The Prophetic Church: 4 Ways a Church Renewed by Jesus can Surprise the World 

April 24 – 262024

Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, MN, USA + Online 


The growing Jesus-centered movement is a movement seeking to renew the church by putting Jesus at the center of our lives, our ministries, or our businesses.

We believe Jesus can surprise the world by making possible what seems unimaginable.

Join us at Unite 2024 as we explore these important pain points and the ways a church renewed by Jesus can surprise the world.

1. A unified church displays a new possibility in a polarized world.

2. A church at peace offers healing to an anxious world. 

3. A spiritually thick church brings hope to a cynical world.

4. A church centered on Jesus surrenders power in a world obsessed with control.

Stay tuned for more details and speaker reveals…

# Featured Speakers

Brian Zahnd

Brian Zahnd

Founder and Lead Pastor of Word Life Church

Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church, a non-denominational Christian congregation in Saint Joseph, Missouri, which he co-founded with his wife, Peri, in 1981. He serves as the primary preacher during their weekend services and provides leadership for the church. Brian is an avid reader of theology and philosophy, an enthusiastic hiker and mountain climber, and an authority on the works of Bob Dylan. He and Peri have three adult sons and seven grandchildren. Additionally, Brian is the author of several books, including Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God,” Water to Wine,” A Farewell to Mars,” Beauty Will Save the World,” and Unconditional?: The Call of Jesus to Radical Forgiveness.”

Marlena

Marlena Graves

Writer, Activist, Church Leader, and Assistant Professor of Spiritual Formation at Northeastern Theological Seminary in Rochester, NY.

Marlena is a writer, thinker, and speaker deeply passionate about exploring the eternal implications of life in God, driven by her love for beauty in family, others, and creation, as well as her pursuit of justice in countering evil with good. Her core belief is that spiritual growth and justice should go hand in hand, and she seeks to bridge the gap between Christian beliefs and behaviors, addressing her concerns with authenticity.

Issa photo2

Issa Ebombolo

Peacebuilding Coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)

An expert in peace and conflict transformation. Issa spent years building a highly transformational approach to conflict resolution called Peace Clubs. Peace Clubs are now in multiple countries in Southern Africa and are invited by governments to run in schools, prisons, and conflict hot spots. Issa currently holds the position of Peacebuilding Coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Zambia and Malawi. MCC is a global relief and development agency focused on transformation through peace building.

… more speaker reveals coming soon! 

Who is this for?

Church, ministry, marketplace teams, and thoughtful Christians around the world who want to….
  • Engage in honest, loving, deep-dive dialogue about key issues and opportunities facing our churches, organizations, and vocations as followers of Jesus
  • Forge new relationships and community with other mission minded people who are seeking to live less polarized and more hope filled expressions of Jesus
  • Learn from others who sense new wineskin’ approaches are needed theologically and missionally to engage with the pain points and opportunities unfolding in the sweeping cultural shifts happening across the globe.
  • Learn more of what God is doing through Jesus Collective to equip and empower the Body of Christ in ways that center more on the person of Jesus.

What to expect?

  • Learn from other practitioners who are advancing Jesus-centered mission and vision from a variety of diverse contexts. ie. micro churches, large churches, relief and development organizations, non-profits, church plants, and peace makers
  • Exploring the cultural landscape and how the person of Jesus is relevant in the complexities of sweeping cultural shifts.
  • Intentional social and networking time, including an evening social event
  • Communal spiritual practices + prayer together
  • Learn about the future of Jesus Collective and options for ongoing engagement
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So UNITE 2024?

# Registration Details

You can register to attend UNITE 24 in-person with us in St.Paul Minnesota! Prices are listed in Canadian Dollars.

Registration

Registration includes:

Access to all in-person sessions

Early Bird Deadline: February 12024

Individual: $149 Early Bird / $199 Regular / $115 Jesus Collective Partners

Groups of 3 or more: $119 pp Early Bird / $159 pp Regular 

Partner Summit '24

April 24, 2024 (The morning before Unite 24)

Our annual Partner Summit is a time for the Jesus Collective Partner community to celebrate, build relationships, and discern the Spirit’s leading as we shape this collective together. And we get to hold it in person!

The Partner Summit will take place in St. Paul, Minnesota (the same location as UNITE 24). It’s free for all Partners, and all Partners are invited to attend and participate.

Partners can register for the Summit using the UNITE 24 registration link on this page. When registering for UNITE you’ll notice the option to reserve a ticket for the Partner Summit on April 24th

Curious about Jesus Collective Partnership? Learn more and apply here.

# Travel Info

Location:

Woodland Hills Church 

1740 Van Dyke St, Maplewood, MN 55109, United States

Airports

St. Paul Minnesota Airport (VIEW ON MAP) (2025 minute drive to Woodland Hills Church)

We Care

Need a safe space to share or process something you saw or experienced within our Jesus Collective community? We are here for you.

This form connects you with Cherish Hamilton, Partner Liaison of Jesus Collective, who is committed to supporting you at this time.

# Featured Podcast

October 19, 2023

Jesus Collective Vision Update: New team, snapshot of the current church landscape, and where is Jesus Collective heading.

Welcome to another episode of the Jesus Collective Podcast. In this episide we pause to delve into the vision and heartbeat of Jesus Collective, introduce new core leadership team, and highlight wins from this past year. Plus, we explore the current landscape of church, and hear how Jesus Collective is responding to these shifting dynamics as we move into an exciting future together with a broader Jesus-centred movement. It’s all packed into this dynamic episode. Enjoy!