Catalyst of Austin is a new church based in Austin, Texas. Catalyst is different from the majority of churches in that it is more relational than institutional. Steve Blake, the founder and Lead Pastor of Catalyst of Austin states that his desire is for Catalyst of Austin to be “a culturally relevant church that is still true to Jesus’ life and teachings.” He is passionate about Catalyst of Austin being “a place where people can participate and not just spectate.” Catalyst’s mantra is to be “an agent of change”. —
According to some estimates, 85-90% of Austinites do not have a local church home. Steve believes this is in large part because most Austinites are disillusioned with twentieth century expressions and models of church. Catalyst of Austin’s mission is to change how people embrace God and engage our community. Steve frequently says to anyone who gives him the opportunity, “God is often the victim of a case of mistaken identity; people feel that God is mad at them when in fact, God is mad about them.”
Catalyst of Austin’s Sunday services, called “The Catalyst Experience”, are in central Austin right off Lake Austin Blvd. Amidst several staple Austin restaurants and landmarks such as Magnolia Café, Hula Hut, Café Mozart and Deep Eddy, Catalyst of Austin has their service at O. Henry Middle School (2610 W 10th Street, Austin, TX 78703). The Catalyst Experience begins at 11:00am each Sunday and lasts for 1hr and 15min.
The music is directed by local Austin musician, Zay Santos, a talented Blues and Rock n’ Roll artist who Steve met while he was performing live in East Austin. Steve does what he calls “an interactive sermon” where those in attendance have the opportunity to discuss faith and life in café style seating.
Catalyst of Austin also has a passion for children and has an incredible program called Catalyst Kids. The mission of Catalyst Kids is help each kiddo to “discover God’s great love.” Catalyst Kids is directed by a Master’s educated teacher who has years of experience in education and special needs direction. Along with being a teacher in a local school district, the Catalyst Kids Director is a mom and wife who is excited about sharing God’s love with all the families who attend.
Catalyst of Austin has already began partnering with local non-profits to make a difference. As a church, they are committed to serving vulnerable populations in Austin. Two of Catalyst’s core values are collaboration and community. To truly be effective in making a difference, the Catalyst of Austin leadership team believes they have to collaborate for social good with city agencies and local community non-profits. Instead of creating their own programs, they believe it makes sense to partner with those who have the expertise to address systemic issues and thereby bring about true reform.
Contact Info:
Name: Steve Blake
Email: Send Email
Organization: Catalyst of Austin
Phone: 512-298-2100
Website: http://catalystofaustin.com
Release ID: 2426