Jesus Tribes: Training for Heart-to-Heart Kingdom Community In the 417
Are you longing for emotionally-healthy, vibrant, love-bonded spiritual family?
We train for that.
Are you longing for emotionally-healthy, vibrant, love-bonded spiritual family?
We train for that.
Many people sense it – there is a major shift in the Body of Christ in our nation. The models that worked in years past are no longer keeping people in community. Members of church communities regularly express that they don't feel loved and accepted. Something needs to change.
Maybe you've personally spent years in ministry but still fe
Many people sense it – there is a major shift in the Body of Christ in our nation. The models that worked in years past are no longer keeping people in community. Members of church communities regularly express that they don't feel loved and accepted. Something needs to change.
Maybe you've personally spent years in ministry but still feel disconnected. You’ve been faithful, but you’re tired. Or maybe you're tired of seeing no transformation in your life or the lives of people around you.
You long for real, vibrant, lasting, spiritual community, but small groups only go so deep before falling apart, or (worse) getting weird. Or perhaps, like many people, something is telling you there must be more to your faith journey than Sunday services and leadership burnout.
We have good news. If you're longing for more, you’re not alone, and there’s a better way.
We train people just like you to rediscover the heart of Jesus for community through Spirit-led, Biblically based "Relational Rhythms" that lead to deep connection and emotionally healthy leadership. We train church leaders on how to encounter God's
We have good news. If you're longing for more, you’re not alone, and there’s a better way.
We train people just like you to rediscover the heart of Jesus for community through Spirit-led, Biblically based "Relational Rhythms" that lead to deep connection and emotionally healthy leadership. We train church leaders on how to encounter God's affectionate covenant love, and how to reflect that love to those around them.
Whether you’re in a house church, traditional church, or non-church setting, Jesus Tribes helps you build capacity to create and sustain deeply connected spiritual family. With anyone. Anywhere.
We aren't asking for anyone to leave the community they are a part of; we want to train you to bring all of God's love, joy, and peace into the environment God has called you to right now.
1. We're done with a culture of motivating with knowledge, duty, and guilt. Instead, we are defined by relational joy and securely bonded love.
2. We're done "figuring it out" for a distant God. Instead, we pay attention to the tender, loving leading of Jesus inside community.
3. We're done consuming more information and programming. Inste
1. We're done with a culture of motivating with knowledge, duty, and guilt. Instead, we are defined by relational joy and securely bonded love.
2. We're done "figuring it out" for a distant God. Instead, we pay attention to the tender, loving leading of Jesus inside community.
3. We're done consuming more information and programming. Instead, we practice love skills inside community.
4. We're done valuing "gifting" over emotional and relational maturity. Instead, we grow safe, emotionally-mature, spiritual moms and dads.
5. We're done encountering God through a few clergy. Instead we notice God on display through diverse community, an ecosystem of grace.
Below, you will find information about our various trainings and ways to connect with Jesus Tribes! Some things to note:
1. For Tier 1 and Tier 2 trainings, we come to you! So gather a group of friends, ministry leaders, ministry participants, families, small group leaders, etc. and we will come to your space to provide the trainings! (We can Zoom too, but in-person, face-to-face is best!)
2. All trainings are free of charge! We strongly desire to support the body of Christ in the region with no strings attached.
3. Jesus Tribes: Quarterly Tribal Gatherings are a way to stay connected to all people networked together through Jesus Tribes in the region and keep moving forward in heart-to-heart connection! Quarterly dates will be announced soon! We anticipate the next one to be in January 2026!
During our Tier 1 Training, "Heart-to-Heart Connections," a facilitator will guide your group through a six week training course that focuses on building deeper, vibrant, joy-filled kingdom relationships through teaching and practicing healthy "Relational Rhythms." Many leaders go to seminary to train in Bible knowledge, but they are never equipped in how to develop affectionate, securely bonded love in their homes, churches, ministries, small groups, workplaces, etc. This training is designed to give you practical tools for you and your community to heart connect in ways that grows and nurtures Christ's love in your midst.
Click below to schedule an "Intro Call" to learn more or click "Class/Events" to book a training!
Once people begin to bond, that is when we begin bumping into each other's "pain pockets" that can rattle relationships. During the six weeks of Tier 2 Training, a facilitator will guide your group through "Advanced Heart Connections," where we take a deeper dive into the 19 Core Relational Skills (as outlined by Chris Coursey of Thrive Today Ministries), and really dig into how real transformation and growth occurs in ourselves and inside those in our communities. "Advanced Heart Connections" ensures we have the tools necessary to navigate the pain that comes with deep connection.
Click below to schedule an "Intro Call" to learn more or click "Class/Events" to book a training!
Four times a year, leaders gather from around the 417 region and beyond to inspire and encourage each other with stories of what God is doing in our own hearts and the hearts of those in our communities! We also emphasize one of the Relational Rhythm skills and practice it together so we can bring it back into our communities! This gathering is meant to inspire you, the leaders of families, church ministries, small groups, workplaces, etc. to keep pushing forward in the area of kingdom based, heart-to-heart connection!
Click below to schedule an "Intro Call" to learn more or click "Classes/Events" to book a training!
Jesus Tribes 417 is a subsidiary of the national Jesus Tribes network, a tribe of churches, church leaders, and church networks whose desire is to support the body of Christ around the United States in relational, mental, emotional and spiritual wholeness. They do this by training people in the Body of Christ (no matter their affiliation!) in heart-to-heart connection and emotional/relational skills that promotes healthy, joyful, and loving connection inside the Body of Christ.
Jesus Tribes is not A church, but our goal is to support and strengthen THE existing Church in regions all around the United States, training spiritual moms and dads to become an accurate reflection of God's heart.
Jesus Tribes is led by Dr. Tim Johns who is the founder of the Rock Tribe Church Network and the Jesus Tribes network. The Jesus Tribes ministry is guided by the LIFE Model as laid out by Dr. Jim Wilder. More info about the Rock Tribe Network/Jesus Tribes can be found at: https://rocktribe.com/
Paul Goodman heads up the volunteers that facilitate Jesus Tribes 417 training events. Paul has been pursuing Jesus since age 16 when he gave his heart to the Lord during a youth group trip in 1996, his life never being the same ever since. He came to Springfield to attend Bible college and decided to stay in the region after meeting his wonderful wife Julie (happily married for 21 years!). Paul is a 16 year veteran special educator for Springfield Public Schools (Masters in Special Education, MSU) where he currently works as a fifth grade special education teacher at Wilson's Creek Intermediate School. He was the children's pastor at a local church on the north side of Springfield for 10 years. He previously was co-leader in his church's small group ministry and has facilitated countless home/small/discipleship groups over the past two decades. His heart is for the body of Christ to be full of vibrant, loving, joyful heart connections across the region! Paul is pursuing ordination with the Jesus Tribes and Rock Tribes networks and loves integrating heart-to-heart connection skills inside his home, friendships, church, and workplace!
The foundation of the LIFE Model as outlined by Jim Wilder and his protege Chris Coursey is:
1. A Relational, Whole-Life Approach
Healing and maturity happen best in community and attachment relationships, not in isolation.
Strong, loving connections with God and others are seen as the core environment for transformation.
2. Five Levels of Maturity
The LIFE Model teaches that people need to grow through predictable maturity stages, similar to how we grow physically:
Infant – learning trust, joy, and regulation from caregivers.
Child – learning to take care of self while staying relational.
Adult – learning responsibility, caring for both self and others.
Parent – nurturing others and guiding them in maturity.
Elder – living for the good of the community, carrying wisdom.
Failure or trauma at any stage can stunt maturity, but growth can be restarted later through the right relational environment.
3. The Central Role of Joy
Joy is defined as the feeling of being delighted in by another.
A high “joy capacity” (the ability to stay relational even under stress) is essential for resilience and healing.
The LIFE Model sees joy as the fuel of life and maturity.
4. Building a Strong Identity
People thrive when they have a secure identity in Christ that is lived out in relationships.
Identity is reinforced by being recognized, named, and mirrored back by others.
This identity helps people stay relational even when stressed or triggered.
5. Trauma Recovery and Healing
The model integrates trauma recovery with maturity growth.
It emphasizes resolving painful memories by re-experiencing them in a safe relational context, often through “Immanuel Prayer” (practicing God’s presence in memory work).
6. Community as a Healing Agent
Transformation is not mainly a solo process of self-effort but comes through belonging in a community of grace and truth.
The church, when healthy, provides the ideal environment for LIFE Model growth.
7. Integration of Brain Science and Discipleship
Wilder draws heavily on neuroscience (especially attachment theory and right-brain relational processing).
The model links spiritual maturity with brain-based skills like:
Staying relational under stress.
Synchronizing with others emotionally.
Returning to joy from negative emotions.
✅ In short: The LIFE Model emphasizes relational joy, identity, maturity stages, trauma healing, and community as the foundation for living “from the heart Jesus gave you.”
Learn more at: https://www.lifemodelworks.org/
Springfield, MO, USA
Text for more info: (417) 299-9860 Email for more info: pjgoodman07@gmail.com
Open today | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm |
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