My Calling
We exist to help people FIND Jesus and FOLLOW Him.
It STarted in 2009!
ON FLORIDA DR.
I was a Junior in College looking forward to another summer and spending it at home with my family. I had already done my required internships for my schooling and thought a nice break was due. God would have other plans. The Dean of Men at Baptist Bible College, where I attended, approached me one morning on my way to class about an opportunity to be an intern in the summer for a church plant that was happening in Xenia, OH. I responded with, what is a church plant? He said it was an opportunity to see how churches are born. Inside I would not be interested as I had already chosen what my summer would look like but I politely gave the, I’ll pray about it answer and went on my day. Little did I know that God would impress this internship on my heart so much that I soon would be explaining to my family and friends why I would not be returning home that summer. I headed to Chillicothe, OH Lighthouse Baptist Church, Pastor Ryan Bevan and got the opportunity to do ministry with them for a month before heading to Xenia, OH with church planter Josh Bevan.
We moved in day one and proceed to knock doors on day 2 to share about an exciting new church starting that summer in town. Pastor Bevan would share with me how to share the gospel at people’s front doors just moments after introducing myself and inviting them to this new church. We would do this together for many days, and then he told me he would need me to go and door knock the next day on my own. So I started the next day grabbed my flyers and chose a street and began to share and invite people to Jesus. On Florida Drive I would find it difficult to go 15 seconds without having a door slammed in my face or a hurtful remark made toward me and what I was sharing. By the time I had finished knocking the street I had given God my resignation for ministry in my heart and told Him this is not for me. It was around that time I felt so strongly the Holy Spirit speak into me, just knock one more door, just one more. I reluctantly agreed and walked across Wisconsin Drive to the house that would face and look down Florida Drive. I did the same thing I had done all day, that I had received so much negative response, but this time was met with a young marine who when posed with the question, If you died today would you go to heaven? would begin to become quiet and search inside for an answer that was not there, after sharing the good news of Jesus with her she would break with tears in her eyes and receive Jesus as Savior. As I walked away from this scene after getting the info and giving the invite I would sense the Holy Spirit speak into my heart, this is what I have called you to. I would have the opportunity to see many souls receive Christ over the next month leading 36 of those myself. Church planting that summer would change every future decision that I had planned, I would go on to graduate Bible College and take a year ministering at my home church before feeling the call to church planting again in 2010, this time in Columbus, OH I would be on the launch team and eventually be a pastor at that church for the next 10 years, that church would grow to two campuses, 3 services, and many souls and stories represented there. I have felt the call to a new church plant this time on the east side of Columbus and look forward to sharing the good news and the experience that I had on Florida Drive many years ago.
Gahanna Bound!
Bethany and I have been praying for a year what God would have next for our family. In 2023 we began to actively pray that God would reveal where He would call us to plant a new church and He gave us peace after a survey trip to the east side of Columbus in the suburb of Gahanna. We would experience the neighborhoods and see the downtown area filled with young people and young families and would be filled with peace that this is who God is calling us to reach.
