function as a single entity rather than a bunch of individuals. Homes, bank accounts, vehicles, and personal property can be held in common. But there are plenty of other ways to do this such as a “doing business as” account, a 501d3 (non-tax-exempt) apostolic order (this is what many of the Anabaptist communities do, and you can certainly incorporate without all the hoorah of setting up a nonprofit, which can allow for much of the stuff above without all the work… of course on tax day you’ll have to give some of your coins to Caesar (or at least pull them out of a fish’s mouth).
Are you ever scared?
There are certainly times we are scared, but they aren’t always where we expected to be scared. One of the scariest moments in our community was when the police raided our house (on “accident”) and the SWAT team threw everyone on the floor and ripped one of the women’s shirts. Those are moments where you think, “Who do we call now?!” And there have been times where drug dealers have protected our homes and cars from theft or vandalism. We’ve certainly had scary things happen. Folks have been mugged, jumped, even beat up… sometimes that has happened in our neighborhood and sometimes not (some of us have had bikes and cars stolen in the fancy neighborhoods here in Philly). One of our mom’s said, “I used to pray that you would be safe… but now I pray that you would be careful – and those are not the same.” That’s a beautiful distinction. Just because we are not called to be “safe” does not mean that we should not be wise. We have created many important guidelines for life here in the neighborhood. Some have come from mistakes. Others have come from Jesus, like always going out in pairs. That’s wise no matter where you are. At the end of the day, the best security is knowing your neighbors. And we are proud to be a part of a tight-knit neighborhood where we have dozens of families that are always looking out for us (and we for them). The Gospel does not promise us safety, but only that God will be with us in the danger. That doesn’t mean that nothing bad will happen (look what happened to the disciples… and Jesus… and Christians throughout history!) When Jesus speaks of fear he talks about how we can fear those things that can destroy our bodies (like guns and knives), but he says we should fear all the more those things that can endanger our souls… and those are the more subtle dangers, and the suburban demons – like insulating ourselves from suffering or cluttering our lives with possessions while others live in poverty. These are the things that can destroy our souls. We are more scared of the suburbs than of the ghetto.
Should I give money to homeless folks or beggars?
Jesus said give to everyone who asks. That’s a tough command. Sometimes we wonder what Jesus would do in the Calcutta slums or in these heroine-haunted streets where folks ask for change on every corner. What we can say with confidence is that we are to give something to everyone who asks – dignity, attention, time, a listening ear. Sometimes we may give money, sometimes not. But we can always give love. And there are times when giving money can even be a way to insulate ourselves from friendship or the messiness a real relationship might demand. So you can toss a few coins to a beggar or write a check to charity precisely as a way of insulating ourselves from relationships (and still appease our consciences)… but at the end of the day Christ’s call is to relationship and compassion. When Jesus speaks in Matthew 25 about caring for “the least of these”, the action he speaks of is not about distant acts of charity but personal actions of compassion – visiting the prisoners, caring for the sick, welcoming the strangers, sharing food with the hungry. Better than sharing money is sharing life, a meal, a home. Having said that, most Christians need to get taken advantage of more. And we can usually spare some change. Sometimes folks say this question about giving to beggars and panhandlers with suspicion, speculating that homeless folks will just use their money for drugs or alcohol… which happens sometimes. But we don’t always ask what CEOs are doing with our money when we give it to their companies (and the recent events on Wall Street raise some flags about how responsible they are!). In the end, if we cannot take someone to dinner or give them a ride when they ask for money, we might as well give some money. It’s better to err on the side of grace than on the side of suspicion. And we doubt that Jesus is going to reprimand us for giving too much money to addicts… more likely, we will discover we could have been a bit more generous than we were.
Are you a cult?
We have discussed all changing our last name to “Simple” but I’m not sure that makes us a cult. And there are lots of communities that still sacrifice animals. Just kidding (about both of those). The word “cult” actually comes from the same root from which we get “culture” or “cultivate”. So while we are not waiting for a UFO landing, preparing for a mass suicide, or stockpiling weapons… we are forming an alternative culture, a culture where it is easier to be good and where the fruits of the Spirit are cultivated. We have seen many communities come and go, and many that have developed unhealthy foundations and theology because they lack accountability and support from the larger Church. This is also why we do not try to stand as “churches” on our own but join the rest of the Church.
What do you believe? Are you all orthodox Christians?
As a community, we know that the things we believe are very important. That’s why you’ll find “Our Commitments” posted here. However, we also know that Christianity is not just a set of beliefs but a way of living, that we are not simply sent into the world to make believers but to make disciples. And that means creating disciplines and practices modeled after Jesus and the way of the Gospel. So you can find some of our Foundations and Functionality that articulate what our beliefs look like as they flesh out each day. Orthodoxy, meaning right belief, and orthopraxis, meaning right practice” must always go together. And to often we have only seen Christianity as a set of doctrines or beliefs. So congregations end up with a “statement of faith” but without a “statement of practices”. We must have both or else we get sloppy with our theology or we get sloppy with how we live and lose the distinctiveness of what it means to live the way of the Gospel. Just as it is important not to compromise core doctrines of our faith like the bodily resurrection of Jesus, it is also important not to compromise the core practices of our faith like non-violence and enemy love. Several years ago there was a gathering to try and identify some of the marks of the contemporary renewal we see in the church, and out of that gathering came the 12 Marks of a New Monasticism.
How many people are part of the community?
Another trick question. That number is either really small (6-8)… or it’s enormous. Over the years, our intentional community house(s) have averaged about 6-8 people at any given time. That number seems to work pretty well as we seek to function like a little family. But there have been hundreds of folks live at in the intentional community for a day or a month or a year over the past decade. And there are hundreds of neighbors who we consider a core part of The Simple Way and who help lead everything we do here in the neighborhood. Just as Jesus had a fairly small (and ragtag) core in his community, he also had crowds of folks who were participating in the work along the way (and a fair amount of spectators who stood by and watched). Not much is has changed.
Can I visit?
The simple answer: Attend one of our Schools for Conversion. This question is tricky, because on the one hand our entire life is about community, hospitality, and opening our homes to others. On the other hand, we have felt a tension at times between providing quality hospitality for folks inside our neighborhood and providing quality hospitality for folks outside our neighborhood who want to visit. Making community life accessible has always been an important value of ours, And we are thankful for all the folks over the years who have invited us to “come and see” their communities and to learn from them. In order to ensure a quality immersion into our communities, we decided to formalize these visits in the form of four-day experiential schools, living and learning in the context of an intentional community -- in order to try and do the kind of spiritual formation that produces fruit that lasts and relationships that have strong roots. Over the next year we will have Schools for Conversion hosted every other month by a different community. Giving exposure to the many beautiful expressions of community that are out there is one of the most important things we can do. We encourage you to carefully consider the gifts, locality, and charism of each of the other communities hosting the Schools for Conversion as you prayerfully consider a visit. – newmonasticism.org/visit.php
What about a youth group or spring break trip to visit?
Short-term trips can be important catalysts for long-term change, and for lots of us that is where it all started, where we developed “new eyes” and begin to rethink how we live. Over the years we’ve hosted hundreds, even thousands of visitors and groups. For the time being we are taking a break from hosting groups, and are only allowing cameras in on special occasions (if you are a journalist, shoot us an email and we’ll get back to you. We began to see something emerge that we call the “fishbowl phenomena” – the danger of turning our neighborhood into a fishbowl or zoo that folks look in on, take pictures, and leave. There are some friends of ours who do short-term trips well, and who are good stewards of the money they generate from these trips, giving large amounts back to grassroots organizations working everyday in the neighborhoods. When it comes to bringing a group, we encourage you to explore folks like Faithworks and Center for Student Missions who do great work. Keep doing those trips that get us outside the gates and walls of insulation and challenge us to live a little closer to the margins. And also consider eventually choosing a neighborhood or village to grow roots in and live among. That’s radical… after all, commitment is not a cultural value.
What if we just show up?
We’d rather you not. Feel free to keep an eye out on the site and our calendar for public events, work days, celebrations and gatherings… but we’d rather you not show up on our doorstep as we cannot promise to be available (or even home)… you may experience homelessness first hand ; )
Who are some of your heroes and teachers?
We are grateful to be surrounded by a great cloud of saints (and sinners) who have formed us as a community. Mother Teresa, Francis and Claire in Assisi, Dr.King, Gandhi, Henri Nouwen, Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day are a few of the heroes and sheroes whose words are written on our walls and flow from our lips. Other contemporary friends who have visited us here on Potter street and mentored us over the years are folks like Tony Campolo, John Perkins, Sr. Margaret McKenna, Ruth and Alex Orantes, Jim Wallis, Ched Myers, Tom and Christine Sine, and Ron Sider. And of course there are local heroes like our neighbor Ms.Sunshine, and all the folks who drop by the house and teach us courage and hope every single day.
Do you all have a worship service
We have chosen not to “start a church” but to join the Church in our neighborhood. We saw that what most inner cities need is not more churches, but a Church. Rather than do our own worship services we join local congregations in this area – that may mean joining the pentecostals around the corner or going to Mass down the street. Many of us here at The Simple Way are connected to Circle of Hope and you are always welcome to join us for public meetings there – circleofhope.net. We also host periodic “Nights of Celebration” where we gather folks together to sing, share stories, share some good grub, pray and have communion… those are posted on the site here. (and if you are looking for some fine biblical study and are in the Philly area, make sure you check out The Alternative Seminary.
What do you all do about health care?
We are challenged by our vision and Gospel mandate to “love our neighbors as ourselves”, especially when millions of people in the US don’t have adequate healthcare (48 million to be exact), one of them was a five-year-old on our block that died of asthma a few years back. And while we are grateful for the tireless labor of folks working toward health care for all, we are not willing to wait for the government to do what the Church is meant to BE. We are excited by the creative initiatives to create structures of mutual care, ways of bearing each others burdens like the early Church…. One of those is called Christian Healthcare Ministries. Each month folks contribute money to a common fund of which over 90% goes directly to meet needs. Members receive newsletters that tell who is in the hospital and how to be praying for one another. CHM now has over 20,000 members who have collectively paid over 400 million dollars in medical bills over the past 20 years. Check them out: www.chministries.org. And this is not an ad for CHM, but more for the idea of CHM and so many others… see it as an invitation to join a Christian medical collective that is already out there, or to start one… 48 million folks are waiting.
Do you do mailings or newsletters?
Pretty much from the get-go we started sending out newsletters with updates and stories, and you can find them in our newsletter archive. Now the newsletter has evolved into projects likeConspire! magazine, where we add some new voices to the choir. Check it out, we think that you will find it true to our vision of “dreaming big and living small” and that you will find the same ideas, imagination and holy stunts that have marked our community… and you will also find some folks even wiser and more creative than we are. And we will keep the website updated so that you can follow the news, needs, and stories here at TSW.
How can I join the community? Do you have internships?
We are currently developing a new Apprenticeship house which we hope to start in the next year. Keep an eye out for that and for the application process (coming soon). For now we encourage you to check out some of the other communities that have structured internships. And if you are on the youthful side (18-30 years), we invite you to check out Mission Year (missionyear.org), which is designed for folks ready to dive into community for a year, spending the year living in an urban neighborhood, hanging out with neighbors, pouring into local congregations and volunteering in grassroots organizations – loving God and people.
Do you know of a community in _______________________?
This is a great question. Once we had a couple fly in from Oakland, California to visit and they were asking all sorts of questions about raising their kids in intentional community and in a tough area, and all that. We told them about three communities within a half-hour from them out there in California (that had families who have been raising kids together for decades). We realized one of the most important things we can do is begin to create resources that link people up with communities near them, connecting the dots of beautiful little holy experiments happening all over the place. So check out our directory of communities -- www.communityofcommunities.info. You’ll see all sorts of communities that have been around for a while and some just getting going, and you can see ways that people share money and life, and create covenants that allow goodness to flourish.
Do you think everyone needs to live like you all?
There are certain things we can say are clear Gospel mandates – like caring for the poor and sharing the salvific love of Jesus with others. But Jesus doesn’t tell everyone the same thing when he invites them to follow. One person he says, “be born again.” Another he tells to sell all they have and give it to the poor. There is an unmistakable call in Scripture to “not conform to the patterns of the world”…. But just because we are called to be radical non-conformists doesn’t mean that we all end up doing the same thing. Nonconformity doesn’t mean uniformity. We are all called to carry a cross, but that doesn’t mean all the crosses look alike. Consider the two tax-collectors who follow Jesus, Matthew and Zacchaeus. Even though they are both tax-collectors their responses to Jesus are not identical. Matthew leaves everything and follows Jesus, barefoot on the streets. Zacchaeus doesn’t. He sells half of everything and gives it to the poor, and then he begins paying people back four times what was owed them. He is a different kind of tax-collector, doing Jubilee economics and spinning debt on its head. Neither of them are conforming any longer to the patterns of their world and the oppressive systems of taxation they found themselves in. But they responded in different ways. As we “seek first the Kingdom of God,” some of us may lose our jobs. Some of us may redifine them. Others may turn the systems on their head as we pursue the upside-down Kingdom of Jesus. What we can say is that can be assured that an encounter with Jesus will mess us up and transform not only what we believe but who we are – our economics, our politics, our families, even our very lives. So don’t follow us. Follow Jesus, and follow us in as much as our footsteps lead closer to Him.
What’s an average day look like at The Simple Way?
It’s a little easier to describe an “average” week. We have prayer each morning (at 8am). Then we dive into days that are filled with things like hanging with friends in the neighborhood or folks living on the streets, helping kids with homework, and helping folks get to appointments. We’ve got some lovely gardens and a little neighborhood thrift store. Most of us work jobs part-time and that frees us up to do other stuff we don’t get paid to do, but love. Activities and programs change from time to time, but we share food with lots of families, and try to be good neighbors. We have dinners together each week, and we have a Sabbath one day each week where everything rests. There are times where we have other things that grab our attention around some of the systemic injustices around us. Right now we are working hard to end gun violence on our streets, and to create some local jobs and more stable housing for folks. It’s not always sexy. In fact, we had some visitors that lived here for a week, and at the end of it we asked them what they learned. They said, “We learned it’s not that spectacular, and that we can do this right where we are.” That’s a good word.
Functionality
Money
it is generally our policy to not give out money. When necessary, we go with the person. If giving out money, we check with at least one other community member.
Drugs
No illegal substances are allowed in the house under any circumstance.
Relations
We do not allow ourselves to be alone with a new guest to the house. As relationships develop, community members' discernment is respected, but aloneness with a guest is strongly discouraged. It is generally our policy to not be alone with kids. If this is necessary, we check in and out with another community member.
Alcohol
We recognize the implications of buying and using alcohol, especially in our neighborhood. When alcohol is to be consumed in the house, this is to be discussed with the other community members.
Weapons
No implements of death allowed, regardless of race, creed, religion, or perceived level of power or authority (including police officers).
Donations
Suggested donation for living in the intentional community is $150 a month or $50 a week.
Guests
There are several levels of commitment for guests. Initially, we generally invite anyone to visit anytime. Any overnight visits are decided as a community. If individuals want to become permanent community members, this is to be discussed after previously visiting. Them must commit to Loving God, Loving People and Following Jesus, and to the vision, commitments, Foundation, and Functionality of the community and The Simple Way.
Non-violent civil disobedience
There are times when we must choose to stand in solidarity with the oppressed rather than follow the law of the world. We choose non-violence because the Powers choose violence. Our resistance is always born out of relationships where the people most affected are in leadership.
House meetings
Mandatory, once a week..."points" meetings designed to connect with information, dates, ideas, struggles.
Prayer
Sometimes scheduled, sometimes not... highly suggested, not mandatory even when scheduled.
Family Dinners
Mandatory, bi-weekly... scheduled dinner time for the family to check-in with one another and be together. Community members often share meals together outside this scheduled time.
Roundtables (guest dinners)
Bi-weekly dinners, often inviting guests... for the purpose of discussion or special activities (i.e. visiting communities).
Re-Evaluation
Times of reflection to keep connected as individuals and as a family, often scheduled when a new member comes into the community (after 2 months...)
Sabbath
Time of rest and/or reflection and/or playing... done sporadically during the week as individuals and as a family. One day is also set aside as a Sabbath, typically Sunday. The community rests (as well as routine activities).
Emergency
Must be willing to be flexible and sacrifice when there are special needs requiring a meeting, discussion, or simply bonding.
Foundation
Simplicity
Striving to live with only what one needs, not wants. We are not driven by simplicity (or we still serve money), but we are committed to love, which demands simplicity.
Non-violence
Driven by love which does not express itself in violence towards people... absolute community and individual commitment to not use violence.
Spirituality
The community shares a common desire for spirituality, often expressed through work, worship, prayer, and sharing of the sacraments.
Relationships
Commitment to balance time inside the intentional community as well as building relationships outside... balance between inward growth and relationships and outward growth and relationships.
Jobs
Commitment to balance work inside and outside The Simple Way, individually and communally.
Kingdom of God
Commitment to building the Kingdom of God, through ending poverty.
Together
TSW will strives to work with, not for, people -- allowing the people most affected by problems to lead the way in the struggle for their solutions.
Healing
We are all broken. And we are all on a journey towards wholeness. This healing is individual, communal, and social.
Accountability
Community members are held accountable to one another by love. With open permission and intentional commitment to actively hold one another accountable, we work toward loving God and loving people.
Local assembly
The community worships with and builds relationships with congregations.
Non-profit
The non-profit is an instrument to systematically function as a Body, but if this system hinders the Spirit of the community or its vision, it will be abandoned.
Structure
The community recognizes the necessity and danger of structure, and establishes structures not as a prescription for community but as a description of how the body and family function, often driven by individual roles rather than systematic delegation.
The creative and performing arts
We recognize that we are created Imago Dei to be creators. Each individual has unique and special creative abilities that add to communal "art". Also, we value the role that art has in breaking the cycle of poverty and liberating emotional and spiritual deprivation.
Projects
The community may find projects to do as a Body and family, which all persons commit themselves to (in different capacities), and individuals initiate personal projects with the community involvement in mind. All projects are born out of love, not out of the desire for programs.
Growth
The nature of love is to grow. There are both opportunities and dangers in growth. Everyone is invited to "come and see". Anyone desiring to join the community or a new Simple house must first have a journey with the existing community members.
Balance
The community will continue to struggle for transformation both on the systematic (in the macro and micro) level and on the personal level... small things with great love, great things with great love.
Play
The community is committed to playing... creating foolishness as we dance together; never forgetting to cry and always remembering to laugh.
Rest
Action must be accompanied by reflection, and reflection by action. Rest is done as a community and as individuals, distinct from playing.
Justice
Hope
Beauty
Our Commitments
Scripture
We recognize the Bible, composed of the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament, as inspired of God, the supreme and final authority in faith and life. We submit ourselves to carrying out our mission under this authority and seek to apply biblical principles to all facets of human aspiration and action.
The Church
We affirm that the Church is a unit with many parts, forming one body (1 Cor. 12:12). The Church is the body of the followers of Jesus, inclusive of persons of all cultures, races and nationalities. We value and unite with local congregations in establishing the Kingdom of God and carrying out the work of Jesus.
The Trinity
We echo the Nicene Creed in our belief in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, both perfectly divine and perfectly human, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, God from God, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things came into being, in Heaven and on earth, and who because of our sins became human, suffered, died, rose, ascended, and will come again to judge the living and dead; and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, one with the Father and the Son, and to be worshipped and glorified.
Humanity
We believe that people are created in the image of God. We believe people are created to love and to be loved. We also believe that humanity is fallen, and Jesus died and rose in order to save humanity. Humans are incapable of holiness and perfect love without the sacrifice of Jesus.
Evangelism
We affirm the importance of calling all persons to personal faith and faithful discipleship in following Jesus Christ. We recognize that this is done both with words and without them.
Justice
We acknowledge with sorrow the brokenness of the world at personal, national, and international levels, and we seek justice, reconciliation and transformation in all arenas of life. In these politically, economically, socially, and religiously decaying times, justice is needed to bring hope, wisdom, and grace. We also realize that the evils of poverty and oppression exist on two levels, the individual and the structural, and we work for justice in both facets.
Need
We believe that there is enough. Those with plenty can meet the needs of the poor, if s/he who can gather much will not gather too much (2 Cor. 8:13-15). We believe that the Kingdom of God is free of poverty and oppression. We echo and attempt to live out Christ’s prayer that the “Kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We believe that begins now, with Jesus’ followers, and continues throughout eternity.
Community
We believe that humanity is created for community. God is a community, a Trinity, a plurality of oneness. And we are created in that image. Jesus modeled this community with His disciples, as He lived and as He sent them out and taught them to live. We wish to return to the community like that of the early church in Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-35. We believe that in this type of community, reconciliation happens. God is establishing a new community, a new Kingdom.
Love
We recognize the mystery of love. Ultimately, our mission is to love—to love God and to love people. This is the greatest commandment, embodying God’s law. All sin stems from not loving God or not loving people. Loving God and loving people are intricately connected and utterly inseparable. We also acknowledge that pure love is God. The greatest act of love is introducing someone to Love, in the person of Jesus.
Follow Me to Freedom Available
Follow Me To Friend, Shane's newest book & a collaboration with civil rights leader John Perkins is now available.Frequently Asked Questions Update
After much blood sweat and tears (ok, maybe just a sleepless night or two), Shane compiled some TSW “frequently asked questions.” If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Reading the FAQs before you send an email means you get a response quicker! Check ‘em out here.
Resources
Folks are often asking us for resource recommendations. We've put together some things that have been helpful to us. Have your own suggestions? Let us know!
Our newsletter turned into Consp!re, a quarterly conversation about community.
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