Homestead Heritage: From Jesus Movement to ‘Little House on the Praire’?
Trina and I spent our Saturday down in Waco, TX with Kent and Karen Smith meeting up with Homestead Heritage, a community of about 30 years that has sustained an alternate way of living to the larger American culture. They have about 900 people in their community that participate in the simple life of raising animals, barns, crops, and their own children. In fact, everything at Homestead was focused on growth.
Their story: they started out as a couple of guys as converts to Christ (one of them with Anabaptist background) through the Jesus Movement that swept through the nation in the 70′s. They moved up to New York City and began an inner city ministry of sorts. Over time they felt the need to create a residential community that gave people in the oppressive urban centers a place to identify with God through nature, working with their hands, and shared projects. They moved first to Colorado, and then to Waco, where they have been for the last two decades.
We met with Howard and Jim, two of the 22 ministers for this group. Throughout our conversation, I kept being surprised by the modern day conveniences like cell phones, lights, central air…the works. While we WERE in the main visitors center (where 40,000 visit every year), I had admit – they weren’t Amish, or Mennonite…they were something new.
They talked to us about their journey, and about the TRUE struggle of being “in the world, but not of it”. They mentioned the many visitors who see their strange, “antiquated” way of life lived, not just a historic village reenactment. They regularly go into Waco, and have a urban ministry outreach there. Through their contacts in the city, they work diligently to extract those imprisoned to the culture and show them a new way of life.
They have a “School for Essential Education” that many in the Waco community respects. Apparently, back in 1999, Waco officials announced that if anything devastating happened in Y2K that Homestead Heritage would be the ones to teach people how to grow their own food, etc.
Makes me think some of the 411 Project – 1 Thess 4:11 – “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, working with your hands just as we have told you so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders…”
Isn’t that what the Christian culture is missing? ANYTHING that is respectable to outsiders? There is nothing tangibly different in the world of Christianity from the world’s culture. The stats are the same. There is nothing to respect there. But what about a whole culture that allows people a chance to find grace and time to grow? What about an extended family that has opportunities for you to work with your hands; to feel the accomplishment of a job well done?
To answer Leanne’s question here, I think that Homestead Heritage is trying to be VERY different, and yet be VERY much on display before the world. While, I think there are downsides to extracting someone from their circle of friends (possibly a new convert’s best audience to display the Gospel before), I have to admit that when I participate again in Christian communal living, I hope that it would be situated in a context where people could visibly see a radically different culture being lived out.
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To do a little brainstorming here: What if there were a community like this just outside of Chicago? Or better yet, a network of communities of about 30 or so each that focused on family, God’s family, with deep appreciation for work, rest, and sustainability? Many of these families had committed on living “out on the homestead” while other preferred to live as missionaries in the urban center. These missionary families look for those desperate for Jesus and to kick their addiction to the world’s poisonous culture. Missionaries discerned whether or not to send them to this Homestead as a “retreat center” where they could find some perspective. Upon returning to the city (or staying in the community on the farm), these new believers could grow in their own giftings and learn new skills for life living; centered on Christ and sharing Him with others!
Adriel Turner and 5 others are discussing. 
Leanne, 
Benny Nowell 9:43 pm on July 17, 2007 Permalink
WOW!! Sounds cool. Sounds inviting. I love it when people don’t play church like “normal” folk. I wonder what lessons SEVENS could learn from these folks?
Leanne 7:36 am on July 18, 2007 Permalink
I’m processing.
Leanne 8:09 pm on July 18, 2007 Permalink
okay, gut reaction? this scares me. it scares me because I don’t trust easily and it scares me because I yearn to abandon all worldly sense and succumb to ……………not sure yet.
*goes back to processing*
I think I’m much more comfortable doing the intentional community network thing than what the folks in the picture above are doing.
not saying one is better, just that I’m really not a joiner. I’ll collaborate like no one’s business but not being in on the beginning/creation of something just ……………..
yeah.
Mark 8:27 am on July 19, 2007 Permalink
Leanne.
First – thanks for your totally REAL thoughts. I’ll be honest – there are a lot of things like this that scare me too! In fact – it’s almost like I’ve got something at the core of who I am that causes me to fear community; ESPECIALLY community that actually asks me to participate and contribute. Being that vulnerable is not natural for humanity – well, not since the Fall anyway.
Distrust is what the Fall was all about it seems. We distrust God, then we distrust each other – and before you know it, we’re killing each other in cold blood. “Will the CYCLE be unbroken?”
Fear of community and trust with God is one thing, since we know he will never forsake us – but it gets messy when we add our bros and sis’s in the mix. Cuz we never know the ulterior motives behind WHY they want my companionship. Just to know God and them more deeply? Or do they want me to drink kool-aid and ride off on some alien-asteroid?
I personally think that after 30 years of doing this, if it was unhealthy, I would have seen some pretty seriously bad fruit coming from (not just their gardens, but) their lives. What surprised me most was when I started talking to some of the younger children. To hear their heart-felt passion for their way of life, following Christ, having fun, working and resting…it made me convinced.
That being said. I did not see much past their shops and “public spaces”. I plan to return there sometime soon and actually stay for a weekend, meeting families, seeing where they live/how they work/treat each other. Then I might come back with a different story. But I would hope that is where their real life is lived – in their homes.
Please, keep your thoughts coming – as you can tell from this long response, I’m still sorting my thoughts on this as well. I really appreciate your candor.
Robin 7:53 am on October 10, 2007 Permalink
What freedoms and truths are you willing to give up in order to live the life style you saw at Homestead heritage?
Are you ready to accept one mans interpretation of the Bible with out allowing doubts to enter your mind? Are you ready for the leading men to be “Jesus Christ come in the flesh” to be your lord and savior? Are you willing to rest your salvation in your complete submission to these men, body, soul, and mind?
Blair Adams, their Apostle, said in order for there to be peace, only one view must prevail, and that is the view of the founder.
In my opinion, if being a lemming is your idea of freedom, (which is freedom from making decisions for yourself,) and forsaking the “Christ in you,” for men who claim to be him, then Homestead is the place for you.
Learn more at: http://www.factnet.org/discus/messages/3/8171.html?1191936097
Mark 11:21 am on October 10, 2007 Permalink
i’m sure that the danger of following “leading men” happens in any community – and in fact, no decision you make can be done outside of the influences others have upon you. at the same time, we can’t truly find community if we are not willing to contribute leadership AND submit to EACH OTHER. There are more than just patriarchal family structures – some are sibling-oriented. Can the Spirit speak through a community, and not just one person? I see it happen all the time.
I don’t know much about Homestead other than the one day I spent there, but I look forward to more chances to learning more.
Staci 1:22 pm on April 8, 2008 Permalink
I have a cousin that has just moved into this commune with her family. They are all grown. I had not met this cousin but a couple of times when I was younger and it was amazing to hear the stories of their “fellowship”. When they left MA at the beginning of March, they came to stay with me in TN and I must admit, I was a little hungry for what they have. They are very praise oriented people and their fruit is just spectacular. I had been worried for them at first, but realized that they really are reaching the “world”. If this were some kind of Cult, then they wouldn’t be living outside of the homestead. They moved closer to be near their brothers and sisters in Christ that share the love of Jesus. It is amazing to me how when I was around them, I sensed the Holy Spirit working. I am so thankful that they are there. I have a yearning to be there as well some day when the time is right. I must say that right now I am stuck in the “world” so to speak. I have allowed my life to get so busy. I can only imagine what it must be like to be able to “rest” while yet working.
Mark 5:46 pm on April 8, 2008 Permalink
Staci -
I think your comment displays the stages that most of us go through in our perspective on “these groups.” From skepticism to fear to hope to desire. When we see the good that can come from such groups, if we are humble, we can realize our own need for healthy interdependent community.
“rest while yet working” – i like that a lot.
Sylvain 10:32 am on April 13, 2009 Permalink
I know people there and you will not find nicer or more sincere people anywhere else. They are committed to each other and love each other deeply, there is no doubt about that.
They feel the Spirit and move in the Spirit most of the time. The problem is that they are human, and will even admit that, but they still expect complete trust in their leadership decisions. If you question and don’t trust what is handed down to you then you will be put out.
I know people inside and people who have left. The people inside love each other so much, that they excuse their conscience and go along with the “trusting” because they don’t want to loose the relationships they have.
Sin to them that can separate you from the body might be that you don’t understand why they don’t wear wedding rings, why they give answers to visitor’s that lead them to believe things that are not true, or basically question anything they believe.
People there pledge at baptism that they are committing to that church alone to never forsake it or they will go to hell. So if years down the road something happens they don’t agree with they have to decide to either “trust” the leadership or leave and never be able to talk to anyone in the church again. The church will consider them a backslider and say they are going to hell because they broke their covenant with Jesus – that means them because they are “Jesus come in the flesh.”
Mark 10:56 am on April 13, 2009 Permalink
Sylvain,
Great to hear an insider’s perspective. It’s a shame that to see blind trust, yet I’ve seen plenty of open rebellion too. “Be subject to one another,” includes leaders too. I would hope that in their listening to the Spirit, they continually humble themselves to hear that same Spirit in EVERY member.
I agree that people can throw around the “you’re going to hell” tactic way too easily. Might be good to remember who is truly doing the judging around here. Not humans, thank goodness.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts.
Adriel Turner 8:39 am on December 27, 2009 Permalink
Ok, Not to be rude to the author of this blog or story or to its members… I was raised in this “church”. My mother was a single mother of 3. My older brother, me and my younger sister. We joined in while the church was still in Colorado. We were there from my birth until I was a 14 years old. I have got to say it was the worse time of my life. My brother is disabled and was worked like a mule. His name is Jamey Turner. My sister was molested by one of the elders sons. The Wheeler boys. My mother and the other single mothers were expected and did prepare all of the sunday meals for all members of the church who were at sunday service. All the single parents lived together thus creating a mini community of single mothers with all the kids together. During the Koresh incident, my brother and I were working on the lower land in Waco when Investigators came to investigate Koinonia and we were instructed by the elders and “group leaders” on what to say and what not to say. Eventually my mother was given $45,000.00 and asked to leave. This was because I would not conform as a teen to this way. I wanted to wear shorts. I wanted to play football, I wanted to go to school, I wanted to still be a christian but I also wanted to do something other than what the church was doing. Since we got “kicked out”, I served my country for 8 years in the Army, am currently about to graduate from the University of Notre Dame with a Criminal Psychology degree. If we would have stayed in this “church”, which is a cult, I seriously doubt I would have ended up successful. I am living the american dream with hard work and by doing whats right in Gods eyes as well as my own. I have many friends now who were either kicked out of this church or who left. We facebooko often and many times we get together. We are planning to crash one of the yearly sales that they offer to show them how messed up they are and to speak on what took place when we were younger. There are many horror stories that I lived and saw while I was there. My mother to this day apologizes to my sister and I for making the decision to be there. We understand her though as she felt she was doing what was best for us. They can say whatever they want there, they are programmed to say it. It is a lie and when Blair, Howard, and Gary die, the church will die with them. I can remember while I was there Blair would have these heart attacks about once a month and he would call it God speaking to his church.. It was all mind games… I can not believe people believe this. Anyways, take from this what you may, but I know the truth because I lived it. God bless!
Turner, Adriel D.
Mark 10:38 am on December 28, 2009 Permalink
Adriel,
Thanks for your honest reflections. It makes me sad that even with the dynamic and creative ways this church is trying to use to speak against the evils of the American way of living, that sin and human brokenness is still very present. I suppose it is something we all struggle with this side of heaven. I respect anyone who attempts a new way of living for Christ. But certainly the horrific ways you and your family were treated was unfair and not of Christ. I’m glad to hear that Christ has taken you to another place and you are still working to live for him. I know that many there have had positive experiences – and I hope God continues to work through that community, through their weakness.
Don 11:47 am on December 29, 2009 Permalink
Mark,
I would encourage you to continue to explore Homestead Heritage. They treasure relationship. And in relationship you can test and discern whether what they have is of God or is of the flesh.
Grace & Peace,
Don