The Pneuma Project

One thing I have always enjoyed being a part of is the coffeehouse scene. To me it seems a natural place for people to interact, hang out, and connect. One of my joys within the church was the chance to start-up and run a coffeehouse/concert venue (A BIG shoutout to The Fire Escape and Undergrounds!). It’s almost as if God has been calling me into something for 10 years. As I looked back on life in the church and looked forward to the next phase of life, incarnating Jesus in the community, things began to come together.

Our dream is to open a caffeine bar in Reno that would serve as a safe place to build relationships, express the love of God, and serve our community and world. A place where Christians and not-yet Christians could interact and build friendships without the stereotypes and agendas of “church”, and where those interested in following Jesus could be encouraged, equipped, and sent out.

We desire to be a venue that builds relationships within the local community and to provide a way to be a part of community events. We hope to not only offer ways to help families in our neighborhood (practical classes—such as budgeting, cooking, parenting, music, and hobbies—tutoring, concerts, meeting place, etc.), but also to be an active part of community and city-wide events which are already going on. We also see this venture as a way to highlight the arts in our area (music, spoken word, and display art) because as of right now there is no real venue for that on the south side of town. We plan to be socially and environmentally conscious in all we do and sell, and to be a real active participant in our neighborhood as a “3rd place”

According to Ray Oldenburg a 3rd place is a place outside of the home or work where people can relax, get to know others, and build essential community. We desire the creation of a new type of 3rd place where authentic followers of Jesus and not-yet-Christians can interact meaningfully and non-judgmentally with each other. Rather then expecting people to come to us, we desire to engage the culture on its own turf. This process of engagement requires a new type of missional thinking, so we are now thinking through “missionary” type questions. “What is good news for this people group in south Reno? What would the church look and feel like outside of a building among this people group? These types of questions assume we don’t know the answers until we ask them in the active context of mission. I’d love to hear your thoughts.