Dark Horse is a term used for someone who is underestimated or overlooked- someone people don’t see coming. They carry hidden strength, talent, or potential that others have missed—until suddenly they try something no one expected.
Among the “Dones” (people who have intentionally stepped away from the traditional church institutions) and deconstructors (those who are questioning what they learned in church), the Dark Horses are a special breed – those who see themselves as anything but done with Jesus or his Kingdom mission.
In fact, many of us would find the name “Dones” a little ironic. Because in our minds, we’re not done with Jesus at all- just all of the bits, bridles, saddles and blinders that often come with institutional church structures. We’re undomesticated followers of Jesus, seeking the Kingdom of God in unconventional ways.
We are the overlooked, the unconventional, the outsiders, the question askers, the forward thinkers, the misfits and mavericks who still burn with hope for the world Jesus is redeeming- the ones God may be preparing to shape what comes next.
We’re not “backsliders,” and we’re not just the black sheep of the church. We’re the Dark Horses.
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Hi, friends, I’m Jay. Unlike most people who write about discipleship, I’m not a pastor—though I did spend a short season as an executive pastor at a large church, and that chapter matters in my story. But it’s not really who I am. At my core, I’m a Mission Commander—someone who helps organize, equip, and empower people for meaningful missions.
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