… I had too much stuff going on with my family

In the Faithwalking ministry we often hear how the call to living missionally represents a great challenge for families with small children. No doubt the demands of raising young children limit some options for those who consider a call to do “ministry” in a sustained way. Brad and Natasha Sollenne provide us an example of a family that has wrestled with this issue, and have chosen a path that has them on mission as a family. We offer you their story, in their words, as an example of what can be.

“Saturday night church was awesome! Hearing what everyone is doing within their missional communities is very motivating (this includes those of you that weren't there and what you are doing in the community)! This is why we moved back to Houston. Brad would tell me about the extraordinary people here and what they were doing and we wanted to raise our kids with such extraordinary people.

Recently, as you know, we began feeding homeless people again. Brad and I have had a dialogue going as to what more might be needed. Brad has a more intimate understanding of what someone on the street might need and our conversations have been detailed, substantial, and rewarding. We also agreed that we wanted the kids to be directly involved in whatever we do. Then about a week ago Brad asked Sascha if he could have one wish, what would it be? Without hesitation Sascha said he wished we were rich so we could help the homeless and the hungry and no one would be hungry again. After being stunned about what amazing kids we have, we realized we wanted the kids to understand that we don't have to be rich to make a difference in someone's life.

There's been an awesome opportunity given to me...

There's been an awesome opportunity given to me, both to get my life set and to be able to go on and provide for my son and give him an awesome place to call home ...

This story is only part of a bigger story that we call "The Church in the Mobile Park."

More than four years ago Bob Baldwin and his wife, Cathie were “arrested” in their pursuit of a life of comfortable and easy retirement in the suburbs of North Houston. Bob and Kathy were challenged to redefine what they understood about the term “neighbor” and to reexamine what they believed about their purpose and responsibilities in the community in which they were living. 

After 9/11, I hated Muslims…until I met a Muslim.

Without a doubt the last decade has seen an immense increase in the number of Islamic peoples among the residents in Houston. Their presence represents both one of the biggest opportunities and exposes one of the biggest fears of the church today. How will we respond to our Muslim neighbors: love and friendship, or judgment and avoidance?  Maybe we should consider this question first: How would Jesus respond?  I offer the following true story as a way of helping us decide:

A mentor once told me, “You will inevitably form opinions about an entire people group based upon a personal relationship you have with an individual from that group.” Unfortunately, my first relationship with a Muslim, albeit a distant one, was through a “most wanted” poster I saw for Osama Bin-Laden days after 9/11. My opinion about 1.5 billion people in the aftermath of that horrible day was shaped by a hastily formed first impression.

After 9/11, I hated Muslims … until I really met a Muslim personally.  His name was Abu Sayeed, or Son of Happiness! We were introduced to one another on a soccer field in Amman, Jordan and we connected instantly over our shared interests: a passionate pursuit for the best hummus in the city and a mutual desire to follow the will of God.  Abu Sayeed and I became fast friends.  Over the next 10 months my hatred of Muslims turned into respect, at least for one.  Just as my mentor had predicted, I began to see Abu Sayeed’s entire people group through the lens of the relationship we were forming. Not only did I come to love him like a brother, but I desperately wanted him to come to know Jesus.

Love as a Lifestyle

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Living missionally may be one of the scariest things we can think of, but it may also be only one of the most rewarding, transformative and impactfull ones.  This is the story of Francis Chan as published by Thriving Family Magazine in July/August 2010.

by Michael Ridgeway

Francis Chan is the best-selling author of Crazy Love and Forgotten God and the founding pastor of a much-celebrated megachurch. Yet he and his wife, Lisa, have chosen to live on an income far below what his success could easily provide. He has given the profits from his books to charity and has stopped accepting a salary from the church, supporting his family on whatever income God provides through his speaking engagements.  

The Chans and their four children live in a tract house in a modest neighborhood. Despite their tight living quarters, Francis and Lisa have opened their doors to others in need. As many as seven houseguests find shelter under their roof at any given time.

Their countercultural lifestyle isn't some progressive social experiment in low-cost, communal living. Rather, it's a reaction to love. God's love for them. And their love for other people.

Yes, I was an OK Christian...

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Here is a story of transformation:

by Jim Teall,
Open Doors USA.


I have been a Christian for most of my life. I have been on many “retreats” in the past so why would I want to pay to go on another one? Wasn’t I doing okay at the Christian life? I thought so and others around me seemed to agree. But then I happened to be at a luncheon where I heard a speaker who was involved in Faithwalking. Now I have been to hundreds of Bible studies and I have heard hundreds of people speak about the Christian life before so how would this be any different than the rest? And yet it was.

I did not hear a tinge of arrogance from the speaker about how to have a successful walk with Jesus. Instead, I heard tons of authenticity about how to have a transparent, missional community that walks with Jesus together and who together were being transformed while seeking to transform society. An authentic and transformational relationship with Christ and with His people. My soul cried out inside me, "Yes, this is what I want, this is what I need."