IMN Global Network
Sam Radford
IMN Senior Field Operative
Voxtropolis Sheffield (UK)
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After coming back from a week with the International Mentoring Network in Orlando in February 2007, we were very keen to start utilising what is now called the Voxtropolis Culture Pub strategy.

We spent a few months throwing around different ideas and possibilities and then, in around May 2007, we started in earnest working towards what we were calling ‘The Vox Party’. The idea was to create an event that would give voice to local artists whilst at the same time raising awareness and giving voice to issues of social justice both locally and overseas.

The challenge we faced to create this was on multiple levels. We needed to have the right people in place as event coordinators. We had to foster the necessary links with artists and performers. Then we needed to organise venues, publicity, and everything else that goes alongside event creation.

Not only that, we wanted to galvanize our community to be involved on one level or another helping turn this dream into a reality.

Our first stroke of genius with this event happening - and happening well - was actually a Mexican student call Ellie who’d connected with us a few months earlier. She had a real love for the arts, a passion for social justice, and was a real “make it happen” person. She took the bull by the horns and was the key person in taking the event from concept to reality.

One of the first steps we took was trying to sort out a venue. We did a bit of brainstorming and put together a small list of possibilities. At the top of the list was a great venue in a peak location that, to be honest, we had “zero chance” of getting. What’s the harm in asking though we thought.

So we met with the managers of this cafe/bar in the center of Sheffield, sold them the concept and they were on board straight away. They loved the idea and wanted us there. And no venue hire - they’d just make up the money with the takings.

PULLING OFF A CULTURE PUB (Because you said you were having one!)
Next was the small challenge of actually coming up with everything we’d promised: artists, musicians, DJ, etc. This was a case of both connecting with some of the links different people in our community had as well as knocking on doors at art galleries, film-makers, etc. It worked. Again, the concept was something that nearly everyone was drawn to. There was very littler persuasion needed. It was something people wanted to be on board with.

As the night of the event actually approached the pressure really mounted. How were we going to hang the art and photography? Where would be put the band and the DJ? And did we really only have 30 minutes to get everything set up?

Amazingly, most of this all came together. We ended up with an evening with a great DJ, an amazing singer, paintings by a wonderful artist, sculptures from a couple of sculptors, and photography from a guy in our community. To top it all off, well over a hundred people showed up. We’d have been happy with 50.

One girl at the event came up to me in the evening and asked if I’d seen the article in the local paper. I was like, ‘Er, no. We were in the paper?!’ Turns out that the manager of the venue had contacted them to let them know what we were doing.

So, all in all, it felt like a great event. We were scrambling for most of the time, making it up as we went along. But it was well worth it. The lessons we’ve learned have put us in a great position for taking things forward in a more sustainable way. But more on that next time.

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The IMN :: Heroes Wanted - Safe Return Doubtful | www.theimn.com

IMN Global Network
Ted Law
IMN Field Operative
Vox Culture Houston
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What does an Asian hip hop artist, an indie rocker, a Muslim business entrepreneur, and the staff of a Title 1 elementary school have in common? Not much. But earlier this year, they all participated in Vox Culture Houston’s first event. We called it “The Global Café.”

The Global Café is our Culture Pub. It’s an eclectic combination of music, art, food and fun. It’s a community event open to the public, to all humans. And it’s a way for us to bring the diversity of Houston together in order to “do something good.”

Houston is a diverse city. On my street I have neighbors from Cuba, Ireland, Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Mexico, and China. The guy who lives next door says we’re a mini “United Nations.” It’s one of the reasons why I enjoy living here. It’s also the reason why I think the Global Café has local appeal.

For our event, we focused on two causes. First, we highlighted the work of Floresta, a group that fights rural poverty and deforestation through microfinance, education, and spiritual nurture. Secondly we put a spotlight on the needs of a local elementary school, one that has been challenged by rising crime and violence.

Last year, I made an appointment with the administrative staff at the school in order to listen to their needs and see if we could help them in any way. Their reply was an enthusiastic “yes!” They had two immediate needs – school uniforms for kids who couldn’t afford them and mentors for their new chess team. So that’s exactly how we helped. Our Global Café raised funds for uniforms and we’ve been supplying their chess club with volunteers. Their year-end chess tournament was a sight to see! About 50 kids, from 2nd to 5th grade, all sitting still with their minds fully engaged for about two hours on an early Saturday morning. They loved it.

The Hebrew Scriptures recount the story of Jeremiah’s letter to God’s people who had been carried off to Babylon. He tells them “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” God desires us to be a blessing to all people, whether they believe what we believe or not. This is the posture I understand that God wants me to take as I follow Jesus on mission. This is also one of the reasons why I hope the Global Café will become a regular feature in Houston.

So what would you experience if you walked into the event? We had a stage featuring live music ranging from folk to hip hop. We had a gallery that lined the walls with local artists showcasing their work. Some sold pieces and donated proceeds to the causes. We also had a café where people could purchase beverages from a nearby coffeehouse and order empanadas from a local restaurant. (A big thank you goes to Dean Sharp for guiding me through how to stay organized and focused on the right things!) And, finally, we had our causes which we advocated through videos, literature, a booth, and personal stories given by the school staff. Vox, after all, means “voice.” And Vox Culture Houston is designed to gather voices to speak for those who are not being heard.

Our next Global Café is Sunday, August 3rd. It’ll be another diverse expression of culture. We have a new lineup of music, food from an Indian restaurant and a local Persian market, a returning group of artists showcasing new work, and a photo contest. I’m currently experimenting with a Vox Culture Photo Club. (No one showed up to our first meeting, so this may be short lived.) And this time we are giving a voice to the people recovering from the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China.

Vox Culture Houston is the name of our nonprofit and we hope to spin off more community events and activities in the city. But for now, the Global Café is our first event.

What do you think?

IMN Global Network
Dan Harshbarger
IMN Field Operative
Vox Culture Pubs Orlando
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It’s incredible what a difference 5 years and a rear view mirror makes. It was 5 years ago this past July that I began to align my life with that of the way of Jesus. Early on, I got involved with as many activities that I could, from volunteering to leading worship bands. Over the past few years, I’ve seen the gamut of different worship styles, settings and teams. From big churches, to house churches, church plants, and finally culture pubs.

Looking back, one thing that I have learned is that there are many ways to reach people with the Gospel, but the most effective are those that are in environments that reach people where they already are.

I spent years trying to create interesting environments within the confines of a church building. Environments that I knew, or at least hoped, that people who weren’t yet connected to Christ would appreciate - perhaps even connect them to Him. A big problem I found, though, was that a lot of people who I loved didn’t want to come near a church building.

I realized that a good majority of my week was spent rehearsing music that someone else had written for people that already knew Jesus. This seemed less and less like the mission set out before us. To top it all off, I completely burnt out. I had to leave the church plant where I was volunteering and detox.

I withdrew from ‘doing church’ on a weekly basis, and consequently found so much more time to spend with the friends that I hadn’t really connected with in years. It’s been awesome writing original music again, this time with more meaning.

God has led me full circle to where I began 5 years ago - playing music and putting together shows. This time around it’s for a completely different purpose.

I have found through Voxtropolis Culture Pubs, that there are ways of being one’s true self and watching God work through that to connect with those who would never consider setting foot into a church building. That is being the church.

So far, I have participated in four Voxtropolis Culture Pubs in some capacity - from assisting, to mingling, to playing and hosting. Each time, I’ve been engaged in meaningful conversation with people who have yet to align themselves with Christ. Each time, those same people have been excited to learn about our next event. Some are excited to help us in this mission, regardless of where they are spiritually.

Now, some of the very people that I prayed about nearly 5 years ago, are helping me to make Voxtropolis Culture Pubs a reality. It’s opened the door for deep conversations - discussions that we have several times a week.

Along the way, I met some others who have encouraged me to continue on with another dream: starting my own coffee brand that utilizes profits to help others. It’s mission and vision are close to that of Voxtropolis. To help with this endeavor, I’ve traded in the goal of an MDiv for an MBA.

As I adjust the rearview mirror, I can see where God has been in the details. He has shown me that Jesus did most of his work outside of the temple. Seeing where I’ve been, I plan on looking ahead - doing the same.

What do you think?

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Back to Voxtropolis

IMN Global Network
Eric Sweiven
IMN Senior Field Operative
Vox Sacramento
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When Alex initially explained to me the idea that was then Voxtropolis, I was immediately attracted to two parts of the vision. First, as an art/community center, Voxtropolis represented a way to earn a living without draining a church community as it’s “pastor.” Second, I was interested in the mission he expressed (God’s) and how a portal like Voxtropolis as a cultural pub can become a connection point for people who are desperately searching for God.

Voxtropolis represented a way where I (as a “church planter”) could become part of the community, NOT as a “pastor,” but as an Artistic Director or Community Activist or Director of Development. VOX was a way to step into the context of everyday life and begin to share life with others. VOX provided a venue to step into real-life situations and extend myself into the messy reality of human-ness. A quick overview of Bible personalities reveals stories about people in the workplace (not the religious establishment) making a difference and contribution to the world. I’ve found that the more I distance myself from being a “pastor” the more relevant and genuine I become to others. Let’s face it, pastors are probably the least relevant people out there!

Before hearing about Voxtropolis, I knew God wanted me to go and plant a church. I knew He was calling me out. But I really didn’t know what that meant. See I thought I understood the New Testament. I thought I understood what it meant to “go and plant a church.”

How does it work for us? The previous conversations have generated great questions, important questions about how we “evangelize.” I’m not sure that evangelize is the right word.

What if we rephrase the questions: As Christ followers, how are we being relevant to the lives of those searching for God? How does our community bring meaning and love to the city? How do we engage people outside our own comfort zones, people who may not agree with us, look like us or even think like us? How do we serve others in our cities? How are we making meaningful contributions to the world? These are the questions we ask ourselves.

The answers come in many ways, mostly we just get new questions. We’ve found that to be relevant we need to understand the culture. This is a hands-on process for us. We talk to people and listen to them. We admit we don’t have all the answers or a corner on creative ideas. We’re ready to get a little messy. We make mistakes, we take risks and through this process we make friends and encourage new, emerging artists to take the first steps toward a potential career in art. Along the way we invite them to join us.

Jesus’ example was to invite others to “follow me” — not to be come Christians. Then those he invited, left and went, not because he was God in the flesh, but because he called them out to do something significant. Only then, on the way, did they learn who he really was and his larger mission. There seems to be some sort of expectation that if we don’t immediately invite a person to be a Christian, then we are failing at evangelism. I propose we invite people to mission, share our lives and then allow Christ to reveal himself to people in his own way. Then I must be prepared to do my part as Jesus leads me.

We established our core values to be all about helping, caring, encouraging and empowering people. The hope is that as we move and invite others to join us, our core values will establish an environment that will bring Jesus to the top of all we do, his values, his passion, and his mission. Our community continually comments on the feel of VOX, how it is unique and different than other spaces and galleries. I believe this is all because of Christ living in us and though us, with our core values acting like an amplifier; the “feel” of VOX is not based on any stylish interior or amazing decorating ( we are proud of our eclectic look) but rather the very real and tangible presence of Christ at every event we host.

What do you think?

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back to Voxtropolis

IMN Global Network

EMERGING VOICES

Eric Sweiven
IMN Senior Field Operative
Voxtropolis Sacramento

PLANTING A CHURCH VS LAUNCHING A CULTURE PUB - PART 2

Recently, a friend of mine questioned my call and progress toward planting a church in Sacramento. He encouraged me to consider, “You may want to go to God and ask if this is what you’re supposed to be doing…”

Read the rest of this entry »

Russ Murphy (Australia)

My experience with the IMN was a unique one. Partly because I and a few others were responsible for the “I” in the IMN; we took our responsibility as cultural outsiders quite seriously. Partly because chaotic events ensued that my life would be radically different as a result of taking part.

You get out of these things what you contribute to them, so as a youth pastor I was impacted by the learning environments, both online and face to face. The impact came not only through the content, which was usually incredible, but also through the interaction with others who where wrestling with the same concepts in different contexts.

I was amazed at the affinity I felt with my network members as we assembled in Los Angeles for our immersion experience. I was overwhelmed when this same network stuffed cash in my pockets and under my pillow after my mugging at Midnight in Pasadena, and confident of their support and counsel as I navigated the path to a new future.

I’ve gained a network of allies, advocates, supporters and friends that I could not have garnered on my own through my time at the IMN. I’ve been catapulted into a new way of thinking which has in some ways ruined me forever and burnt bridges behind me. I have, without a doubt, been blessed beyond what I could ever have hoped or imagined.
I would not trade a minute of what I experienced.
I found a tribe to run with.

Russ Murphy

For more info …
IMN
7-Day dates, tuition and fees

IMN Global Network
Eric Sweiven
IMN Senior Operative, Sacramento, Ca
Website:Voxsac
Contact Eric at erics@voxsac.com

The Art of Creating Second Spaces

Not too long ago a well-meaning friend told me he thought I was failing as a church planter. He was right.

Photo: Eric Sweiven and Alex McManus at Voxtropolis 2008 in Orlando, Fl

Almost two years, pretty much the same small group of core people. Few, if any, converts. We really hadn’t begun any services and we had no revenues; no tithe coming in.

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IMN Global Network
Ryan Offut, IMN Operative (UK)

Photo: IMN alumni Ryan Offut and Rachel Radford Think Together …Hard.

Ryan’s IMN Adventure
Orlando, FL
Feb 2008

I’m going to set the scene for you, so you can appreciate where I was coming from for my first ever IMN event.

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IMN Global Network
Mike Harris, IMN Operative (US)

photo: IMN alumni Mike Harris and Erik Reed

The Cigar Company
“I cultivate my flowers and burn my weeds.”
~Charles H Spurgeon

What do men, cigars, and the gospel all have in common? In a smoky pole-barn on Tuesday nights, these three ingredients intersect to form a missional community, and last night this missional community witnessed one of its sojourners commit his life to Jesus. Read the rest of this entry »

The IMN Global Network — another IMN solution
Posted by Mike Harris

Men need a reason to get together. Calling a bunch of men and saying, “Let’s get together and talk” won’t make their top 10 list of things they want to do this week. Hell, it won’t even make their top 1,000! That being said, guys do enjoy a good conversation. Yes, contrary to popular myth, men talk about stuff. We just like to talk about things that we’re interested in AND, we need a context that excites us. One context I’m using is Cigars, and I’ll be writing on our adventure in fine cigars each month. Read the rest of this entry »