About

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

— Jesus of Nazareth (Matt 11v28, MSG)

I was tired, worn out, and burned out on religion… except, I was the ordained pastor organizing said religion!

The work of a Sunday-centric church began to feel like a forced rhythm… heavy and ill-fitting. It tempted me to be a busy mind and a people pleaser. I couldn’t help but wonder if all our best efforts only created church as a passive activity. A place to observe professionals pray, sing, and speak. And worse still — outsource the work of raising our children in the faith.

For a while I thought, If we just try harder, be more creative, be more clear, be more engaging… things will get better. Yeah?

But after one too many of my clergy colleagues and mentors had their “sacrificial” service to the church result in emotional breakdowns, divorce, and unhealthy vices…

And after enough honest parishioners simply said to me, “Mike, church is actually the very thing that is keeping me away from God…”

I revisited Jesus’ words above.

While organized religion and Sunday-focused religious gatherings served as an easy locale for blame displacement, I had to look inward.

Religious careerism and critiques of American church aside, what does it look like to actually keep company with Jesus in ways that are restful? How can I best model and guide others in this way of life?

Might taking Jesus’ Rabbinic words seriously mean exchanging old models and imaginations of church and spirituality?

What would it look like to sincerely shape our lives around that Wesleyan phrase: happiness and holiness of heart?

What kind of weekly rhythms, practices, and friendships might emerge?

From this space of prayerful re-imagination emerged Oikon Studios, an online resource for deepening your life in God and reimagining Christian community.

Still yet an unfolding endeavor, the aim is simple: designing resources and spaces that help integrate faith and life as one congruent act of worship and spiritual formation.

Liturgies, films, music, books, retreats, workshops, and children’s material that guide us towards the unforced rhythms of grace.

I still believe the local church can be a vital part of Jesus’ unforced rhythms of grace. My family and I continue to worship at a local church. But I also know the Spirit is up to something new in our day, unfolding — at the very least, supplemental and alternative ways of being the Church walking in the way of Jesus for the transformation of the world.

Here’s to taking His words seriously and imaginatively!

Grace and Peace

Rev. Mike Whang

Mike Whang is an ordained elder of the United Methodist Church. He serves Oikon Studios as an extension minister of the Texas Annual Conference. He received his M. Div from Duke Divinity School. He once fronted the premiere (and only) all Korean-American evangelical soul-rock musical group known as The Nehemiah Band. His favorite foods are rice, kimchi, and eggs. Raised in Los Angeles, he and his wife, Lisa are raising native Texan daughters, also of Korean descent.

Join the Prayer and Support Team
If you would like to a part of the prayer and support team of Oikon Studios, please reach out directly here. To give financially please do so here.