My wife and I are taking a huge risk following the Lord. We have heard clearly that the time has come for us to plant a church. I will be posting a lot about our journey over the next few years. I wanted to share our resignation letter with Lanier Hills Church as well as everyone else as we begin this crazy adventure the Lord has us on.

We will be posting a lot more details soon.

Pray for us. Join us. Support us. Journey with us.

8/16/2012

To Randall Popham, the Elders, and Lanier Hills Church,

Thank you guys so much for taking a chance on me three years ago. If it wasn’t for you listening to the Lord, I know I would have never been hired. But because you did, I was able to get my first full-time ministry position. Over the past 3 years, there have been some great times and some hard times, but I have grown as a leader, pastor, husband, father, and disciple. I am really appreciative of your investment into my life.

Over the past year, I knew God was preparing our hearts for something big. I wasn’t sure where, what, or how. My wife and I knew that things would be changing soon. In June, the Lord really put it on my heart to “remember what I have called you to.” That has always been church planting. Again, like I have so many times before, began to make excuses why God was mistaken for asking us to plant. We are too young, inexperienced, not smart enough, etc. But, God would not relent. We felt like he wanted us to begin declaring “We are starting a church.” Not “one day” or “we would like to” but “we are.”

As I gathered some Godly men around me to fast and pray, God began telling me and my wife to leave Lanier Hills. My number one problem with church planting is that I don’t trust God to provide. So, by God calling me to quit a great job with a consistent salary, benefits, and close to home, I really struggled. But, after prayer and affirmation from different avenues in my life, we conceded to the Lord’s plans. We are going to get a normal job as we begin this church-planting journey in efforts to get into the community, meet people of peace, and begin building a core team.

As we are praying about specific details, the Lord has allowed us to zero in on a few areas. One being the Avenue in Cumming, which we feel strongly God is leading us to. We are also praying about Dahlonega and Portland, Oregon. We are completely open to wherever God is leading us to go.

Because of our method of church planting- going in with no core team and starting from scratch- we ask that Lanier Hills would support us with much prayer. We desire a partnership that would last for years.

It is our desire that Lanier Hills would flourish, not fall in our departure. We care deeply for the church and are only leaving because of God’s call on our lives. Because of that, with your blessing, we will be here for six more weeks, making September 30^th our last Sunday.

Thank you so much for allowing me to serve here for the past three years. I pray that we can partner together as we follow God in the journey he has for us.

With Love,

gabe dodd