Do you live in the Knoxville area? Join us this summer for a deeper look at walking with Christ in our culture. We have designed these mornings for rich content and open conversation, along with some strong coffee to start your morning.

What will we talk about? We will explore the narratives that drive our culture today and how we make sense of who we are, where we belong, and why we are here. How do we navigate living at work, in our neighborhood, and at school when we are commanded to love others, yet our world perceives any disagreement as unloving? We will talk about suffering, sexuality, racism, growing polarization, truth, grace, mental health, and a lot more. We hope you find in this space a learning environment where you can explore, grow, disagree, and enjoy other people.

When is it? Yes, it’s at 6:15 in the morning. This is not for the faint of heart, but well worth setting that alarm clock.

Where is it? Grace Church Knoxville. 1610 Midpark Rd., Knoxville 37921 

Who can come? Anyone. 

Is this for young adults? Professionals? College Students? Parents? This morning is open to anyone, regardless of their season of life. Perhaps you have connections with many people your own age and wish to have a conversation with people older or younger than yourself. We hope these mornings will provide a space for you to experience both peer and intergenerational connection.

Is there a cost? No. 

Why so early? We know you are busy. Between work, friends, family, and church, it can feel daunting to add one more thing to your schedule. We also know that many are looking for a richer environment to explore life with Christ, with others, and engage in conversation about the questions that really matter. Rather than add one more night group to your already busy calender, why not start your day off with God and other people willing to rise early for a courageous investigation into our world and faithful living?

What can I expect? We will open the doors at 6:15 a.m. and give everyone 10 minutes to grab a coffee and grab a seat. There will then be a workshop style talk for about 25 minutes. The content of the training will provide a framework for conversation. We will have 10 minutes of open Q&A. After all, we are talking about some important issues. You should be able to ask, investigate, or challenge what you hear. The final 45 minutes will be a small group discussion. You will sit with four or five other people and explore together to life God offers you.

What if I need to leave early for work? No problem. The last 45 minutes are small group discussion so you can slip out whenever you need. You won’t be the only one.

Do I need to commit to come every week? Not at all. After all, it’s summer!  

Do I need to be a Christ-follower to come? Absolutely not. In fact, we hope that those who are simply curious about Jesus will come. If you are not a follower of Christ, or are unsure of how you feel about God, you are invited and welcome. 

We desire to be fully transparent. Events like these are helpful for Christians who want to understand how to live faithfully in the world, so you will be in the room with many Christians. Your teacher on these mornings is working from the conviction that historical Christianity is an accurate account of all reality. However, we don’t like simplistic, bumper stickers answers to real-life issues like suffering, injustice, and relational injury. We hope to come to the conversation with confident conviction, uncommon compassion, and unwavering humility. Part of the reason we are doing this in our city is because we grieve the loss of places to nuance issues of faith without fear of being canceled or ghosted. 

Who will teach? Stacie H. Johnson. You can read her bio here.

Have more questions? Ask here.