Welcome to
The Haven Collective.
our mission:
We are vessels for God’s redeeming work in the lives of vulnerable young adults in the Orlando area.
our vision:
Through works of justice and community, with an emphasis on Biblical principles of hospitality, we will see:
The Unreached & Unchurched: Encounter the Gospel and begin a relationship with Jesus.
The Dechurched: Discover the goodness of God and recommit themselves to Him and His church.
The Easily Shaken: Recognize their need and solidify their devotion to God.
Followers of Jesus: Grow in their faith and stand firm as a light in the darkness.
Psalm 68 says that God sets the lonely in families (NIV).
Other translations say that God makes a home for the lonely (NASB), that He settles the solitary in a home (ESV), and that He provides homes for those who are deserted (CSB).
This is what He does and the amazing thing is that we get to be participants in this work. As 2 Corinthians 5 says, we are His ambassadors!
“If we’re willing, our homes can be a much-needed welcome mat for a lost and lonely world.”
— Jamie Erickson, Christian speaker and author of Holy Hygge
The Need for Hope
An overwhelming number of young adults are unequipped and easily shaken by the unexpected.
Many grew up in a home without a Christ-centered focus and are trying to navigate life without the Holy Spirit as their teacher and comforter. They don’t know Him or the blessing of His word, and they don’t know the sweet treasure of Christian community. As a result, so many young adults are easily shaken by the unexpected.
This is also true for young adults who did grow up in a Christian home. Regardless of their religious affiliation, today’s college students and 20-somethings are experiencing astounding levels of isolation and loneliness, with many choosing a way of life that perpetuates darkness rather than providing true healing. As they enter their 30’s and beyond, this brokenness reaches deeper levels with greater impact on the world around them.
By the grace of God, the answer for isolation and darkness is not a mystery!
“It is not good for the man to be alone.” - Genesis 2:18a
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” - Ephesians 2:4-5
“Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:25
“Bear one another's burdens” - Galatians 6:2a
God has shown us His great love. He has blessed us with a restored relationship with Him and with one another. We are not alone.
This Good News, this life-altering hope, is what the hurting in our local community need to hear.
We are here to share it with them.
How?
Well, the specifics of ministry can evolve, but a few of our key elements are:
prayer
intentional acts of hospitality
genuine relational investment
and sharing the truth in love
We first moved to Orlando in 2019. Since then, we’ve developed a deep love and sense of care for this community. While there are young adults in need of Gospel hope and authentic community all around the globe, we believe that God, in His sovereignty, brought us here in order to be blessed and to be a blessing to others.
“I wonder if what we need, in addition to a bit of creativity, is simply recognition that creating opportunities for connection is important work. It’s a meaningful and worthy means of spending time and energy.”
- Kendall Vanderslice, Founder of Edible Theology (a nonprofit ministry)