Religion is everywhere. People who are free to pass on relief are rare.

Seeing this, I (Russ) found a lot of joy being a friend who helps people experience the freedom Jesus gave as…freedom. It’s in the safety of friendships that people are able to be who they are in conversations that help them see Jesus for who he is.

But I also found these conversations don’t fit into what has been labeled as “church,” and what goes by the name “church” is of no interest to most of society. 

This made being a pastor difficult.

Thankfully, the formalized church I was trained to offer is found nowhere in what Jesus did or invited us into. But being a friend who is free to pass on relief instead of religion, is.

So I resigned to create a nonprofit that helps people find relief in the God who ended religirn; one me and Tony rebranded as LARK in 2021.

In a time where most people have no interest in what has become “church,” and will only give a listening ear to someone they know and trust, we find ourselves wondering:

Where do I make a difference?

After a decade-long search for answers, one truth has consistently emerged in every place: people learn to live free in unnamed conversations with the free.

Learn to live free? Think of someone learning to rest in the scandal of who Jesus IS instead of adopting religious rhythms to acquire, get close to, or become like Jesus.

In unnamed conversations? Think of the back and forth dialogue that patiently helps people sort through the fears that keep them from trusting in who Jesus is over what they currently see, feel, or what others think.

With the free? Think of people who have no church brand to build or defend; people who have no need to waste time defining whose in and who's out; people who are free to go be friends who tell the truth about themselves so fellow humans can belong, be honest, and find healing.

Unfortunately…these conversations are rare, and the desperate need for them doesn’t fit into what’s been labeled as “church.”

So we set out to to foster a global movement of unnamed conversations where people experience unwavering grace and unhurried faith. We believe this approach embodies the very essence of the Church Jesus started.

Once upon a time, the pursuit of the ideal self and society led to banishing the poor, orphaned, and those with a criminal record to a life of service on English ships. 

Due to the endless demands at sea, these social outcasts found solace in the sight of birds, which are a sign that land was near. 

But although the sight of any bird was welcomed, not all were enjoyed.

Most birds were noisy and demanding unlike the larks who asked for nothing…and instead…would sing beautiful songs as they would free-fall through the sky…just for the fun of it. 

Captivated by the bird's carefree spirit, the sailors began to associate larks with their own desire for liberation, and before long, the word "lark" became a reference to a “carefree adventure” or anything done out of “uninhibited freedom.”

We first discovered the word through the writings of old theologians. 

Exposing the myth of the religious god who is waiting on us to achieve some imagined self or society, Robert Capon unveiled the God who single-handedly united himself to us all through his Son.

In his words, this act of “grace is not a reward for hard work or good behavior. Instead, it is a lark, a joke, a (hilarious act of) inequitable (generosity). in a word, it is a gift.”

To that end, LARK is a playful, message-forward movement that is serious about helping people find relief in the God who needed religion—but not much else;-)

We hold to the doctrines expressed in the Apostle's Creed in general, and specifically to the following:

About Christ: Aware of humanity's perpetual love affair with performance, Jesus tells the most shocking stories of grace to level all our empires of progress. For both religious Pharisees with resumes and despondent tax-collecting outcasts, Jesus did the impossible. He reconciled all to God through His death and resurrection. This “Good News” is the invitation out of the exhausting madness of trying to hide the junk of our lives. We are free to be nothing in Christ.

About Church: The mystery of the kingdom of God is like a dragnet being hauled to shore, catching everything in its path. It rejects nothing, Jesus said. One day this net will arrive on the beach, and the angels, not us, will determine what is and what is not. In the meantime, we are free to be what we are: a random sampling of the broken world that God has united himself to in Christ. To be the Church and pretend we are anything more would be false advertisement.

About Change: We are conditional creatures. But only because we love the allure of control that lies with if/then transactions. We want a life of sight—not faith; a life that’s about here—not hope in a place to come; a life that offers lists to assure we’re okay—not a way of love that doesn’t compute. One is tidy, the other is messy. But only one is the life God has actually given us. Like branches on a Vine, we exist solely in the hands of a Vinedresser. Transformation is His work, not ours.

Because the tattered stories of our lives and the shipwreck of human history are the one place, Jesus said, through the parables and on the cross, you will find Him.

So when what has been labeled “following Jesus” is about you perfecting your story and society, it fails both Jesus and the world.

It fails Jesus because it undermines the reconciliation he already brought to everything. And it fails the world because it is offering it a false hope.

Fortunately, this is not the story God has given us. To see the one Jesus offers, grab a free copy of Dare To Live Free. It’s short, fun, and to the point. We can chat from there.

Due to the popularity of what has been labeled “church,” the invitation to spend your time being a friend who passes on relief instead of religion can feel…questionable. 

That’s why it’s good to know the Church is defined in Scripture as a movement of frail people who are learning to trust Jesus. In short, it’s who you are, not somewhere you go.

It’s also helpful to know the Church gathered is described in Scripture as “unnamed conversations” among two or more people; conversations where grace is unwavering and the faith is unhurried. 

The truth is, there is nothing as formative as the celebration of the free around tables and scandalous conversations along the way. The key is trusting Jesus enough to let it be that simple.

Yes. LARK is a licensed nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors who are committed to empowering a global movement of friends who help others live free. All donations to LARK are tax-deductible.