Rock Hill Community Church | Duluth, MN

• Kyle Eaton
• Apr 1, 2010
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church 

I grew up as the Pastor's kid who loved Jesus but who told everyone that the only thing I would never do is be a pastor. That changed in a huge way for me in college, when Jesus got a hold of my heart and gave me a heart for his church. I always had a suspicion that I would do church planting, but God began to move in my heart (and my wife's) shortly after college, while serving as an associate pastor in the Twin Cities metro area. I was young and needed to learn a lot about not only leading, but following and so God didn't immediately open up the opportunity to plant a church for a while.

Long story short, when my wife Liz and I had finally made our peace with staying, following and being content where we were at, God chose to blow off the doors of opportunity for us. After visiting Duluth a number of times (and turning down the planting opportunity up here a number of times) God gave us a deep heart for this community. We accepted the opportunity to move up here and begin a new work and have not regretted it for a minute since.

What were the biggest challenges you faced in planting your church (and/or currently facing)? 

I think the biggest thing I struggled with early on was leading people who were older than I was. After being a youth pastor for a while, where those things are pretty set, it was intimidating for me to lead many of those in our core group who were older than I was (I was 26 at the time).

We also were called to an area of the country that is particularly resistant to the gospel. I love Duluth, but historically it has been incredibly resistant to Jesus.

What advice do you have for men who are wrestling with the decision to plant? 

Be humble and open to the honest assessments of others. God has to call you to this, but I think that call also should be affirmed by those around you, who know and love you.

How did you become involved with Acts 29? What have been the biggest benefits of being in the network? 

I was introduced to the Acts 29 network by simultaneously reading Mark's book, "Radical Reformission" and hearing him speak at the Desiring God Conference. We were already up in Duluth and planting through the Evangelical Free Church but as I went to the A29 website I found that it described me, my theology, philosophy of ministry, and values better than any other document/network I had ever encountered. We decided to pursue affiliation with them after than point.

The biggest benefit of this network is the brotherhood. The peer to peer network for ongoing coaching, friendship, mentoring is amazing and what truly sets A29 apart. I remember stopping and pondering how amazing it was for me (in Northern MN) to have access to some guys that I have no business having access to. What struck me about these men, was their heart to serve and see you as a brother.

How do you pastor your family? 

I have really young children (3, 1), so we have done this quite informally. I think the most important thing I can do for my children is be completely in love with Jesus myself and talk about him frequently. As a daddy, I really try to take advantage of conversation at dinner time and both my wife and I are very intentional with bedtime. My daughters will not go to bed without reading a story from the Childrens Bible (Jesus Storybook Bible right now). Also, we pray together, talk together and then I am very intentional about praying over them (out loud) as I tuck them in each night.

As far as pastoring my wife I have found the best thing for us (and not everyone) is to interact together on some teaching or passage of Scripture (that I haven't just prepared or taught) and then discuss it together. She gets to hear me "teach" enough. It's helpful to have time to talk and process together from somebody else.

Outside of the Bible, what is the most helpful book you have read for church planting?

Total Church

Church Profile: Rock Hill Community Church
Launch Date: December, 2007
Location: Duluth, MN

Mission, Vision, Values of Church 

To transform the city of Duluth with the power of the Gospel.

What is your biblical perspective on authentic community, and evangelism? How is this practically seen in your church? 

I think that authentic community is one of the best apologetics we have for the gospel (John 13:35). To know and be known by others and still loved in spite of our numerous flaws is incredible, counter-cultural, and yet exactly the kind of community that the gospel creates. I will forever be haunted by the concept from Total Church (and really Scripture), where "gospel community is the framework by which the outside world understands the gospel." People need to see not only what the gospel does in an individual persons life, they also need to see what it does to transform how people relate to one another in community.

In our city where people have been inoculated by Jesus (to steal yet again "they have caught just enough of a weakened or dead version so as to not catch the real thing") they need to encounter people and communities that the gospel has transformed.

What are some examples of God's grace that you have seen in your life and/or the life of your church? 

We launched in December of 2007 with 20 people and now we are averaging about 110-120. 

Last year 11 people were baptized.

We were just able to purchase a church building for less than the typical house mortgage and plan on moving in Easter of 2010. 

We were able to become self-funding in less than 2 years. 

By God's grace, I and many of our leaders have been freed from having to attain "worldly success." It is amazing to rest in the gospel truth that while we seek to be faithful, we do not make ourselves any more righteous than we already are in Christ.