Church Planter Cohort X (2023-2024)
Members of our Church Planter Cohort spend a year developing the skills necessary to sustain health, fruitful ministry as they plant or replant a church. Church planter cohorts start each Fall. The current cohort members are below.
You can find more information on how we help church planters here. And, you can begin the process to apply for our next cohort by completing an interest form here.
JOHN BAKER
In August 2023, John and his team launched Multiply Church in New Market, AL. John and his wife, Ellisa, have been married for 6 years and have a toddler named Emerson Grace. His has a LOT of hobbies, including spending time with family, fishing, watching the Crimson Tide roll, singing "Fly Eagles Fly" with his daughter, drinking good coffee or "brown water" and craft beer, eating delicious foods, reading, and engaging in life-giving conversations. He will try anything once! John graduated from the University of Mobile with a BA in Theology and from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with an MDiv.
MATT RYMAN
Matt is planting Trinity Church Wayzata in the western suburbs of Minneapolis where he hopes to see God use a movement of gospel-centered churches bring about spiritual, social, and cultural renewal in the Twin Cities. Matt has an M.Div from Reformed Theological Seminary and has served in a variety of pastoral roles. He’s been married to Hana for 18 years and they have four enthusiastic children. The Ryman family loves Minnesota! They also love being on the water in the summer (boating, water skiing, tubing) and in the winter (downhill skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling).
JOSH STEWART
Josh Stewart is the church planting pastor of Oaks Community Church in Naples, Florida. Josh has been married to his wife Maggie for 13 years and they have been blessed with one daughter and three sons. Josh is originally from Atlanta. He and his family moved to Naples five years ago. He has served in pastoral ministry for nine years. Before planting Oaks Community church, he served as the Care and Community Pastor at the Naples Campus of Summit Church. Josh holds a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
SEAN NOLAN
Sean began planting Engage Albany in 2018. He met his wife, Hannah, while in high school and she led him to faith in Jesus. They’re in their 15th year of marriage and have four children. He graduated from Clarks Summit University in 2013 and prior to planting in Albany, he served at Terra Nova Church in Troy, taught in a classical academy, and did a short stint in youth ministry in the suburbs of Baltimore. His hobbies include writing and hiking with the kids.
ERIC SHRIMPTON
Eric is planting Christ Community Church in Cincinnati, OH. Before church planting, Eric served as an Assistant Pastor at North Cincinnati Community Church in Mason, OH, as a Ministry Associate with Covenant Seminary’s City Ministry Initiative in St. Louis, MO, and held multiple positions on staff with Campus Outreach Lexington at the University of Kentucky. Eric is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and holds a Masters of Divinity from Covenant Seminary. He is married to Addie and together they have three children, Owen, Annie, and Will.