Concept

"There is no doubt that on-the-ground, action-reflection based internships are the strategically appropriate way to train innovative church planters and missional leaders. Epoch is one such system. I expect to see a lot of good things coming from this direction."

Alan Hirsch
Founding director of Forge and author of The Forgotten Ways, The Shaping of Things To Come, ReJesus, and Untamed.

Epoch (pronounced like epic) means "the beginning of a distinctive period of history." As we're caught up in the whirlwind of globalization, urbanization, and a wholehearted shift in worldview to postmodernism we need a new framework, a new approach, and a new paradigm in order to make a significant impact in the rapidly urbanizing culture we're swimming in. The world is urbanizing at a pace and with a mass unparalleled in human history. Epoch is about seeing urban renewal but coming at it from a unique vantage point. It is a cross-discipline approach that begins a faith-based perspective and wrestles through such issues as urban theology, gentrification, sociology, urban planning, church planting, community transformation, housing, transportation, immigration and so much more. The dream is to see urban renewal.

If we want to see cities transformed and renewed there needs to be a convergence of church planting, community activism, non-profits, and education to set the course for this new epoch.

Epoch Center is about training the next generation of urban missional-minded church planters, pastors, urban leaders, thinkers, and activists. We also consider ourselves to be about R&D (research and development) as we look at the city, study it, collaborate with others, and find new ways to impact and influence the fabric of urban life. We offer city-focused field-based education for those who're hungry to learn how to be a part of this movement. We're looking for ordinary people who're willing to make ordinary attempts who collectively will ignite this new epoch.