A NEW GATHERING - STARTING SOON
Not religion.
Not a program.
A conversation
that could change everything.
This isn't a church recruitment. It's not a religion class. It's an honest, open conversation about the God who was there before you started asking — and what he actually has to say to you.
The God of the Bible is not distant, not religious, and not impressed by performance. He is relentlessly personal. He speaks. He listens. And he desires to be known by ordinary people, not just scholars and clergy. That's what we're going to explore together.
Thurman Ferree and Russ Baugh
You may have seen us around campus over the last several years. We're not here representing an institution or trying to recruit you into anything. We're here because we genuinely believe there is a God who knows you by name — and that most of what people have been told about him isn't accurate.
We've spent over four decades walking with God and 25 years sitting in living rooms with young people just like you, having the kinds of conversations that don't usually happen in church. This is a fresh start — a new gathering built from the ground up for anyone willing to show up with honest questions.
WHO IS THIS FOR
If you're breathing and curious, you're welcome.
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—Never opened a Bible and not sure you want to. Good. We start from zero, by design.
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—Had religion pushed on you growing up and walked away from all of it. That experience is valid — and worth talking about.
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—Full of hard questions — about God, about suffering, about the Bible, about yourself. Bring every one of them.
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—Just started believing and feel like you missed something foundational. That's exactly what we're building here.
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—Not sure what you believe and want to think it through with people who won't pressure you. That's fine. Take your time.
"This isn't about getting you into a building on Sunday. It's about introducing you to someone who already knows your name."
There is no membership here. No offering. No pressure to join anything. If something happens in your relationship with God during our time together — and I believe it will — you'll know what to do next. Until then, just come.
WHAT WE'LL EXPLORE
We start with the foundations. No assumed knowledge. No catching up required.
"A conversation"
An open floor, no agenda
The first night has no lesson plan. We open the floor and talk about whatever you actually came in wondering — about God, about the Bible, about why you stopped believing or never started. Nothing is off limits.
"The Cost, The Invitation"
What it would actually mean to follow him
If it's true, what changes? We talk honestly about what following Jesus costs and what it offers — not a code of rules, but an actual relationship. No oversell, no undersell.
"Who Is Jesus?"
Walking through the Gospel of Mark
Mark is the fastest, most direct account of Jesus' life — read it in under an hour. We go through it together, a few chapters at a time, and ask honestly: who does this man think he is, and is there good reason to believe he rose from the dead?
"Who You Are"
Identity, doubt, suffering, and belonging
Who does God actually say you are — not an orphan proving yourself, but someone he's already turned his heart toward? This is also where we make room for the hardest stuff: doubt, suffering, and the ways church has let people down.
Things you might be wondering.
Is this connected to a church or denomination?
We are part of a small, informal gathering. But this is not a church recruitment — we're not here to fill seats on Sunday. This gathering stands on its own. If you ever want to know more about our background, we're open books. But there's no agenda other than helping you find God for yourself.
Do I have to believe anything to come?
No. Not even close. Some people who show up will have been believers for a while. Some will be exploring. Some will be skeptical. Some won't know what they think. All of those are exactly right. The only requirement is showing up.
Will I be asked to pray, speak, or perform in any way?
Never. Prayer happens at the end of each gathering and is led by one person — you don't need to say a word. Discussion is always optional. We've been in rooms that made newcomers feel like specimens under a microscope, and we deliberately don't do that.
What if I have a question nobody can answer?
Then we'll say so — honestly. Some of the best conversations start with a question that stops everyone in their tracks. I'd rather sit with you in an honest "I don't know" than hand you a tidy answer that doesn't hold up. We figure things out together.
I've been hurt by religion before. Is this going to feel like that?
I hope not — and I take that seriously. I've seen the damage that religious pressure and judgment can do, and I'm not interested in adding to it. What I'm after is the opposite: a room where you can bring your real self, your real doubts, and your real pain, and find that God is actually bigger than all of it. That's a promise worth testing.
Can I bring a friend?
Please do. The best thing you can bring is someone who has real questions and no patience for fake answers. Bring whoever you want.
WHO IS THIS FOR
Come as you are.
Bring your questions.
That's enough.
No membership, no pressure to commit to anything. Just drop your name and email below and I'll send you exactly where and when the first gathering is — and you'll hear from us personally, not a mailing list.
We'll only use this to send you the details and say hello — never spam, never a list you can't leave.