Finding Your Tribe of People

Who is God calling you to reach?

Athletes, Breakdancers, Ghost Hunters, Construction Workers, Artists, Bonsai Tree Cultivators, Gamers, Entrepreneurs, Farmers, Competitive Eaters, Students, Neighbors, K-Pop Lovers, Surfers, Mountain Climbers, Refugees, Widows, Scuba Divers, Urban Beekeepers, Digital Nomads, Tattoo Artists, Minimalists, and Roller Derby Players are only a few of the thousands of subgroups in our society.

The digital revolution and the explosive growth of social media have been instrumental in the proliferation of hundreds of thousands of these “tribal affiliations,” each with its own unique characteristics and culture.

Who is the group of people God might be calling you to reach?

This article will provide a few examples of pioneering leaders and then offer a simple framework for helping you find your tribe.

A Tribe of Nerds

Bubba is a self-described “nerd-culture missionary.”

Five years ago, God called him to launch a ministry called Love Thy Nerd, where he uses thoughtful content to engage nerd culture and builds bridges through articles, podcasts, and blogs. His articles range from nostalgic posts like “10 Fan Favorite WrestleMania Matches” to deeper topics like “Guardians of the Galaxy: The Damage of Grief and Trauma.” 

Bubba and his team are reaching nerds through in-person events and online platforms like Discord, Twitch, X, TikTok, and other social channels. Playing games, watching movies, and conferring the latest comics provide the relational connection for discipleship.

Nerds often feel uncomfortable and marginalized in the established church, and Love Thy Nerd is finding new ways to reach them with the gospel. 

Bubba has found his tribe.

A Tribe of Surfers

Ryan grew up on the beaches of Orange County, CA, surfing waves, drinking coffee, and hanging out with friends. He was serving on staff at a large church when God asked him, “What would it look like to launch a ministry that intentionally reached surfers?”

A few months later, Ryan started OCNWTR to reach the salt-water culture of surfing, provide clean water to the underprivileged, and then offer the living water of Jesus to his friends and neighbors.

Today, OCNWTR is a growing network of 47 local churches that meet in locations like Sur Coffee, Fight Strong MMA, and Los Molinos Brewery. The pastors in each church are co-vocational, and all the funding for water filtration systems comes from corporate sponsors. The ministry is also engaged in seven countries and has currently produced more than 75,000 liters of clean water through three water projects in California, El Salvador, and Indonesia. 

Ryan has found his tribe. 

A Tribe of Nomads

God called Shane to take a radical step of faith and obedience.

He stepped down from leadership at a local ministry, sold his spacious home and most of his possessions, and bought a 400-square-foot fifth wheel to travel the country. God called Shane and his family to reach the RV community, a group of people who self-identify as “nomads.”

The growth of the RV community is astounding, nearly doubling every year for the last few years. With rising home prices and interest rates, more families are exploring the idea of a small and mobile lifestyle. Shane travels most of the year, mobilizing chapter leaders at RV sites nationwide.

In the first year of their ministry, Shane and his family visited 20 campgrounds, ministered to more than 500 people, and established nine committed chapters of what is now called the Gathering of Nomads. 

Shane has found his tribe.

Tribal Affiliations

In his book Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes, Mark J. Penn describes the shifts in behavior, preferences, and attitudes that are creating new trends and groups of people. In addition to the list at the beginning of this article, a quick search on ChatGPT netted hundreds of growing subcultures and groups of people. Here are a few other demographic tribes.

• Urban Explorers – A tribe that explores and documents abandoned man-made structures such as buildings, tunnels, and factories, often photographing their findings. 

• Esports Fans – A tribe that follows online professional gamers and esports, a 1.5-billion-dollar global market with new arenas built in Los Angeles, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Cryptocurrency Enthusiasts – A tribe that invests in or uses cryptocurrencies, reflecting the growing interest in decentralized finance and blockchain technology

• Millennial Minimalists – A tribe of Millennials who intentionally adopt a downwardly mobile life to reduce stress and environmental impact.

• Pet Parents – A tribe that treats their pets like children, spending a large portion of their income on pet care, products, services, and diet.

• Steampunk Enthusiasts – A tribe inspired by the aesthetics and technology of the 19th-century Victorian era, mixed with elements of science fiction and fantasy. 

• Freegans – A tribe that employs alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption.

• Moderate Muslims – A tribe that practices moderate Islam and advocates for integration, modernity, and inclusivity. 

• Virtual Reality (VR) Enthusiasts – A tribe that engages with VR technology for gaming, social interaction, and professional training. 

• LARPers – A tribe that participates in live-action role-playing (LARP) games and acts out characters and scenarios by dressing in elaborate costumes and engaging in immersive storytelling and combat. 

In addition to demographic groups are geographic tribes of people found wherever you live, work, play, or learn.

These groups might be your neighbors, co-workers, classmates, basketball team, or the employees at the local Starbucks. My wife and I currently lead a tribe of people in the neighborhood of Berkley Grove.

Who is the group of people God is calling YOU to reach?

Five Questions to Find “Your People”

God is calling many of you to be pioneer leaders, and these five questions will help uncover the people he is calling you to reach.

1) Where has God already placed you?

I’ve interviewed dozens of pioneer leaders and found that incarnational ministry was a hallmark of effectiveness. One pioneer leader reaching workers at Disney World (“cast members”) wrote, “I’m a cast member and work on the inside. Nothing else equips me better than this.” Where do you live, work, play, and learn? Sometimes, finding your tribe is as easy as having fresh eyes to see the opportunities God has already given you.

2) Who is in your existing relational network?

Take out a piece of paper and draw nine boxes in a typical tic-tac-toe pattern. In the middle box, write your name, and in the eight surrounding boxes, write 1) Friends, 2) Family, 3) Neighbors, 4) Co-workers, 5) Merchants, 6) 3^rd Places (places you hang out other than work or home), 7) Kid’s Connections, and 8) Church.

Using those categories, begin to write the names of people in your relational network and then circle those who don’t currently have faith in Jesus.

3) What do you enjoy doing?

I enjoy jigsaw puzzles and recently learned of a group of people engaged in “competitive puzzling.” I had no idea. Last year, I enrolled in my first puzzle competition and discovered a brand new tribe of people. I also found a tribe of San Francisco 49er fans in Indianapolis, IN, who gather at a local sports bar to watch games.

Whether it’s gardening, swing dancing, reading, kayaking, or any other hobby, chances are there is a group of people who enjoy the same things. Make a list of hobbies and activities you enjoy and see if it unlocks a group of people you can reach.  

4) Who is marginalized?

While God has called us to make disciples, he has also called us to minister to the poor, orphans, widows, prisoners, sick, outcasts, and a variety of other marginalized people in our community.

The marginalized also include people around the world who have no opportunity to hear the gospel. Perhaps God is calling you to serve Him overseas, pioneer a new non-profit agency, or expand your church's outreach. Who are the marginalized in your community, and what issues create holy discontent?

5) What is your background and testimony?

Finally, what is your background and testimony? If you were raised in a rural community, you will be better equipped than others to reach farmers and blue-collar workers. If you walked the road of recovery from addiction, you will be better equipped to reach other addicts. If you have adopted children, you may be better positioned to reach others going through the same process. Begin to consider how your background and testimony open new tribes of people.

Want to Learn More?

Every semester, Mobilize the Church offers a 13-session online cohort we call “Pioneer Basic Training” to help people discover their calling, deepen their relationship with God, and develop the skills and tools necessary to pioneer something new.

We’ve trained over a hundred pioneers in this process, and the next wave will begin in mid-September. Are you interested in learning more?

Our next orientation meeting is Tuesday, August 27^th, from 7:00-7:45 pm EST. Simply reply “interested” in the comments below and we will send you a Zoom link and more information.

May God help you find your tribe and live on mission!

Jon Wiest is the Co-Founder and Strategic Director of Mobilize the Church. You can reach him at jwiest@mobilizethechurch.com or by calling 515-689-7145.