My next door neighbor in our apartment complex in seminary (Louisville, KY - SBTS) was a laid-back, no sugar eating guy who played a guitar and a ukulele, and had a bunch of daughters with hurt-your-eyes blond hair. Matthew, near the end of seminary, really got passionate about theology, finally started buying some books, and started to feel the pull to plant a church in old Louisville.
At first I was skeptical, but he kept talking about it. That was a few years back. Today, Matthew is pastoring a missional church called Ekklesia and running an independent coffeehouse called Sunergos Coffee.
The longer I pastor, the more I think the way forward in the missional church is by getting into and investing in the community through "great good places" or "third places."
I have a feeling the topic of "third places" will come up again soon.