Nomad, Christian community, mission and the future of the church.

Hello and welcome to Nomad.

On the Nomad podcast earlier this month, we were chatting to Rob Bell,

who pastors a large church in America, but who emphasises the importance of Christian community.

And we wanted to expound that a little bit, and we're doing so in the company of someone who

pastors a relatively large church in Bristol, but who is utterly committed to the principle of Christian

community. The church in question is Woodlands in Bristol, and it's a very warm welcome to the

pastor of that church, Dave Mitchell. Dave, thanks very much for joining us.

Thanks, Nick. Could you begin by telling us a little bit about yourself and the church that you pastor?

Yeah, I'm married to Tina. I've got five children who are aged between 22 and 15.

And the church in Bristol, Woodlands, is part of a group of churches that have been had a sort of church planting agenda.

And Woodlands itself was planted in about 95, 96, which is about the same time as we started

living in this particular community house. And I've really seen the two things as very parallel.

You know, I love them both. I love doing church every day in community.

You know, in a sense that's part of what we feel we're trying to be.

We're just trying to live out sort of a kingdom community every day.

And it's obviously bounded by the number of people you can get into one building.

It's great being part of a church that has grown,

but still has relational community values, very intrinsic to it.

So Woodlands itself has grown to around about 1,000 adults in that time.

And it's been a bit messy.

So in a church that size,

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