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The idea of starting a new church began in Boston, Massachusetts during a church service in 2001. Five years later, after the idea had matured and then disappeared, the vision for church planting resurfaced after Jonathan made a trip to Austin in 2006. He had never dreamed of returning to Texas for ministry, but was compelled by the "Keep Austin Weird culture," spiritual climate, and the strategic value of the city of Austin. He was soon assessed and trained as a church planter by Acts 29, a church planting network.
In November 2006, the Dodsons moved from Boston to Austin to begin Austin City Life. Upon arrival, Jonathan worked a separate full-time job using lunches, evenings and weekends to learn Austin culture and build relationships with people. From East Riverside to South Congress, he came to appreciate both the beauty and the brokenness that courses through the city of Austin. With a vision for increased spiritual, social, and cultural life in Austin, people began to gather around the idea of making Austin an even better city.
In July 2007, the first church plant meeting was held in the Dodson's home, where the vision of Austin City Life was shared with a few interested people. Building the church on community and mission from the beginning, this group continued to meet weekly in order to share meals, life, and to think seriously about how to be a renewing presence in Austin. From spending time with the homeless to serving children in the Ronald McDonald house, this fledgling community began to experience a whole gospel for the whole city.
In October the community committed to one another in order to live out the vision of Austin City Life and a Jesus-centered, city-focused church was birthed. In January 2008, Jonathan went full-time with ACL in order to devote more attention to growing, shepherding and leading the church. By March City Groups were started and in late April we began meeting at the Hideout Theatre in downtown Austin for weekend services…
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