God is calling dozens of “normal” people like Tim and Amber Banta to help plant the gospel in strategic cities across North America. Check out The Summit Network for more information about how to you can go!

The Bantas had a lot going for them.

Tim had been with his engineering firm for fifteen years while Amber was about to finish nursing school. They had begun hosting a small group in their North Raleigh home and had no idea that God would call them to help plant the gospel in Wilmington, NC.

But over several months they got to know church planter Ethan Welch. As Ethan shared his vision for planting in Wilmington Tim and Amber became more and more intrigued. By November it became clear that God was calling them to join the Wilmington church plant team.

The news was met with a mixed response. Some of the Banta’s friends were excited but Tim’s co-workers were particularly confused. Tim was hopeful he could take his job with him but four weeks after informing his boss of their decision, Tim’s employer of fifteen years laid him off.

It was easy to second-guess their decision: “Are we crazy? Did we eat some bad tacos? Are we really doing this?” Anxiety was a daily battle as Tim looked for a new job and Amber worked to finish her nursing degree. God wanted to use the Bantas to plant the gospel in Wilmington but in the process He was planting the gospel more deeply in them.

Almost a year later Wilmington is starting to feel like home. The last year hasn’t been easy but it’s been exceedingly fruitful. Tim and Amber have experienced new depths of intimacy with Christ and are excited to be a part of what God is doing in Wilmington. God is using normal people like Tim and Amber to plant churches and He’s transforming their faith along the way.