Exploring XPLOR

by Rev. Dean Bucalos

During these first few weeks of January, I have been traveling, speaking, sharing (and now blogging) about the NBA XPLOR program – a 10+ month, young adult intentional Christian living community launching in 2014 in partnership with local Disciples churches, Disciples health and social service ministries, and the NBA.

We have been receiving applications for XPLOR residents (and will continue to accept them through February 15) from all across the country. The anticipation that a good number of those applying would be college seniors is proving true, but the diversity of many of the applicants is exciting! Young adults, ages 21-30, are in a wide variety of life settings and stages:

• a college graduate now working in a law office, but ready to discern how to make life count for service and justice
• a first year seminarian discovering that more time is needed to sense God’s call
• a very busy young adult, working part-time in youth ministry and part-time in a secular job ready to slow down and figure out what is next
• a 27 year old musician with a passion to help stop human trafficking
• a student completing a Masters program, but uncertain of the next step

As I continue to share and recruit folks to consider applying to NBA XPLOR, two thoughts came to mind that may be helpful for those discerning about whether XPLOR may be right for them:
XPLOR Residents do not need to be college graduates. You can be a young adult who joined the work place or the armed forces right out of high school. And, now that you’ve been out there living a bit, you have felt a call to explore a vocation of service and care.

XPLOR is not designed to convince a young adult to prepare for pastoral ministry or chaplaincy, etc. Some may hear that call, but others may choose social work, teaching, nursing, working for immigration reform, etc. At the core of NBA XPLOR is the intention to nurture hearts for care, justice, and service.

Three NBA XPLOR sites will welcome up to four young adults to live in intentional community and lives of service beginning in August of 2014: St. Louis, Missouri; North Hollywood, California; and Hiram-Mantua, Ohio.

Interested in applying? Do you know of someone that needs to know more about NBA XPLOR? Find out more!