Members of the communities listed here have chosen to express their Christian faith and commitment through sharing their lives and finances, at least to some extent.
Intentional Christian Communities vary in style and in social and theological approach. It is unlikely that anyone would be happy with all those listed here!
I have tried to include communities which see themselves (and others) as Christian, and which others see as Christian. I am open to other suggestions.
A B C D E F G H I J K L N O P R S T U V W more
A
- l’Abri (International)
Evangelical network founded by Francis Schaeffer. Communities in the USA, England, Sweden, Netherlands, Switzerland and South Korea. - Alterna, LaGrange, USA
An experiment in Christian missional living - Antioch Community, London, UK
An ecumenical, charismatic, covenant community, of nearly 200 people based in West London. Part of the Sword of the Spirit movement. - l’Arche, UK with links to other l’Arche communities around the world
Communities of people with a developmental disability and those who share life with them - Ashram Community Sheffield, UK
The Ashram Community seeks to be a community of disciples true to the teachings and example of Jesus. - Associazione Comunità e Famiglia Italy
Motto: “Sharing, sobriety, acceptance, solidarity.” About 350 residents in 25 communities.
B
- Betel international and Betel UK
A community with a ministry rehabilitating substance abusers - Bethany-Courtiron (Les Anabaptistes de Courtiron), France
Small Anabaptist common purse community. 18 residents in 2007. - Broken Shackle Ranch, Georgia USA
Broken Shackle Ranch is a Christian youth home that specializes in helping young men aged 16-19 - Brot des Lebens, Munich, Germany
Catholic covenant community - The Brotherhood Church Stapleton, Yorkshire, UK
Originating from the Quaker movement, this ‘peace’ community aims to live independently from the government - Bruderhof Communities (Church Communities International)
a Christian community movement with branches in the United States, England, Germany, and Australia.
C
- Catholic Worker Communities, 175 locations, mainly in USA
Communities remain committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and foresaken - Chemin Neuf
Catholic with an ecumenical vocation, mainly in France - Christavashram, Kerala, India
Ecumenical Christian Ashram - Christen in der Offensive, The Reichenberg Fellowship, Reichelsheim, Germany
Lutheran lay community - Christian Community of God’s Delight, Dallas, Texas USA
Catholic Covenant community - Christ the King International Association International
Charismatic Catholic association of communities - Church Communities International (Bruderhof)
a Christian community movement with branches in the United States, England, Germany, and Australia. - Church Communities UK (Bruderhof)
UK branch of an international community organisation. - Church of the Sojourners
San Francisco - City of the Lord Community, Phoenix AZ,USA
A Roman Catholic association of married and single men and women, clergy, and religious - Common Ground Community, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
A neighbourhood seeking to live intertwined lives - Common Life Network, Switzerland
(auf deutsch)
A network for Swiss Christian communities - Communauté de l’Emmanuel, (International)
Largely celibate Catholic community - Communitas Agnes Dei, Germany
- Community with a vision to turn their ‘culture of love’ into social justice in the wider world
- Community of Celebration, near Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Descended from the Church of the Redeemer, this community is an Anglican religious order of men, women and children - Community of Celebration Trust, UK
Supporting the Community of Celebration in the UK - Community of Jesus, Massachusetts, USA
Ecumenical Christian community whose prayer, work, and fellowship are dedicated to the transformation of individual lives - Community of Reconciliation, Switzerland and elsewhere
A community modeled on the early church, working for peace and reconciliation among hostile ethnic groups in various locations around the world. - Community of Sisters of the Church
International Anglican monastic community with headquarters in the UK - Community of the Beatitudes (International, French-speaking)
Expressing new forms of ‘consecrated’ life, in response to the challenges of our times - Community of the Good Shepherd, Vasai, India
Catholic community with an outreach ministry to children living in slums - Community of the Holy Trinity, Chicago, USA
The community does not have a common purpose except prayer and hospitality, but we come together to support each others’ callings in the areas of art and social action. Our common life together is governed by a Rule. - Comunidade Canção Nova, Brazil
Believes in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and emphasizes mission work. About 645 residents in 25 “mission houses”. - Comunidade Católica Shalom, Brazil & International
Roman Catholic Community which believes in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Its distinctive features are contemplation, unity and evangelisation. It stresses personal encounter with Jesus Christ (as called by Evangelicals “being born again”) and evangelism. They number 2,400 residents in 72 apostolic houses. - Comunità Cenacolo, Italy
Roman Catholic communities for single people, couples, families, consecrated men and women who are helping street children and drug addicts. They believe that “only Jesus Christ can heal and transform lives, changing despair into hope, sadness into joy, hatred into forgiveness, and death into life”. About 2,000 communal residents in 56 communities. - Cooperativa Neuland, Paraguay
Land co-op founded by Mennonite (Anabaptist) refugees from Russia and eastern Germany in 1947; today 1,635 residents on 2000 square kilometres (!) - Cor-Lumen Christ Community, Chertsey, UK
A community with a mission of prayer and apostolic outreach providing a centre for prayer, worship, training and ministry - Corrymeela Community, Northern Ireland
People of all ages and Christian traditions, committed to the healing of social, religious and political divisions - Covenant House, International
Catholic charity organisation which uses ‘Faith Community’ homes at the heart of its work to help children off the street
D
- De Hooge Berkt Community, Netherlands
Ecumenical community with Roman Catholic roots - Diakoniedorf Herzosägmühle A “Place to Live”, Germany
Lutheran community which began as a “worker colony” to integrate homeless men in the wider society in 1894. In recent decades it became an intentional Christian village of about 900 people (including children, families, mentally handicapped people and seniors). Two-thirds of them have chosen to stay permanently, while one-third is looking for temporary help. - Die Hegge, Germany
Women’s community hosting an educational centre - Disciples of Jesus Community, Australia
a international community, “A body in and for the Church”
E
- East Central Ministries, Albuquerque, USA
A community located in the heart of the international district of Albuquerque striving to live in faith - Elmendorf Christian Community Minnesota, USA
Hutterian Anabaptist - Emmaus Dublin, Republic of Ireland
An interdenominational, charismatic community of young people, looking to bring the Christian message to their country through music and the arts - Emmaus Kaio Community Chicago, USA
A ministry seeking to reach out to male prostitutes - Elim Evangelical Christian Communities, Netherlands
“If there is a spiritual fellowship, then this must automatically lead to a social fellowship”
F
- Familia Spiritualis Opus, Germany
Community basing its identity on John 6:29 - Familien mit Christus, Germany
Familien mit Christus (Families with Christ) is a small Catholic community in southern Germany. The community started in 1998. They have a seminar center and are recognized by the bishop. - Familienkommunität “Siloah”, Germany
Protestant community, well-known for its Christian youth camps - Fazenda New Canaan (Projeto Nordeste), (in Portugese), Brazil
Pentecostal Christian kibbutz in the poorest area of Brazil founded in 2000; currently around 200 residents - Fe y Vida, Spain
Catholic charismatic ecumenical communities - Focolare, (International)
Roman Catholic communal villages - Fort Pitt Farms Christian Community, USA
Autonomous Hutterite community following the general doctrines of Evangelical protestants, with about 110 residents. - Foyer de Charité, (International)
Roman Catholic lay communities - Franciscaans Milieuproject, Netherlands
Based on Franciscan spirituality this community strives to foster respect for God’s creation. - Free Christian Youth Community, Lüdenscheid, Germany
An interdenominational, social-missionary community
G
- Gilead Foundations, Okehampton, UK
Christian therapeutic community committed to living and working together, inspired by the Acts church, reaching out to those suffering with life-controlling addictions.
H
- Sozietät Herrnhaag, Germany
A community of the Moravian Brethren. Their first community was 1738-1750. The modern community started in 1982. They number about 10 residents. - Holden Village
An ecumenical Christian renewal centre rooted in the Lutheran tradition comprising of about 60 core members and many guests throughout the year - House of the Open Door, Worcs., UK
- An ecumenical, family based community
- Hutterian Brethren, various locations in North America
Traditional rural community church
I
- Iona Community,
An ecumenical Christian community committed to seeking new ways of living the Gospel in today’s world
J
- Jesus Bruderschaft, Germany
Influential Christian community with celibate members and families. Mostly Lutheran beliefs, inspired by the Cistercians, the Moravian Brethren (Count Zinzendorf), the Catholic priest Romano Guardini, the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber and the Lutheran theologian and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. - Jesus Christians, Sydney, Australia
Outspoken Christian community - Jesus Christ’s Community at Hebron, Jefferson, New York State, USA
A community preaching on the cost of love - JPUSA (Jesus People USA) in Chicago, USA
An integrative group of Christians with a transformative inner city and international ministry - Jubilee Partners, Georgia, USA
A ‘service community’ whose main ministry is hosting refugees
K
- Kloster Volkenroda, Germany
About 20 residents - Koinonia, London, UK
Ecumenical student outreach community at the University of London - Koinonia Giovanni Baptista, Europe and USA
Evangelical Roman Catholic communities - Koinonia Partners, Americus, Georgia, USA
Christian ministry working to defeat poverty and racism since 1942. Birthplace of Habitat for Humanity - Kristian David School, Latvia
A christian community with a farm and boarding school - Kwasizabantu Mission, S. Africa
Not just a mission station, but also a community with 400 residents founded in 1972. Evangelical with Lutheran background. - Kyodogakusha, Japan
(in Japanese — English page) Evangelical communities serving mentally handicapped people; founded in 1973; around 170 residents in 4 communal farms
L
- Läbeshuus, Bern, Switzerland
Swiss community providing discipleship training - Lamb of God, New Zealand
A national community located throughout New Zealand - Lee Abbey, Devon, UK
The vision of Lee Abbey is three-fold: to build community, to renew and serve the church and to be God’s welcome to those who visit. Lee Abbey also have several small missional communities in Birmingham, Bristol, and a larger community in London - Life Mission Fellowship, Hammonton, New Jersey, USA
A community of Christians living out the gospel through their commitment to one another and God’s kingdom values - Light of Christ Covenant Community, Bangalore, India
A lay Catholic community in India, affiliated with the Glory of God International Covenant Communities - Little Flowers Community, Winnipeg, Canada
LFC is an Anabaptist faith community in the spirit of St. Francis in Winnipeg’s urban core - Living Springs, Madison County, Arkansas, USA
A new development planned around the 40-acre lake on a former cattle ranch, set in the beautiful, rolling hill country of Northwest Arkansas - LoveBristol, Bristol, UK
A charismatic church with associated community houses across Bristol - Lunesdale Community, Halton, Lancaster, UK
Ecumenical residential community and centre for contemplation and study
M
- Madonna House, Combermere, ON, Canada, plus links to other communities around the world
Priests and laypeople devoted to poverty, chastity and obedience - Menno House, New York, USA,
Home of Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship - Missio Dei, Minneapolis, USA,
Missio Dei is an urban intentional community committed to following Jesus’ way of simplicity, hospitality, prayer, peacemaking and resistance. - Mühlrad, Germany
A community which exists to encourage life and faith in Jesus - Monteverde, Costa Rica
Quaker community formed in 1951 by a so-called Conservative Friends Meeting who affirm the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The community has also a few Catholics and numbers about 750 people.
N
- New Life Evangelistic Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
Interdenominational community reaching out to the poor and dispossessed - Nomadelfia (The law of Brotherhood), Grosseto, Italy
A group of catholic volunteers that wishes to construct a new civilization based on the Gospel - Northumbria Community, Northumberland, UK
A dispersed network of people gathered around a New Monastic rule of life, with a few community houses
O
- Ökumenisches Lebenszentrum Ottmaring, Germany
Germany’s most important ecumenical community, mostly Catholic and Lutheran Christians. - Open Door Community, Georgia, USA
A protestant residential community in the Catholic Worker tradition offering brotherhood, social action and advocacy - Othona Community, Essex & Dorset, UK
An ecumenical community
P
- People of God, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
An ecumenical covenant community - Pilsdon Community, Dorset, UK
A small, ecumenical, work based community - Philippine Frontline Ministries (PFM), Philippines
offshoot of CITA (Assemblies of God – Pentecostal). The community has started a Christian academy, where staff families and students live communally (about 80 residents). - Polylux, Neubrandenburg Germany
A 24-7 Prayer boiler room community living in and serving the Dätzeberg housing estate - Praxis House, Seattle, Washington, USA
Blog of new community set up by Church of the Apostles
R
- Radical Living, Brooklyn, New York, NY, USA
A missional living community of artists, young professionals and students of various denominations, ethnicities and backgrounds - Reba Place Fellowship, Evanston, IL, USA
A Mennonite church of diverse membership - REMAR, International
(Spanish) Charismatic community with 15,000 residents in 1,500 communities - Reto a la Esperanza (“Challenge to Hope”), International
communities for rehabilitation of substance abusers, also an independent neo-Pentecostal church. 111 communities with about 9,000 residents. - Rocky Cape Christian Community, Tasmania, Australia
Hutterian Brethren - Rose Creek Village, Tennessee, USA
“We believe that there needs to be a demonstration of the Life of God to give validity to a Message, and we believe that we have a demonstration of that Life.” - Rutba House Community, Durham, NC, USA
Home of the New Monasticism website, Rutba House call themselves an experiemnt in glimpsing the kingdom that is to come on earth.
S
- Scargill House, Upper Wharfedale, Yorkshire, UK
- An interdenominational community, Anglican in foundation
- Schloss Craheim (Lebensgemeinschaft für die Einheit der Christen), Germany
Small community (18 people) living in an castle built in 1910 with Lutheran and Catholic members. They are also influenced by the charismatic renewal of the 1960s. - Seekers Church – A Christian Community, Washington DC, USA
Famous for their artistic and original liturgies - Servants of Jesus, Sydney, Australia
An ecumenical community - Servants of the Word, (International)
Ecumenical brotherhood of men living single for the Lord in USA Scotland, England, Fiji, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Austria, Belgium, France, and Philippines. - Shiloh Community, Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, USA
Ecumenical, a self-sustaining family of diverse interests, sharing a common vision - Smangus Atayal, Taiwan
The most remote village in Taiwan (founded c. 1600) was transformed into an intentional community in 2004. They shared their land deeds and invited former villagers to return to their indigenous home.” - Sojourners Community, Washington DC
A community committed to social justice which produces a magazine by the same name - Solomon’s Porch, Minneapolis, USA
A holistic, missional Christian Community - The Simple Way, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
A small community dedicated to social justice - Sion, Brentwood, UK
A Catholic community committed to mission work - Steppenblüte, Grimmialp, Switzerland
A community of artistic Christian women - Sword of the Spirit International
An association of communities world wide
T
- Taizé Community, based in France
The famous community of reconcilliation and pilgrimage - The Trinity Institute, Texas, USA
A small community providing a residential resource for Christian artists and thinkers.
U
- Urban Servant Corps, Denver, USA
Lutheran ‘helps’ ministry with its roots in community living
V
- Verband der Gemeinschaft B.R.O.T., Austria
The B.R.O.T. communities (Brot means “bread”) are Roman Catholic communities, which open to many different backgrounds, although they are based on a Christian solidarity and a common spirituality.”
W
- The Wesley Foundation at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
A community of Christian students at Virginia University - Work of Christ Community, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
A community of Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christians seeking to live completely for Jesus Christ - Wörnersberger Anker, Germany
Lutheran community well-respected in the south-west of Germany. They mostly work with young people who are invited to live with them for a year and they offer seminars for families. They have 50 residents and started 30 years ago.
Some useful community-orientated links
- Community of Communities
- Diggers and Dreamers The guide to communal living in Britain
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