The City Table

One of the four sides of the City Table is reserved for cultural influencers, who bring translation and often understanding to the times we live in. They can interpret the cry of the city at its point of pain, and help contextualize the Gospel in the culture. The truth about city transformation is that transformation does not happen until the culture responds. Join us to hear from our friend Jeremy Bryan; a hip hop artist, educator and spiritual director from Milwaukee, with a background in youth work, nonprofit management, and hospice care. He is currently working as a teaching coach and curriculum developer for an arts-based nonprofit and as grief and creativity guide for a hospice care group in Milwaukee.Find more about Jeremy Bryan's work and music:https://www.jeremyjohnbryan.com/https://refreshcollective.org/https://quillthemessenger.bandcamp.com/Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you!Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

There's nothing like a story to catch the imagination and embolden the heart to “step off the ledge” into being a transformative leader. This story-telling episode is a celebration both of the stories from this season, and other encouraging stories that have come up on Jon and Ken's radar. Our very own host on the podcast, David Blackwell, talks of his transition from church leadership into the business sector. These stories might even move you from ember status to become a contagious, Holy Fire-starter.Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you!Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

We believe it all starts with our own personal transformation, and then it flows into the transformation of our community of family and friends, then spreads into our workplace and neighborhoods. We need to have a Jesus Movement Mentality, where we see every area of life as an opportunity to display - Jesus' kingdom, His words, His works, and His way.Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you!Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

Reaching your place is a holistic approach. Place matters. The geography and the people matter, but also the making of the place. How do we engage our home place, workplace, recreational place, and community place in a way where the mundane becomes magnificent? Join our roundtable discussion with Shawn Cardwell, who is a seventh generational resident of Forest Grove, Oregon. His story and how he and his wife Laura have embraced a Kingdom way of loving their city will inspire your faith. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

Speaking truth to power is really speaking Jesus and His kingdom to human authorities and cultural mindsets. Power based mindsets and systems can't stand up to God's Kingdom delivered through His sacrificial servants. We'll explore the final argument of Paul's address in Acts 17 to the Athenian philosophers and the temple of “gods”: The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

With human public discourse collapsing into spin—and with current philosophies and theories of right and wrong attempting to rule out alternative points of view other than the assumed current correct one—it seems that what we need is wise sound Christian voices at the table, voices both humble and clear. The voice is not of those with instant answers, but of those with a fresh grasp of God's truth, whose word will carry conviction. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

God is raising up people to engage the challenging political world of our cities. Makes sense. Because we represent a sitting King and because his New Creation is available to the brokenness of our cities, He is releasing His emissaries into the chaos. These are not faint-hearted sons and daughters but those equipped with big hearts, wise minds, and tough skin. Jon and Ken interview a beautiful couple deeply engaged in their city of Stavanger, Norway: Anna Kristen and Steve Bruns. Anna Kristen is on the city council and Steve is a pastor and global church planter. Their story paints a beautiful picture of just this sort of new breed of Kingdom ambassadors. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

Just back from Europe, Jon and Ken give an encouraging report on how some of God's people in Amsterdam, Norway, and Switzerland are discovering the power of contextualizing the Gospel in highly postmodern cultures. Transformation begins when the culture embraces the Gospel. Piet Brinksma leads a city transformation team in Amsterdam where they are seeing hopeful signs of transformation in a city permeated by loneliness and hopelessness. Ken's interview with Piet unveils a story of faith, perseverance and practical lessons for both those just launching into city transformation and for those that have been faithfully laboring for many years. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

Imagine a movement in your city where a table becomes the setting to gather together, pray, and learn the ways of the Kingdom. The New Testament Church is simple. The Church is not an institution but an inclusive family that identifies all believers as “the Church”: business people, housewives, educators, children, and civil leaders. We are a reflective representation of Christ on the earth—together.  In today's episode we will hear from our friends Matt Hulst and David Swensen, working together in Denver to incubate expressions of church near Denver University. Their house church Coram Deo is contextualizing the gospel in the city. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

We're out and about! Jon and Ken are traveling Europe meeting with a variety of leaders and hearing what kind of Kingdom mischief people all across Europe are getting up to. We're going to have some stories and interviews from their travels to share with you, but for this week that means no full episode as we wait for Jon and Ken to return. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you!

How do you truly get to know your city? Prayer for our cities downloads God's heart for our cities and that heart is the engine for coming to know our cities. Today we hear from our friend Ben Woolard, chair of Together for Sheffield in Sheffield, England. Ben relays his journey to know his city, serve his city with his team, and see tangible transformation by the people of God for their neighbors. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

Not much happens without the communication between heaven and earth - prayer! It comes in all shapes, styles and forms, but at the end of the day it is the fuel of transformation. Ken and Jon sit down with Renee Boucher; known in her city of Portland, Oregon as the “mother of prayer.” Renee is a rich resource for the prayer and unity that every city is being called to incarnate.   See more of what Renee Boucher is up to in Portland, Oregon at www.togetherpdx.org Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! Music in this Episode by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

Twenty-eight years after Jon and Mindy left Amsterdam, the city is beginning to experience a spiritual renaissance. Churches are working together, the poor and the immigrant being tended to, and spiritual and material needs are being addressed. In this episode we look at the blueprint the Father has given the leaders in the city, and how the ingredients of this plan are readily transferable to others seeking to see their cities transformed. We will travel the signposts on this pathway more closely in following episodes. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you! End Credit Music by St. Vrain. https://linktr.ee/stvrain

God's plan is both ancient, current, and yet to be fulfilled! What is the big story that our little stories fit into? It is nothing short of all things becoming restored - New Creation. Jon and Ken share an update on how the city of Amsterdam is experiencing a spiritual transformation thanks to the kingdom work of the family of God. In this episode, we will explore this New Creation mandate and how it relates to every neighborhood, workplace and city. Visit citytable.org for more information, resources, and ways to get connected with Jon, Ken, and the City Table community. We'd love to hear from you!

Friends, we're back! We've been hard at work and are excited to announce we are launching Season Two next week, Sept 8th. In this upcoming season, we're excited to be expanding what we can bring to you: not only will we hear more from Jon & Ken, but we will also introduce you to a batch of friends from around the globe and hear how others are working to bless and serve their cities. Also, Jon and Ken have re-launched their website at citytable.org, now including more resources, and ways to connect with them and the growing City Table network. Drop by and say hello!

Building on phases 1-3, Ken and Jon tell personal stories of their journeys of moving from “slaves and orphans” to their past, and into their sonship in Christ. Phase Four, the Life Maturing Phase (sometimes called the “mid-life crisis”), is amongst the most challenging of ones journey; a journey out of one's personal strongholds into a life where all of God's dealings up to that point culminate in the total capture of the leaders' heart. This produces the Convergence (Phase 5) of a lifetime; a synergy in relationships, knowledge, experience and focus. This is where “mothers and fathers” of the faith are formed, personal agendas surrendered, and the Spirit is free to dictate all dealings of ones that can truly say, “I am crucified, with Christ, but I live….not me, but Christ.” Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

In this session, Jon and Ken describe how leaders are shaped starting with our birth, family and cultural context, the critical nature of our conversion season and the ensuing years of learning to realize and serve God's calling in our lives - all are sovereignly designed to bring redemption and new creation to the disciples of Christ - no matter the pain one has experienced. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

A leader is defined, not primarily by a role, but as any person shaped by God to bring influence to the world around them. In the next three sessions, Jon and Ken lay out the process of becoming transformational leaders. Dreams are seeds that takes a life-time.  Jon and Ken explore the “life-long” objectives of God's commitment to develop our characters (image of Christ) as the fountain head of all of our activity. This session will explore why disappointment and failure are key ingredients to the redemptive process of shaping character and delivering the dream in our hearts. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

More Greek words? Yes! This week, three Greek words that captures how the early church understood the How's and Where of it's lived out faith in public spaces. There are numerous texts in the New Testament referred to as the “politeia” texts, these amazing verses lay out how every believer was to be a “benefactor” to culture and display the “good works” of Jesus in their cities. They lay out God's plan for serving civic leaders as Spirit-led ambassadors, so that they see our good works and glorify God because of us. These “good works” are to be Jesus working through us to steward his new Creation in our workplaces and cities. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

Do we see our everyday world and our cities as God sees them? Whatever the issue, Jesus paid the price to fix it, heal it, and restore it. Do we think with New Creation minds and see with New Creation eyes? Do we speak to reflect our disappointments over the state of our nations or do we speak from seeing things as Father sees them? How then is new Creation in play and how is our Redeemer-king setting things to rights through us?We are beginning to plan out Season Two of The City Table and we want your feedback to inform our planning for the future of The City Table! if you could answer this short City Table Season One Questionnaire, we would appreciate it!

Some of us may be experiencing cultural schizophrenia - are we citizens of our nations' agenda or citizens of heaven's agenda - or both? The church of Jesus seems fragmented along political lines. Is this God's plan?. How do we make Jesus king of the church again - the one who is ruling now over government authorities while having defeated the powers of darkness. How do we participate in the New Creation as God's people, tasked to bring heaven's will to earth's chaos? Does our primary allegiance lie with the flag or the cross, and how does that play out in our workplaces, neighborhoods and in our cities? Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

We use the word “unity” often in speaking of the church in the city, but are we truly unified, and around what? How do we become unifiers when so much of the church is disenfranchised from each other? In this episode we first explore what the word “church” meant to the apostles in the First century, and who exactly was to be demonstrating “unity in Christ. In our lifetimes so many have left the “organized” church; why is that and what can be done to see the “exiles” united with the family of God? Repairing the breach in our walls is essential for each of us in order to see the church become a “culture-changer” in the city again. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

What does the reformation of the Church look like if we are going to be a family rather than an institutional model? Rounding out our Mutualities series we embrace our Gospel identity as partners in prayer who find a mutual mission as we follow the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a “missionary Spirit” who is sending us into creation as ambassadors to reconcile creation back to original design, what are the questions that will help us identify and engage the mission God is inviting each of us into? Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

Continuing our exploration of the Family Mutualities, what we share in common together as the church, we re-orient ourselves around a Mutual Rhythm and Mutual Support. Mutual Rhythm is our agreed upon commitment as a family to a rhythm of life that is rooted in the practices of Acts 2:42 (scripture, prayer, breaking of bread), and in keeping ourselves tied off not only to God but also one to another it naturally leads us into “bearing one another's burdens”; our Mutual Support of one another and our communities. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

The Church isn't a bundle of individual experiences so much as it is our shared story as individuals wrapped up together into the life of Christ. This episode we start to unpack our “mutualities”, what we share in common with ‘one heart and mind” in the Gospel and this is the engine for doing city transformation together. We start by celebrating the horizontal and vertical bonds of the Gospel's Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy: We are In Christ, Christ is in Us.Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org They would love to hear from you.

When the author of Hebrews said “Don't forsake gathering together” they were exhorting us to be a family, not just a meeting. When we see Church as a spiritual pyramid scheme instead of a Kingdom Family, we miss God's Plan A for the hope of the world and there are many exiles who have abandoned the Church because they were hurt by being treated like members of a institution instead of beloved siblings and children. The family of God is the delivery system of city transformation, and the Father is asking us to reclaim hope in being his Church and to repent for a lack of love for the bride or for unresolved church relationships. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ They would love to hear from you.

The sacred/secular split has hurt our witness and effectiveness in our cities; to see the “church” world as “sacred” while our neighborhood and workplaces are described as “secular” denies us the beauty of experiencing the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the marketplace. The presence of God is not reserved for “worship” services on Sunday, but is constantly available to all God's people in whatever career, calling or neighborhood they have been assigned by God. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/

Why are we so Sunday centric? How did we become spectators of and not participants in the work of God? Over the last 1900 years, the church has moved from a family in the first century to a “hierarchy”. Now God is moving us back to a revelation of his church as a household, a family on mission, where each one is valued and released—not into “church work” but into a kingdom enterprise among the culture.

Where do we get our vision for life and work from? How do we distinguish between “good ideas” and the will of God? Do we deliberate together until a decision is made or is God's voice the primary and final determinant in the decisions we make?

People first or achievement first? Do we primarily work with a team to get work done, or because God has placed us with those people? Are we judged by our competence to fulfill another's vision or are we valued because we have a destiny others are invited to discover with us? Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/ Also credit and thanks to Dave and Tara Power's of Mountain City Music for our theme track.

Metamorphosis is starting as one thing and being transformed into another. That little worm weaves its own cocoon and surrenders itself to a greater dream. The “death” of the worm assures that it will be transformed into a beautiful butterfly. Disruption and trials are God's way of inviting us into this transformation, from what we were without him to what we were destined to be in Christ. It takes surrender to the process! Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/

Jon and Ken celebrate their personal pilgrimage from broken identities into the invitation from the Father to receive their new identities in Christ - as sons! One's Gospel identity defines one's work. All transformation flows from this realignment by the Spirit of God through many trials. “All those who are led by the Spirit of God, the same are sons of God.” Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/

In Nehemiah's day, the people were, “in great trouble...and the wall of Jerusalem was broken down". and our cities today shadow that ancient reality. Ken shares the many steps and stages of transformational growth in New Haven, and no matter the amount of “rabbit holes” and systemic social and spiritual issues, there is always one thing that wins out - Redemption. A redemption built on promises not predictions. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/

Jon shares stories from Amsterdam, Sacramento, and Kansas City that illustrate how “the state of the family of God determines the state of the city.” When believers “reunify” around Jesus, reconcile, become friends and pray, churches and cities become the recipients of these “dangerous” Kingdom ingredients! Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/

Most people, most cities have dreams that have yet to be realized. Ken tells the gripping story of seeing a neighborhood in New Haven, Connecticut transformed. He not only rediscovered the redemptive roots of the city, What he came to rediscover that the Father was using the journey to transform him from a “slave” to a son.

Jon and Ken share how their personal journeys prepared them to move past the status-quo and into becoming culture changers through their own personal transformation. Culture changers Rediscover their personal identity and the redemptive roots of their cities, this enables them to Reunify God's people around Christ and his Gospel, supplying spiritual capital to begin to Rebuild broken places. These three “R's” are the pathway to transformation. Jon Petersen's books 'Unravelled' [CityForce, 2018] and 'Unveiled' [CityForce 2019] are available on Amazon, and you can connect with Jon and Ken at www.cityforce.org/

Every dream starts with friendship. Knowing that “the church as she is cannot reach the city the way she dreams,” Jon Petersen and Ken Janke's stories merge into a partnership to see lives redeemed and cities transformed - CityForce was the vehicle to help them realize those dreams.