Hi, I’m Russ,
I spent years leading what we call “church,” hitting goals and earning applause—until I realized the system was incompatible with the life Jesus gives. So I resigned, not to rebel, but to finally say and do what Jesus actually did.
When I stepped out, I discovered I wasn’t alone. People everywhere wanted the life Jesus gave—built on grace and friendship instead of pressure and performance. They just didn’t know they were allowed to live it.
That’s why Tony and I started Lark. Because grace is a lark—a joke on the religious rules we invented, told by the One who never played the game.
Lark is on a mission to provide a pathway for people to live in the freedom Jesus gave—and friends to live it with. We do this through podcasts, resources, and gatherings anyone can access—or host—right where they are.
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The Church didn’t begin as a system to attend or fund. It began around the tables of everyday people that mirrored what Jesus did.
Over time, those tables were replaced by programs, polished leaders, and buildings that consume time, money, and attention—but never form people for freedom. The result is a lot of activity, and very little availability for the world Jesus actually loved.
Our vision is to put the Church back around tables of grace — where ordinary people share good news, learn to live free, and redirect their time, money, and energy toward a weary world.
Our current goal: 500 tables of grace.
To learn more about why this approach matters, check out 👉Why Christian Content Can’t Set You Free -
Because the tattered stories of our lives—and the shipwreck of human history—are the very places Jesus said He could be found.
To speak of Jesus, as Scripture shows us, is never to speak of Him in isolation. It’s to speak of the Father and Spirit who are one with Him—and of all humanity. For in Him is “life” itself, our very existence, “the one in whom we live and move and have our being” (John 10; 14; Acts 17).
This is why any version of “following Jesus” or “having real faith” that centers on perfecting your story or fixing society misses the point.
This misunderstanding doesn’t just fail us; it fails Jesus. It fails Him because it undermines the reconciliation He already accomplished for everyone (Col 1:15-20). And it fails the world because it offers a false hope dependent on what we’re doing and who were becoming, instead of who Jesus already is for us.
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Lark isn’t another church because we’re not trying to build or maintain a religious institution. We’re not organizing services, recruiting members, or measuring success by attendance, decisions, or growth charts.
Lark exists to put the Church back where Jesus placed it—in ordinary lives, around tables of grace, formed through unhurried conversation. We believe faith grows through presence, not programming; through honesty, not hype; and through grace, not pressure.
If you’re wondering why we don’t do church or ministry the way we see it today—here are 2 short articles you may find helpful:
👉 How Playing The Church Numbers Game Works
👉 Why Public Debates Don’t Change People -
We hold to the doctrines expressed in the Nicene 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 frail 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.
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Lark runs on generosity—no ads, no paywalls, no brand to sell. Just people and businesses who believe the freedom faith was meant to bring won’t be found in the systems that domesticated grace.
Yep, we’re a legit nonprofit (with a Board who keeps us honest), which means every gift to keep this movement going is tax-deductible.
To support this movement, click here.
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![A man with a beard and tattoos wearing a denim jacket and white t-shirt, sitting and gesturing with his hands as if talking or explaining something.]()
Russ Johnson
Russ lives in Southwest Florida with his high school sweetheart, their 7 year-old, and a revolving door of grown kids and two new grandsons. He’s an author and podcaster who traded pastoring for chasing unfiltered conversations, good food, and missing Legos.
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![Man with tattoos and sunglasses sitting at a wooden picnic table outdoors, holding a glass of beer toward the camera. Other people are sitting at a table in the background, surrounded by trees.]()
Tony Sorci
Tony hails from Northwest Indiana, where he and his wife, Pam, are raising four kids. He’s the founder and creative director of Katiko Creative and proud to be a Lark. In a former life, people called him “pastor,” but now he’s known for his enthusiasm for tacos al pastor.
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![A woman with wavy, shoulder-length hair smiling outdoors with a tree in the background. She has a nose piercing and tattoos on her arm, wears gold necklaces and a white top.]()
Sarah Mezzera
Sarah brings a unique perspective to the Larkcast, fueled by her passion for capturing and sharing people’s stories. She’s married to Chad, a mom of two, and the proud owner of Butterbee, a unique tattoo shop just outside of St. Louis.
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![A man in a green t-shirt sitting at a table, smiling and laughing in a restaurant or cafe setting.]()
Josh Chevalier
Josh is a husband to Cari, a father of four, and sports writer who offers people a safe place to land, and there…find freedom in who Jesus is. He emdowers movement from the music city of Austin, TX.
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![A young woman with long blonde hair and a white shirt, smiling at the camera in a cozy, warmly lit room with patterned seating.]()
Christa Johnson
Christa is a rare sixth-generation Floridian, married to her high school sweetheart (Russ 😉). She’s a devoted mom of three, a new grandma, a sassy homemaker, and the owner of Down Home Vintage, an online shop for unique treasures.
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![Black and white photo of smiling man with short tousled hair and beard, outdoors near water.]()
Mike Jarrell
Mike is a husband to Jackie, a father of three, a lover of Philly Cheesesteaks, the Eagles, and slowing down with people. In his past life he was a missional church guy. Today he helps people reimagine the Church.
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![A man in a dark shirt, glasses, and a baseball cap sitting and smiling indoors near a window, holding a phone.]()
Jameson Allen
Jameson brings language and insights to the resources of Lark. Hailing from Iowa, he is married to his hishschool sweetheart, a father of 4, and a theology junkie who loves the long versions of people’s stories.
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![A black and white photo of a couple taking a selfie behind a motorcycle on a street, with buildings and cars in the background.]()
The Mayfield's
Ryan is an entrepreneur and Cadrian is an executive assistant. Outside of work, their hope is to cultivate conversations in Tulsa —and beyond—that help ordinary people find the freedom to reimagine life in who Jesus already is for them.
Lark Manifesto
The table isn’t a strategy.
It’s a confession.
That we don’t have control.
That we don’t have it together.
That we’re better off eating together than pretending alone.
Religion prefers rows.
Jesus chose tables.
Because tables do what systems can’t.
Tables slow us down.
They flatten the room.
They trade performance for presence.
Faith stops being impressive.
It becomes honest.
Church stops being a place you go.
It becomes the people you’re with.
So pull up a chair.
Bring your hunger.
Bring your whole self.
This is how faith becomes freedom.
This is how friends become the Church.
This is how the world heals—one table at a time.