Dark Horses is a growing network of overlooked and unconventional followers of Jesus learning to follow him beyond conventional church structures—with clarity, confidence, courage and creativity.
Maybe your experience with church left you disappointed, restless, hurt, confused—or simply hungry for more.
Whatever brought you here, we believe Jesus still sees you, loves you, and intends to use your life in meaningful ways.
Dark Horses aren’t done with Jesus. And Jesus isn’t done with us.
What’s a Dark Horse?
A dark horse is someone overlooked, underestimated, or unexpected- someone they didn’t see coming.
For us, Dark Horses are people exploring faithful ways to follow Jesus beyond the boundaries of conventional church structures.
Some left because they were hurt. Some began asking difficult questions. Some simply sensed there had to be more.
We aren’t all alike.
But we have something important in common:
We’re not looking for less of Jesus. We want more.
We’re Not “Anti-Church”
Many of us received beautiful gifts through traditional churches, and many people we love still follow Jesus faithfully within them.
We’re not interested in building another tribe around what we oppose.
We’d rather spend our energy running toward something.
What are we running toward?
- Jesus — learning his words, works, and ways.
- Freedom — not from Jesus or healthy accountability, but unnecessary religious control.
- Authentic community — honest relationships where questions are welcome.
- Unity — loving the larger family of Jesus even when our paths differ.
- Creative obedience — following Jesus into unexpected people and places.
- Ordinary people on mission — participating in his Kingdom right where we already are.
Discover Your Kingdom Expression
What if your mission field is already around you?
Your Kingdom Expression is the ordinary context where you intentionally follow Jesus:
with the people already around you,
in the places you already go,
doing the things you already do,
using what you already have.
Your neighborhood. Workplace. Family. Team. Studio. Classroom. Coffee shop. Dinner table.
Ordinary life. Kingdom eyes.
Dark Knights
The knight is the only chess piece that moves the way it does.
It comes from unexpected angles and can leap over obstacles.
That reminds us of Jesus.
He repeatedly moved toward unexpected people and places—and following him may sometimes require an unconventional move.
DARK HORSES
A Love Letter to the Church Mavericks & Misfits
Maybe leaving church wasn’t the end of your story.
My book, Dark Horses is a love letter to people who may have stepped away from conventional church structures but aren’t done with Jesus.
It’s part story, part reexamination, part field guide—and an invitation to rediscover your place in Jesus’ Kingdom.
Coming soon. Join the Dark Horses email list for updates and early excerpts.
Articles
Hi, I’m Jay.
I’ve been a military mission commander, leadership coach, church elder, executive pastor—and eventually, one of the dechurched.
I’m a fellow traveler who loves Jesus, loves the Scriptures, loves people, and believes ordinary followers of Jesus are capable of far more than we’ve sometimes been led to believe.
You Don’t Have To Run Alone.
Coming soon: Join the UNBRIDLED: NOTES FROM BEYOND THE FENCES email list for occasional stories, questions, ideas, and practical tools for following Jesus with greater clarity, confidence, courage, and creativity.
RUN FREE.
You are seen.
You are loved.
You belong.
You matter.
You’re not done.
You don’t need someone else’s fences to be faithful to Jesus.
But you do need to run with him.
You need others to run with too.
And you’ll need courage to take your next faithful step.