With house prices soaring in almost every American city, many are looking for alternative housing solutions. Pair that search with a lifestyle philosophy that embraces simplicity and you have the popularity of the Tiny House movement.
The history of the Tiny House is rooted in America starting in the early 2000s and was energized by the 2008 financial crisis. Since then, the movement has spread all over the world. The focus is to promote small, efficient residential homes. These very small houses are often built on a metal chassis with wheels, which means that the house is also mobile, so they can be found in backyards, small city plots, or wooded corners of larger properties (often owned by a family member or friend).
With over 4.5 million subscribers (and 550 million video views), The YouTube channel, “Living Big in a Tiny House” is a great introduction to the movement. Started in 2013, the channel features host Bryce Langston (a New Zealand native) and his wife (who produces behind the scenes). Together, they travel around the world and document the lives of people who live in tiny homes, micro apartments, cabins, treehouses, earth homes, shipping containers, buses, vans, and everything in between. Releasing episodes weekly, Langston takes an enthusiastic interest in the details of the homes and the stories of the people who live in them.
In many cases, the reason people choose a tiny home over a conventional house, apartment, or condo is simple—the financial freedom a tiny home gives the owner. Living on less means stepping off the spinning hamster wheel of working longer hours. This kind of freedom allows more time for friendships, hobbies, nature walks, growing gardens, and enjoying life in general.
The Tiny House movement will give Christians the opportunity to reflect on the teaching of Jesus in the gospels about the accumulation of possessions. When the culture is constantly urging that bigger is better, Living Big in a Tiny House invites viewers to consider the wisdom of going smaller. (YouTube)
About the Author
Sam Gutierrez is the Associate Director at the Eugene Peterson Center for the Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary. More of his creative work can be found at printandpoem.com