The WI+H Movement exists to transform every community’s pain points through a disciplemaking movement and using business as a tool of justice.

They come alongside existing churches and new pastors to help them imagine new possibilities for their community. Through a process of WI+H Connection (1 hour), then WI+H Ministry Studio (1.5 days), WI+H Cohorts (12 months/meeting quarterly) and Coaching (meeting monthly with leads and teams), they assist these teams with listening, learning, and then leading in ways that are effective to disciplemaking and transformation in each cultural and geographic context.

Phase 1: Listen – 1 month/4 weeks – Pastors and leaders listen to God and the community. They discover God’s agenda and imagine lives and neighborhoods the way God sees them.

• Touchpoints/support mechanism
  
• Weekly one on one & group sessions by Zoom (w/ Connect)
  

Phase 2: Learn – 2 months/8 weeks – Cohorts learn Discipleship making & community transformation strategies and models. They design innovative models and strategies that lead to change.

• Touchpoints/support mechanism
  
• Attend in-person and virtual ministry studios
  
• Monthly group coaching sessions
  
• Monthly one-on-one coaching with the pastor or leader
  

Phase 3: Lead – 9 months – Cohorts launch innovative models, capture learning, and adjust. They also begin to share models and look for new opportunities to influence and impact.

• Touchpoints/support mechanism
  
• Attend in-person and virtual ministry studios
  
• Monthly design team coaching sessions
  
• Monthly one-on-ne coaching sessions with the pastor or leader
  

The primary context that WI+H operates in is urban or inner city, because there is more prevalent, systemic and generational pain. Economic development and unleashing ordinary believers in Christ into spiritual disciplemaking (not Sunday worship experiences nor occasional outreach) are often weak spots for the Church and faith-based non-profit in these communities.

Listen to Episode 27 of the podcast and access the show notes below.

1. The importance of listening to the community.

W+TH is slow and steady in their engagement of marginalized communities. They don’t have a fast-paced evangelistic method. Rather, they invest long-term in the transformation of the community with the community. Their movement consists of micro-communities of faith who do life together with the unchurched in pain points. It’s crucial to know people by name, listen to their life stories, and meet practical needs. Urban pain points cannot be transformed if the people are not first heard and engaged in the transformative process itself.

2. The importance of ordinary people being involved in the mission.

The WI+H movement consists of ordinary people who dare to imagine new possibilities for America’s most dangerous neighborhoods. You don’t have to be a superhero or even clergy to move forward in doing this work. It doesn’t require a master’s degree or even a seminary degree. When pastors understand this, they don’t have to shut down Sunday morning because they have an opportunity to train, equip, and unleash ordinary people to be on mission outside of Sunday.

3. Outreach is transactional, not sustainable. 

Outreach definitely shouldn’t be discouraged, but it’s limited because we often approach it on our own terms and schedules. We don’t need more churches; we need more businesses in the inner city. That’s how we’ll begin to see some transformation, especially if they’re ordinary Christians who are running these businesses and working in them who are purposeful about making disciples who make disciples. When this occurs, we will begin to see transformation in these communities.

WI+H Overarching Goals:

• To ensure that each person living in urban pain points has repeated opportunities to see, hear, and respond to the gospel.
  
• For urban neighborhoods to experience the fullness and joy of knowing Jesus.
  
• For churches, christians, and community stakeholders to collaborate to imagine new possibilities, act, and create new environments for people.
  

www.with.city

“Racism has systematically been a part of the church since the beginning of America. The church is the most segregated body of society. We are living in a new era of repentance, a time to work together with marginalized communities who are crying out for hope.” – Walter Harvey

“Christ’s values are not left or right. They’re centered in truth and justice.” – Walter Harvey

“The Kingdom of Heaven has been held hostage too long by people trying to be too safe. Leave your comfort zone and go where the pain is. Live where injustice and marginalization live.” – Walter Harvey

“Jesus specializes in redeeming hard things. That’s how multiplication happens. When people discover Jesus, more micro-communities of faith grow.” – Walter Harvey

“Jesus took the time to get to know people, and He’s commissioned us to do the same.” – Walter Harvey