As Christopher James surveyed churches in Dane County and talked with pastors here and visited some of the churches, he began to get a sense of varied texture the religious landscape in a community not always thought of as religious.
He explored the divisions in the community and among the churches. He looked at the differences in the ways Christians give voice to their priorities and go about their worship. In the process, he opened up possibilities for churches in this area to find new ways to shape the future.
James is an associate professor of evangelism and missional Christianity at Dubuque Seminary in Iowa. His 2017 book, Church Planting Post-Christian Soil: Theology and Practice, focused on efforts to start new churches in Seattle. Now he has turned his focus to Dane County for what is known as the Dane Churches Project. On Nov. 20, he presented his preliminary findings at Upper House.