What The Future Church Looks Like with Kathryn Maack from Dwellings

Kathryn Maack

• YouTube: @startdwelling
• Instagram: @dwllngs
• Instagram: @kat_maack
• Resources: dwellings.info

Bivocational Support

• Eric Hoke: ihelppastorsgetjobs.com
• Todd Linder: ministrytomarketplace.co

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The Western Church isn’t the center of Christianity anymore. We need to learn from movements around the world that are multiplying disciples in simple, powerful ways. — Kathryn Maack

Kathryn Maack, founder of Dwellings and author of Whole, has spent years rethinking church and discipleship. After serving in a megachurch and leading women’s ministry, she felt a deep, holy discontent—something wasn’t working. Discipleship wasn’t transforming lives in the way it should, and traditional models of church felt disconnected from what people truly needed.

So she took a leap. What started as small gatherings in her home grew into Dwellings, a decentralized movement of believers gathering around the presence of Jesus in homes, not institutions. In this episode, we unpack what that transition looked like, why so many leaders are feeling a similar shift, and what the future of church might look like.

From Megachurch Leadership to House Churches: A Radical Shift

For years, Kathryn wrestled with questions about church and discipleship:

❓ Why did I grow so much in my faith during college ministry, but not in church?
❓ Why are so many churchgoers uncomfortable with basic spiritual practices, like praying for someone?
❓ Is the way we’ve structured church actually forming disciples—or just creating consumers?

She realized that many churches were focused on delivering content, but not necessarily fostering transformation. Large group teaching, polished services, and passive listening weren’t producing disciples who actually knew how to live out their faith.

💡 What if church wasn’t about sitting in rows and listening—but about gathering in homes, participating, and experiencing God’s presence in community?

That’s when Dwellings was born.

Three Shifts the Church Needs to Make

Kathryn believes we’re in the middle of a major transition in how people think about church. Here are three shifts that are already happening:

1. From Isolation to Family

🙍‍♂️ Loneliness is at epidemic levels. People don’t need more information—they need community.
🏠 Smaller, home-based gatherings create deeper relationships and spiritual family.
🙌 Real discipleship happens in shared life, not just shared services.

2. From Information to Transformation

📖 People have access to the best sermons in the world online.
🛑 But consuming more content doesn’t equal spiritual growth.
🔄 We retain 10% of what we hear in a lecture but 90% of what we put into practice.
💡 The future of church isn’t more sermons—it’s more participation and action.

3. From Spectators to Participants

🎤 In many churches, only a handful of people lead while everyone else listens.
✋ The early church wasn’t built around one preacher—it was built around everyone participating.
💬 Kathryn’s gatherings center around discussion, practice, and engaging with Scripture in community.

The Financial Hurdle: What About Church Salaries?

One of the biggest tensions for church leaders who feel a shift coming? Money.

💰 In a megachurch, pastors rely on tithes for salaries.
🏡 In decentralized communities, there’s no full-time staff model.

So, how do you fund ministry outside the traditional church structure? Kathryn sees bivocational ministry as a growing reality. Many global church movements are thriving without paid positions—leaders work regular jobs while also shepherding communities.

💡 If God is calling you to step into something new, don’t let finances stop you. There are creative ways to make it work.

Taking a Leap of Faith—And Seeing God Provide

Leaving the stability of a church staff role wasn’t easy. Kathryn had a daughter heading to college. She needed income.

But she knew God was leading her out.

🚪 A week after she left, someone knocked on her door and handed her a check for her entire year’s salary. They had no idea what she made—just that God had told them to give.

💡 God doesn’t always show you the full picture before you take the leap. But when He calls you out, He provides.

What Does Flourishing Look Like?

For Kathryn, flourishing isn’t about church size, status, or recognition. It’s about:

✔ Deep dependence on God in the secret place.
✔ Prioritizing family and real-life relationships.
✔ Catalyzing others to step into their own callings.
✔ Helping people encounter Jesus in ways that transform.

💡 I’m not trying to build a brand or empire. I just want to see more people encounter God’s presence in community.

Where to Connect with Kathryn Maack & Dwellings

Kathryn is helping leaders and everyday believers reimagine church and step into something fresh. You can learn more here:

👉 Website: dwellings.info

👉 Free Tools & Resources: dwellings.info/pathway

👉 Instagram: @dwllngs

If you’ve ever felt restless about church as we’ve known it, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to dream about what could be next.