Writing
Essays and working ideas from more than fifteen years of writing about faith, leadership, discipleship, the church, family, and life in Austin.
Start here
New here? These four pieces offer a way into the writing: what shapes the church, how we lead, and how faith takes form in community. Begin with the recent essays, then explore the earlier work that helped shape those questions.
The church and the Spirit · 2026
The Organizing Principle of the Church
Start with a recent reflection on how spiritual gifts shape the church, and why I’m revisiting an old conviction about mission.
Leadership in practice · 2026
Leadership and Administration
Why leading people and bringing order to the work are gifts to recognize and steward, and what gets lost when we treat them only as skills.
Community and mission · 2013
What is a Missional Community? – Definition
A short introduction to the definition we used at The Austin Stone, and why a community of Christians is essential to a faithful witness.
Leading through change · 2013
Transitioning Your Church to Missional Communities
The opening of a practical series on our transition at The Austin Stone, with lessons about patience, learning, and the time real change takes.
For sustained explorations of a topic, browse the Selected Series.
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Missional community · Leadership · Christianity · Church · Personal · Austin Stone · Discipleship · Theology
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All writing
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Merry Christmas from the Engstrom Family
I pray you are reminded of the infinite value of our Savior this Christmas…may He bring you joy and rest! I’ll be picking back up blogging after the new year, so until then, enjoy a fun…
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Remembering Ronnie Smith
The last week has been like nothing I have ever experienced before. My friend Ronnie Smith went to be with The Lord on December 5th. He was seeking to be a blessing to the Libyan people,…
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Where Are They Now?
Recently I had the honor of speaking at the Verge conference in Chicago and I though I would share it as a series on the blog here. Over the last 7 years, we have been in…
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We Didn’t Love Consumers
Recently I had the honor of speaking at the Verge conference in Chicago and I though I would share it as a series on the blog here. Over the last 7 years, we have been in…
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Casting Vision Without Practice
Recently I had the honor of speaking at the Verge conference in Chicago and I though I would share it as a series on the blog here. Over the last 7 years, we have been in…
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Assuming the Gospel
Recently I had the honor of speaking at the Verge conference in Chicago and I though I would share it as a series on the blog here. Over the last 7 years, we have been in…
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3 Ways to Kill a Missional Culture
Recently I had the honor of speaking at the Verge conference in Chicago and I though I would share it as a series on the blog here. Over the last 7 years, we have been in…
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New Ebook from Ben Reed
Recently my friend Ben Reed released a short book on small groups called “The Ultimate Small Group Blueprint”. Ben is the small groups pastor at Long Hollow, a multi-site church in the Nashville, TN area. He’s…
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Where Do We Do Third Place?
Recently I was asked: As I am trying to lead our small groups toward missional communities, my people are starting to get the concept of third place. One thing that would be really helpful is if…
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The Triperspectival Content of Biblical Leadership
A leader instructs the head, shepherds the heart, and coaches the hands, which means teaching doctrine, forming character, and giving practical steps toward obedience. Every leader has a bent toward one of the three. The biblical…
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Meeting People Where They Are
Understanding how to speak God’s word into a particular person’s circumstances is what distinguishes a visionary from a biblical leader. Jesus does it with the Samaritan woman in John 4, and doing it in American culture…
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Multiple Third Place Environments
Recently I received the following question on Third Place: We planted our church in ’07. Currently, our Gospel Communities meet for a meal together and Bible discussion twice a month (every other week), and people meet…