We believe that the diversity of the Body of Christ is one of its greatest strengths. Our approach to resource creation and gatherings prioritizes voices that have been historically marginalized in order to listen more carefully to the work of the Spirit across a wide diversity of human experience. We always feature voices from a number of denominational affiliations in each of our resources and gatherings. Contributors to Church Anew are intentionally diverse in race, ethnicity, social location, gender, sexual orientation, theological tradition, denominational affiliation, and region.

We believe that the Christian witness has an important word for pressing concerns of our world from global climate change to interfaith conversations; racial reckoning in our neighborhoods to violence in our schools and public places. Our contributors strive to provide timely insight by listening deeply to the wisdom of our tradition in scripture with immediacy so that, as Peter preached to the crowd gathered at Pentecost, “your young shall see visions, and your old shall dream dreams.” One pastor recently commented on the depth of such insight that Church Anew is “theologically faithful, progressive, and robustly Christian.”

We believe there is opportunity and possibility in rethinking many of our inherited strategies for Christian belonging. While there is certainly much to lament, Church Anew articulates and amplifies dynamic visions from every corner of Christian expression, whether on the lips of national visionaries or on the streets from emerging change-makers. We help Christian leaders and communities of faith move dreams into bold steps toward innovation. 

We believe that the ground floor is the best place to be. Church Anew is nimble in staffing and leadership so that we can respond with immediacy to needs that emerge in communities of faith with timely and responsive action. As a congregationally-born-and-based initiative, we have a unique perspective on the needs and rhythms of Christian leaders.

We believe there is room for everyone at the table of new vitality and momentum for the body of Christ. In all of our endeavors, we seek to identify and work closely with faith-based organizations, emerging change-makers, and trusted institutions. Recent partner organizations include:

St. Olaf College and its Lutheran Center for Faith, Values, and Community;

Concordia College Office for Faith Expression;

Luther Seminary;

The Collegeville Institute;

Convergence;

The Episcopal Church of Minnesota;

The Alaska Synod of the ELCA

The Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA;

The Eastern North Dakota Synod of the ELCA;

Thrivent;

Evolving Faith

Augustana Lutheran Church in West St. Paul, Minnesota;

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Twin Cities, Minnesota