In the spring of 2008, while finishing my senior year at the University of Valley Forge, God asked me a simple question. He said, “When I call you to plant a church, will you drop everything and go?” I said “yes,” not knowing how or when this would happen. 

I continued my education at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and Drew University, then married my wife Ashley in August of 2010. We worked in ministry together at several different churches where she served as the children’s pastor when I was offered my first full-time ministry position at Grace Crossing Church in Beavercreek, OH. I started my role there in January 2013 by overseeing the Student Ministry and Discipleship Ministry and successfully relaunched the small group ministry for the church. In addition to preaching several times a year, my responsibilities grew to include the First Impressions Team, Worship Team, and Volunteer Systems of the church. While living in Ohio we were blessed with our children Malachi (2013), Noelle (2016) and Autumn (2019). 

God began to stir my heart again to plant a church in July of 2017. I was feeling on the edge of burn out and requested some time for prayerful reflection. My pastor allowed me to take it and I went to stay with family in Virginia. It was during that time that God reaffirmed His call on my life to ministry. I had a moment of clarity while swimming at a local YMCA not far from where I was staying. I sensed God’s voice say to me, “You don’t get to determine whether or not you are called into ministry. You can disobey, but you don’t get to decide your call. No one else calls you, I’m the only one who calls you.” I got the point. After a week of reflection I came back to Ohio with a renewed call and passion for ministry. 

When I returned and let my pastor, Gil Dukeman, know about the contents of the week, we both determined that God was bringing us into a season of transition. Pastor Gil and I began meeting every other week to prayerfully discern and discuss God’s direction in my life. It was during this process that I determined I was called to be a lead pastor.

Another moment of clarity came at the Ohio Ministry Network Minister’s Retreat in January 2018. During the prayer time of their evening service and while in conversation with a friend, I spoke the words, “God has called me to plant a church,” for the first time since 2012. It was a profound moment, and one that God had been preparing my heart to experience. 

The third moment of clarity came in February 2018. God spoke to me through the story of Jacob. In Genesis 31:3 God speaks to Jacob and instructs him to “go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” The story had several parallels with my own story: a commitment to God to leave everything and go when God made it clear, a shift in relationship with Laban (his father-in-law), and a renewal of this call which elicited the response from Jacob to return to the land of his fathers. 

After receiving this word from God, I spoke with my father who connected me with Rob Rhoden, a pastor in Richmond, VA. He and others had mentioned an area near the city called “Short Pump” that was a growing and in need of more churches.  I had visited this location in July 2017. Ashley and I meet with Pastor Rhoden in April of 2018 to talk about Short Pump as a potential location for a new church. He graciously took us around the city and gave us his perspective as a current resident of Short Pump, a lifelong resident of Richmond, and a pastor with a passion for that city. At the end of our time together, I asked Rob three questions: 1) Is Short Pump the right place? 2) Is now the right time? and 3) are we the right couple? After spending a day hearing our story and our call, Pastor Rhoden responded with an enthusiastic yes for each of those questions.

It was around this time I came to a profound realization. The place where God renewed my call was at the Shady Grove YMCA in Short Pump, VA. In 2017, when I was in Virginia for a time of spiritual renewal, I visited Short Pump although I knew next to nothing about it. I only knew it was a place my father recommend to find a good restaurant. Once I put all the pieces of the puzzle together I became convinced God was calling me to plant a church in Short Pump, VA. 

Through this realization, trusted friends and mentors speaking into our lives and hearing from God in our own spirits, God confirmed that our specific call was to plant a church in Short Pump. After this, Ashley and I began the process of church planting through the Church Multiplication Network. We received an assessment in May, 2018 and were approved to move forward in the process. 

Almost 15 years, after God’s question, He made good on his promise and confirmed his call in my life to move my family back to the state where I grew up. In January of 2019, after six years in fruitful ministry at Grace Crossing Church, we sold our house, packed up our three kids, and moved to Virginia to pursue God’s call to plant a Community Church in the growing community of Short Pump. 

Although this transition has been difficult, especially for Ashley who has moved away from her immediate family, it has also been exciting as God has been giving us His vision for this church. He is revealing this will be a church built on intentional discipleship relationships. Jesus calls his church to multiply through relationships where spiritual maturity is modeled, questions are answered, grace is given and truth is presented. God has given us a vision to plant a family of churches, each one built on God’s call to make disciples and build leaders through intentional mentoring relationships. All of this rests on the foundation of God’s eternal Word, the Bible, and the faithful preaching of the Gospel to everyone who needs to hear it. 

Already God is directing us meet families in the area and we are following him by forging relationships and serving those that we meet. God is continuing to strengthen our conviction that he is calling us to plant Short Pump Community Church, and we are in a season of gathering supporters and prayer partners to stand behind us in this grand endeavor!