becoming. us.
our story
Eden in the Scriptures is where heaven and earth overlap; where the rule, reign, and will of God is both recognized and carried out. When Jesus of Nazareth taught us to pray, He said to pray for God’s will and reign to be increased and carried out presently on earth as it is in heaven; He said to pray for Eden.
And so Eden Church started with an ache. An ache for overlap. An ache to see a church not just believe correct things about Jesus, but to apprentice after Him. To take on his “yoke” as he put it. To partner with His Spirit to put the world to rights. To practice His Way.
For years, our founding pastor, Caleb Sprinkle, has sensed the modern church is facing a crisis of discipleship. It’s not that people don’t want to become like Jesus, or that people aren’t trying to become like Jesus. It’s that we don’t know how to become like Jesus.
To that end, Eden was planted in September 2024. Not because we are experts in discipleship, or because we are “doing it right”. We simply wanted to try something different. To try and organize a community around a shared ruled of life in order to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did.
We didn’t start with a ton of money (or any) in the bank. No denominational backing. No sending church. Just a few pioneers, in a home, with some similar convictions.
And to be honest, Eden is not that impressive. Truthfully, we’re not really trying to be. We are just trying to be honest. Trying to follow the ways and rhythms of Jesus. Trying to learn how to pray.
You might feel something come up (i.e. anxiety) when you step into the room. Our transitions aren’t that great. We praise and we lament. There’s a toddler, a baby, a dog, or all three grabbing an instrument during worship. It’s beautiful. Oh, and sometimes, we spend an uncomfortable amount of time being still, in silence, together, because our world does not.
The ache is not for a brand; the ache is for a new “Kingdom” as the rabbi from Nazareth put it. The prayer is that as we live this way, the sphere of God’s will and reign will increase, and we will see more and more of that overlap Jesus told us to pray for:
In Charlotte as it is in Heaven
So if you can look past the production (or lack thereof), and you share a similar ache to practice the ways of Jesus with a community, we’d love to have you.