COMMUNITAS GIVING DAY: $144,233
With you, we met the $25,000 Challenge Grant! Thank you!
We helped propel our global movement into 2022 on Giving Day! Learn more here!
Starting and Shaping Churches
for our Modern World
Transformed Lives
Transformed Neighborhoods
Transformed World
Do you dream of starting a community of faith that loves like Jesus?
There is a place for you here, and help to realize the calling in your life. You may be called to your current neighborhood, or a continent away. With Communitas you are among friends. All around the world we are starting and shaping faith communities doing just that.
We invite you to learn more about our incarnational approach.
Stories from the Field
Incarnational
Communitas Twin Cities Helps the Under-served Amidst Covid
In the Twin Cities, Minnesota, a missional project came to the aid of many in the community, as Covid hit those who are under-served the hardest.
Whether it was putting someone up in a hotel because they were sleeping in a porta-potty, or paying for a veteran's vehicle brake repair so he could continue to have transportation, or helping someone move across town who had no vehicle, Communitas Twin Cities was a light needed in the community, helping in tangible ways.
In one instance, one of the members of their community, let’s call him “Tom,” had been living in a subsidized apartment where meth was smoked constantly by a neighbor. His apartment was in an old, downtown St. Paul building that was once filled with offices where windows couldn’t be opened. “Tom” had been getting physically sick from the fumes for over a year.
Creative
The Pleasure of Giving To God
As friends gathered at one of Communitas’s church plants recently, Ashish and Dinara (names changed for security reasons) each shared a special testimony.
Ashish talked about Matthew 11:28-29, and how he had experienced "rest for his soul." Dinara shared from James 1:2 and the reality of finding joy in "various trials.” These young men have had so many trials we cannot imagine!
Ashish and Dinara fled Iran when the underground house church they had only visited twice was raided by the secret police. Their names were on a list that put them in serious danger so they paid smugglers a large sum of money and were hidden in the back of a truck. When they emerged several weeks later they found themselves in Denmark. A small but strong Christian church took them in, and they became ardent followers of Jesus.
After many months of legal wrangling, they were denied asylum in Denmark because of a technicality, but ended up in Scotland in the midst of the pandemic lockdown.
Contextual
We are Called to Mission! (Even if we can't go anywhere right now...)
In his Great Commission Jesus tells us, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20a).
We often think of this verse in reference to overseas missions. But is the pandemic giving us an opportunity for a paradigm shift? In a year where complete countries are in lockdown, it seems like it would be more difficult than ever to get involved in Great Commission work. But we are still Called to Mission!
Pray.
There are so many opportunities to pray for missions. Our prayers for God’s Kingdom to come on Earth as it is in heaven, that many would receive Jesus, that the harvest and the workers would be plentiful, and that God’s name would be glorified in every tribe, tongue, and nation, are just a few ways to pray.
Mission is across the world and across the street. Let’s pray for our neighbors and neighborhoods! Maybe the Lord will lay on your heart to pray for specific countries, communities, “not-yet-believers,” missionaries, world leaders, or against persecution.
Find Your Place
Mobilization AdministratorLead Pastor – City Church WarsawTeam Member – ItalyChaplain to Small Business CommunityChurch Planter – Englewood, CO
Director of Mobilization
The Director of Mobilization is primarily tasked with creating and stewarding the process and means to direct people into serving within our global mission. Working in close conjunction with the field ministry team and executive leadership, including the president, you will build a team that will “shepherd God’s people toward their calling” and will coach potential new missional staff considering Communitas. You will create numerous opportunities for engagement with Communitas and our mission, including speaking and other engagement events, short term experiences and internships, and more.
For full details, please download the Job Description on this page, and feel free to reach out to us with any questions at all at HR@gocommunitas.org.
Church Planter
Communitas International seeks a Planting Pastor to start and sustain a missionally-focused community of faith. Communitas has been planting churches worldwide for almost 50 years. The Planting Pastor will follow the proven methodology employed by the Communitas network of churches of embedding, initiating, practicing, maturing, hubbing, and extending to pattern the church and its community life, while also enjoying great flexibility to adapt to the specific cultural contexts of the area. The preferred candidate will have prior church-planting experience or extensive education in the areas of missional theology and practice. The efforts of the Planting Pastor will result in a thriving, self-sustaining, authentic, discipleship-oriented, outward-facing and reproducing community of faith in 3 to 5 years.
Project Leader
As Lead Pastor, you give oversight to the staff and missionary team. The Lead Pastor takes the initiating role in providing pastoral oversight and leadership to the health of the community. With the aid of the elder board and missionary team, focus should be shared among the areas of mission/evangelism, discipleship, leadership development and establishing and sustaining essential functions of a growing and maturing church in the areas of worship, community groups, children, operations, and other essential functions. As a natural process of living internationally, embedding in the culture and learning the language well should be an ongoing work in progress.
Intern
Communitas International seeks Interns who will assist Planting Pastors and Team Leaders to start and sustain a missionally – focused community of faith. Communitas has been planting churches worldwide for almost 50 years. The Intern will assist the Planting Pastor in the proven methodology employed by the Communitas network of churches of embedding, initiating, practicing, maturing, hubbing, and extending to pattern the church and its community life, while also enjoying great flexibility to adapt to the specific cultural contexts of the area. The preferred candidate will be at least a college Junior or volunteer adult who has a great interest in church-planting as well as missional theology and practice. The efforts of the Intern will result in greater personal and mission effectiveness which will in turn leave the host project more healthy and thriving due to the efforts of the Intern.
What Intern Can Expect from local Communitas Team:
The Intern can expect the following from the leader and local team:
- You will be welcomed into the place of ministry and given opportunities to embed in the culture.
- You will meet with your team leader at least weekly to discuss your progress and the ministry/personal work that needs to be done.
- You will be supported in the transition to the new culture – however, you will also be given the freedom to explore on your own. As an intern, you should expect that the local team will give guidance, but not seek to micromanage your stay there.
- Times of prayer and support as you meet the challenges of living in a new culture.
We sincerely hope that your internship will lead you to a greater understanding of God’s plan and purpose for your life.
Mobilization Administrator
This role provides administrative support for the Chief Mobilization Officer, including planning and implementing recruiting events and opportunities, communicating with prospective candidates, and administrative support for the Global Mobilization Team. The Global Mobilization Team is responsible for recruiting, communicating with, and investing in prospective candidates for ministry with Communitas International.
Lead Pastor – City Church Warsaw
City Church is a church for people who don’t do church. What does that mean? It means that we are trying to make space for those who’ve been turned off by traditional expressions of religion and Christianity. This also means that our community will be diverse, messy and beautiful. Our community is based on mutual understanding that we are all broken people in a need of authentic and meaningful relationships.
CLICK HERE TO GET A FEEL FOR CITY CHURCH
You can visit our YouTube to check out this unique community of Jesus followers.
Team Member – Italy
We are looking for new team members who are interested in coming alongside our existing staff that we have scattered around Italy. We would also love to see new teams form and plant vibrant missional communities in other parts of the country as well. The Lord is doing great things here in Italy! There is a huge need for more committed workers to join us in this harvest field.
Chaplain to Small Business Community
Do you love working with and meeting people in new environments where every day is different? Do you like the freedom to prayerfully plan your day following God’s leading, listening to those in need and supporting people through active listening and practical help? Do you enjoy the rural small-town life, surrounded by beautiful countryside to explore and be restored within? Yes? Then keep reading, perhaps this role is for you.
Kelso Baptist Church (KBC) acting here in partnership with Communitas, is a church rebirth movement which seeks to create disciples through ways which conventional churches are not always set up for. Working with the small businesses in Kelso has therefore become one of our key target mission areas. Kelso itself is a market town for this rural part of Scotland, boasting a wonderful market square with over 50 independent trading shops.
This project has its beginnings in a supportive resource for a new worker, with a fledgling small business Christian network formed by people within the small but growing church. On the outworking side the Pastor Rob (who is also a trained workplace chaplain) has been spending time hanging out with people in the market-spaces of Kelso and surrounding towns; from cycle shops to cafes, flowers shops and watch-makers; and from this initial work he has seen a need much wider need than he can fill the potential for. So this is where you come in!
Church Planter – Englewood, CO
The church planter will: embed in the Englewood community, listening for the cultural heartbeat of the area; initiate Gospel-sowing worship and service; practice living out a faithful life with a core team while inviting others to co-journey; mature as a local and unique expression of the Body of Christ; hub to produce multiplying missional initiatives and churches; and extend to help fuel trans-local movements for church planting beyond Englewood. If the challenge of planting and reproducing such a missional community of faith is of interest to you, we would love to hear from you!
For more information please download the full opportunity profile.
Some of our Churches & Projects
Communitas News
Lament Devotional
Thinklings: Giving Order, Meaning and Resilience to Missional Communities in Stressful Times
Jon Ritner’s new book, Positively Irritating, is now available
Strutzenbergs have arrived in Scotland
Giving Day 2020 was a Success!
Psalm 148 for Audacious Praise
Lament Devotional
As we wait on the Lord- we pray it is with open hands.
Legend tells of an ancient custom in Nepal: if a man loses something precious to him the rest of the tribe comes together, enters his home, and takes something else from him as well. This sounds so cruel, doesn’t it? Here is the reason and blessing behind this tradition. When a precious loss occurs, the other hand automatically clenches to keep what is left and the heart becomes lifeless or closed. Here stands the man cursing this one hand that has lost his treasure, bringing shame upon his family, while his other hand grips tightly to ensure he keeps what little is left. With clenched fist he threatens anyone who would get close enough to take away what is rightfully his.What does he look like now?
Thinklings: Giving Order, Meaning and Resilience to Missional Communities in Stressful Times
“Thinklings” has been a long-standing theological “think-tank” within Communitas, drawing together our theologians and missional practitioners to wrestle deeply with theological topics. The second online Thinklings took place in November 2020, on the topic, “Missional Communities: How do we give order, meaning, and resilience to Christ-communities under what are likely to be increasingly stressful circumstances? How shall the church maintain the integrity of our witness to the living God in turbulent times?" Nine contributors prepared and presented ideas on this topic, with robust conversation and discussion of pracitcal application following each. The discussion including additional Communitas staff and friends, beyond the presenters, and we are committed to continuing deep theological thinking within our missional movement!
Jon Ritner’s new book, Positively Irritating, is now available
What does church look like in a post-Christian world? We at Communitas International have been asking this for many decades. The new book by Jon Ritner, Positively Irritating, was released November 13th. Jon is a former missional staff member. He now serves on our international board and is a pastor in Hollywood, California.
It has been an exciting launch month for Positively Irritating. We crossed 500 copies sold including copies sold through Amazon to readers in the U.K. Canada, Australia, Belgium, and Germany! Our family had a wonderful small launch celebration with Rita and Michael Warren, and current Board members, Teal Rapp and Stephen Millage in California. For our American friends, I believe this book will be a good resource to share with your supporters and home churches to articulate how they can apply the experiences of missionaries embedded in Post-Christianity abroad.
We loved sharing our Communitas’ story and I close my acknowledgements with this statement: "“Finally, I want to thank the courageous liminal leaders from Forge International, Communitas International, and Movement Leaders Collective who welcomed us into their respective tribes and who challenge us to keep following Jesus into the unknown.”
Jon Ritner
Strutzenbergs have arrived in Scotland
Celebrate with us the Strutzenberg family's arrival to Scotland!
Andrew and Kali are joining Drew and Christine Van Tiem in Edinburgh with a heart to serve those in their neighborhood of Leith.
Please pray with us as they settle into their flat, get to know their new city, and explore what God has waiting for them!
Giving Day 2020 was a Success!
$155,707 given on GIVING DAY 2020! THANK YOU!
$155,707.07 was provided by God on our annual Giving Day, supporting our front-line missional workers and the Communitas movement. Thank you to all who made this amazing day possible!
With you, we met our $20,000 Kingdom Advancement Challenge Grant!
Thank you for your partnership in prayer and finances as together we start communities of faith that are transforming lives, transforming neighborhoods, and transforming the world for Jesus Christ.
Psalm 148 for Audacious Praise
Written by Communitas staff member Wesley White:
In this time of international uncertainty, it is fitting that ardent worshippers of the God of the Bible give critical attention to Psalm 148. As we might give historical considerations to the Psalter as a whole, this Psalm in particular features prominently in Hebraic liturgical traditions, most pointedly detailed in the Mishnah, that hermeneutically fertile collection of Jewish oral tradition that has been accorded such rigorous rabbinic attention in Judaism.
32
Churches
73
Church Plants
200
Team Members
27
Countries