Subterranean: Why the Future of the Church Is Rootedness

The landscape of Christian spirituality in the West is no longer lush with green grass and wild flowers blooming. Instead across the country we find dry terrain where churches no longer can expect interested seekers--yet most of our solutions for addressing this predicament link to anxiety around our performance and personality. Rather than going back to the boardroom to cook up new techniques for a trendier church lets ask more meaningfully rooted questions. Do we know how to be present in our neighborhoods? Do we know how to be present in community? Do we know how to be present to the in-breaking kingdom of God? There is a growing groundswell discovering that we have become uprooted and detached from each other in the way we express being the church. We need a subterranean movement that plunges below the surface into a way of being the people of God that carries an unwavering incarnational creed. Dan White Jr. uses crisp criticism narrative theology and tangible practices to uncover a hopeful pathway for being radically rooted in Gods world. Dan White has penned a well-written distinctly prophetic book on incarnational mission. In it he calls us to a life beyond the standard cultural obsessions and to a faithfulness that is rendered through rootedness abiding witness and service. A welcome addition to the books on prophetic missionality. --Alan Hirsch author and activist For too long the church has caved in to the desires of a world addicted to self-destructive speed and geographic displacement. But no longer says White. God is seeking to re-place his people to invite us into the radical act of stopping in a restless world to be deeply rooted to be witnesses to the life our world could experience if it truly surrendered to Christ. This inspiring and practical guide will help you in that monumental endeavor. --Michael Frost author Incarnate: The Body of Christ in an Age of Disengagement Want a sneak peak into the future of the church in North America? Read this book. Better yet want to join in this bold new future? Join with others and create local practices as inspired by this incredible resource. Rooted in courageous practice White has written a pioneering guide that pinpoints the cancerous defaults of the contemporary church while also casting a practical vision for how we can all join in Gods abundant future. --Tim Soerens coauthor of The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches Are Transforming Mission Discipleship and Community The bias toward up is powerful in church culture. As leaders we want to be up-and-comers and eventually at the top. If our grand vision isnt realized we pull up stakes and move on. In this fine book White makes an impassioned case for down. Up-rootedness abstracts us but rootedness--in community place and the unfolding work of God--is the truly radical trajectory of the church. Its difficult to imagine a more important message. --John Pattison coauthor of Slow Church Dan White Jr. co-planted Axiom Church when five families dove into the city of Syracuse New York to cultivate communities in diverse neighborhoods. He is also a church strategist with the V3 Movement coaching cohorts from around the country through an eighteen-month missional training system. Finally he is also cofounder of the Praxis Gathering. Dan finds deep delight in dwelling around the table with good coffee and a good conversation. He blogs at danwhitejr.com.