LET'S SAY MORE

MISSION

“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. - Luke 14:23

OUR MISSION FIELD LIES BETWEEN THE PULPIT AND THE PUB, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO LIVING THIS OUT. JESUS CALLS US BEYOND THE COMFORTS OF COPYCAT CULTURE INTO THE COSTLY DOMAIN OF INCLUSIVE, ADJACENT SPACES THAT ARE NEITHER EXCLUSIVELY “CHRISTIAN” OR “SECULAR.” WE BELIEVE THAT A UNIQUE CONVERGENCE OF ARTISTS, SHEPHERDS, AND MARKETPLACE LEADERS ARE BEING RAISED UP TO “FILL THE HOUSE.” A NEW ALIGNMENT IS ON THE HORIZON, AND WE'RE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION. JESUS IS AT IT’S CENTER, AND RELATIONSHIP IS IT’S SPACE. OUR HOPE IS TO BE FOUND FIRST AS PRACTITIONERS AND SECONDLY AS A RESOURCE.

OUR PRACTICE

WE’RE PRACTITIONERS FIRST AND FOREMOST. WE CAN’T TAKE PEOPLE WHERE WE AREN’T WILLING TO GO OURSELVES. OVER A DECADE OF SEEKING AND STUMBLING TOWARD JESUS AND THE KINGDOM HAS CAUSED US TO LOOK BACK AND NOW NOTICE A KINGDOM ECO-SYSTEM OF OUR OWN FULL OF SPACES FOR ART & MUSIC EXPERIENCES, GOOD WORKS, HOSPITALITY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. EVERY ECO-SYSTEM WILL LOOK DIFFERENT BUT HERE’S A LITTLE EXAMPLE OF OUR OWN IN DOWNTOWN PEORIA, AZ. WE BELIEVE EACH OF THESE SPACES UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF SHEPHERDS, ENTREPRENEURS AND ARTISTS HELP MAKE UP WHAT WE CALL “THE BANQUET TABLE.” YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET SCRAPPY AND CREATIVE BUT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS POTENTIAL.

LET’S INVERT

FOR TOO LONG, BUSINESS HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY INFLUENCED THE CHURCH, RESULTING IN CHURCHES THAT SOMETIMES RESEMBLE BUSINESSES AND PASTORS WHO ARE MISTAKEN FOR CEOS. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TURN THIS ON ITS HEAD AND THE CHURCH BEGINS TO ENTER THE MARKETPLACE? CAN BUSINESS BE MISTAKEN FOR CHURCHES? IS THIS HOW WE BEGIN TO RESOURCE THE LOCAL CHURCH AND EXTEND IT INTO THE MISSION FIELD? WE KNOW THE LINES ARE GETTING BLURRY HERE, BUT THAT'S A BANQUET FOR YOU.

CORE CONVICTIONS

BANQUET IS HIGHLY RELATIONAL, PRACTITIONER DRIVEN, AND WE ARE MOST INTERESTED IN INFLUENCING THE SECULAR DOMAIN BY WAY OF LOVING ENCROACHMENT. BAKED INTO ALL OF OUR PROJECTS ARE THESE VALUES…

Jesus-centered

Jesus is not only our solid ground but our common ground too.

Relational

Banquets are best when we’re in it for the people not the project itself. If it doesn’t end in oneness it’s not Jesus’ prayer!

Gutsy

Tired of playing defense and ONLY having influence on Sundays? Time to step into the unknown.

BRAVE CITIES

THIS LANGUAGE IS NOT OUR OWN. BRAVE CITIES HEADED BY FRIENDS & PARTNERS HUGH HALTER AND TAYLOR MCCALL ARE WHO WE POINT TO AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BY BUILDING “KINGDOM ECOSYSTEMS” IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY ARE FIRSTLY PRACTITIONERS IN THEIR CITY OF ALTON AND THEIR BOOK BRAVE CITIES LAYS OUT THE ESSENTIALS OF BUILDING THESE KINGDOM ECOSYSTEMS. WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THESE GUYS ARE PIONEERS ON THE EDGE OF THIS MOVEMENT OF GOD’S FUTURE CHURCH AND CONSIDER THEM MENTORS. IF YOU MEET US AT ALL WE WILL MOST LIKELY ASK YOU IF YOU’VE READ BRAVE CITIES AND IF NOT WE’LL MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR COPY AS IT WILL BE A PREREQUISITE FOR PARTNERSHIP. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW OF A CONVERSATION BETWEEN BANQUET’S LANCE LINDERMAN AND BRAVE CITIES’ HUGH HALTER. LEARN MORE