Ken Van Vliet

Dr. Ken Van Vliet is the senior pastor at Monte Vista Chapel in Turlock, California. He grew up on a ranch in central California, and began ministry as a pastor to young adults. He has been the senior pastor for the past 25 years. He guided his church from a complementarian to egalitarian position on women in leadership. He navigated a church culture shift from a large church event community to a spiritual formation community. He is also a Lead Mentor with Dr. MaryKate Morse in the Doctor of Ministry in Leadership & Spiritual Formation program at Portland Seminary in Oregon.

Latest Articles

Featured image for “Helping them Stay: Mature Believers and the Local Church (Pt. 2)”
Ken Van Vliet

Helping them Stay: Mature Believers and the Local Church (Pt. 2)

Featured image for “Helping them Stay: Mature Believers and the Local Church (Pt. 1)”
Ken Van Vliet

Helping them Stay: Mature Believers and the Local Church (Pt. 1)

Featured image for “Spiritual Formation In My Mundane (Actual) Life”
Sherene Joseph

Spiritual Formation In My Mundane (Actual) Life

Featured image for “Spiritual Formation as the Transfer of Tacit Knowledge”
Ben Sternke

Spiritual Formation as the Transfer of Tacit Knowledge

Featured image for “Practicing Pilgrimage”
David Swanson

Practicing Pilgrimage

Featured image for “A Clear Vision for the Future: The Corrective Lens of Black Theology (Pt. 2)”
Gino Curcuruto

A Clear Vision for the Future: The Corrective Lens of Black Theology (Pt. 2)

Featured image for “A Clear Vision for the Future: Re-Examining The Anabaptist Vision for Today (Pt. 1)”
Gino Curcuruto

A Clear Vision for the Future: Re-Examining The Anabaptist Vision for Today (Pt. 1)

Featured image for “We’re All Pioneers Now: Skills for the Unchartered Landscape of the 21st-Century Church”
Mandy Smith

We’re All Pioneers Now: Skills for the Unchartered Landscape of the 21st-Century Church

Featured image for “Want to Dismantle Racism? Disrupt Your Discipleship”
Michelle T. Sanchez

Want to Dismantle Racism? Disrupt Your Discipleship

Featured image for “The Myth of the 93%: Fathers and Mothers Are Not a Competitive Hierarchy in the Home”
Miranda Zapor Cruz

The Myth of the 93%: Fathers and Mothers Are Not a Competitive Hierarchy in the Home

Featured image for “Formation for a Newly Disrupted Generation”
Rich Villodas

Formation for a Newly Disrupted Generation

Featured image for “Spiritual Direction: Why We Need It”
MaryKate Morse

Spiritual Direction: Why We Need It

Featured image for “Christian Nationalism: What Dismantles It”
David Swanson

Christian Nationalism: What Dismantles It

Featured image for “Christian Nationalism: What Defines It”
David Swanson

Christian Nationalism: What Defines It

Featured image for “When BIPOC Leaders Speak Out”
Robert Chao Romero

Erica Shepler Romero

When BIPOC Leaders Speak Out

Featured image for “Why Worship Together? Three Paradigms of Congregational Worship”
Glenn Packiam

Why Worship Together? Three Paradigms of Congregational Worship

Featured image for “Mending the Church by Expanding the Story of Jesus”
Amber Mann Riggs

Mending the Church by Expanding the Story of Jesus

Featured image for “One Year Later: What Has the Church Learned?”
Kris Beckert

One Year Later: What Has the Church Learned?

Featured image for “Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Part 2”
Rose Lee-Norman

Jon Houghton

Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Part 2

Featured image for “Loving Across the Divides”
David Swanson

Loving Across the Divides

Featured image for “The Church’s Social Dilemma”
Kris Beckert

The Church’s Social Dilemma

Featured image for “Four Principles to Foster Anti-Racism in Children at Every Stage   ”
Stephen Ko

Four Principles to Foster Anti-Racism in Children at Every Stage   

Featured image for “Conformation to the Image of Jesus”
Graham Joseph Hill

Conformation to the Image of Jesus

Featured image for “The Post-COVID Church: Four Crucial Lessons from the ‘None-Zone’”
Wes Telyea

The Post-COVID Church: Four Crucial Lessons from the ‘None-Zone’

Featured image for “A Moment or a Movement?”
David Swanson

A Moment or a Movement?

Featured image for “Discipleship as Brain-Building”
Geoff Holsclaw

Discipleship as Brain-Building

Featured image for “A Risky Opportunity for Discipleship”
David Swanson

A Risky Opportunity for Discipleship

Featured image for “Seeing Jesus with Clarity”
Ryan Post

Seeing Jesus with Clarity

Featured image for “Addressing the Elephant in the Church: Seven Necessary Components of Integrated Discipleship”
Derek Vreeland

Addressing the Elephant in the Church: Seven Necessary Components of Integrated Discipleship

Featured image for “Young Leaders: Here Are 10 Ways to “Lead Up” for Reconciliation and Racial Justice”
David Swanson

Young Leaders: Here Are 10 Ways to “Lead Up” for Reconciliation and Racial Justice

Featured image for “Thinking Differently About Rest: What Communities of Color Can Teach the Church”
Christine Yi Suh

Thinking Differently About Rest: What Communities of Color Can Teach the Church

Featured image for “A Man of Honor: What Same-Sex-Attracted Christians Can Give the Church”
Emily Hallock

A Man of Honor: What Same-Sex-Attracted Christians Can Give the Church

Featured image for “Setting Aside the World’s Categories: One Pastor’s Approach to Politics”
Mandy Smith

Setting Aside the World’s Categories: One Pastor’s Approach to Politics

Featured image for “Pastoring in a Culture of Independence and Fragility: Reflections from Parenting”
Mandy Smith

Pastoring in a Culture of Independence and Fragility: Reflections from Parenting

Featured image for “4 Practices for Discipling Kids Who Live Justly”
Tony Caldwell

4 Practices for Discipling Kids Who Live Justly

Featured image for “We’ve Gotten Salvation All Wrong: Let’s Reclaim the Heart of Christian Discipleship”
Derek Vreeland

We’ve Gotten Salvation All Wrong: Let’s Reclaim the Heart of Christian Discipleship

Featured image for “Evangelism, Discipleship, and Spiritual Formation: Which is What?”
MaryKate Morse

Evangelism, Discipleship, and Spiritual Formation: Which is What?

Featured image for “SheLeads: An Awakenings Syllabus to #AmplifyWomen”
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

SheLeads: An Awakenings Syllabus to #AmplifyWomen

Featured image for “4 Essential Practices for Spiritual Formation”
Derek Vreeland

4 Essential Practices for Spiritual Formation

Featured image for “Millennials are Leaving the Church, Who Cares?”
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

Millennials are Leaving the Church, Who Cares?

Featured image for “Three Failing Strategies Being Used to Redefine the Trinity”
Geoff Holsclaw

Three Failing Strategies Being Used to Redefine the Trinity

Featured image for “Do You Know Jesus Like You Know a Presidential Candidate?”
Mark Moore

Do You Know Jesus Like You Know a Presidential Candidate?

Featured image for “Book Review: The Dusty Ones by A.J. Swoboda”
Derek Vreeland

Book Review: The Dusty Ones by A.J. Swoboda

Featured image for “Diverse Perspectives on Leading Multi-Cultural Missional Communities”
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

Diverse Perspectives on Leading Multi-Cultural Missional Communities

Featured image for “The Lord’s Prayer, A Missional Reading: Our Father in Heaven”
Nijay Gupta

The Lord’s Prayer, A Missional Reading: Our Father in Heaven

Featured image for “A Parable for Lent”
Seth Richardson

A Parable for Lent

Featured image for “Theology On Mission #20: Seeing Another Story”
Missio Alliance

Theology On Mission #20: Seeing Another Story

Featured image for “Questions: The Pathway to God’s Heart”
Matt Tebbe

Questions: The Pathway to God’s Heart

Featured image for “What If Not All Are Called As Disciple Makers? – Part Two”
Scott Lencke

What If Not All Are Called As Disciple Makers? – Part Two

Featured image for “What If Not All Are Called As Disciple Makers? – Part One”
Scott Lencke

What If Not All Are Called As Disciple Makers? – Part One

Featured image for “Am I Really Non-Violent?”
Matt Tebbe

Am I Really Non-Violent?

Featured image for “On Being Truly Human in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship”
Ruthie Johnson

On Being Truly Human in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship

Featured image for “A #TrulyHuman Challenge: Is Church Meant To Be Safe?”
Karina Kreminski

A #TrulyHuman Challenge: Is Church Meant To Be Safe?

Featured image for “Christian Formation as #TrulyHuman Discipleship”
Derek Vreeland

Christian Formation as #TrulyHuman Discipleship

David Fitch

On Keeping Jesus in “the Way of Jesus”: “The Way of Jesus” as an Empty-Signifier

Gary Taylor

Lent: A Time of Radical Discipleship

Featured image for “Coffee With Stanley”
Gary Taylor

Coffee With Stanley