Sending the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit in every zip code in rural America
Reaching the lost by Connecting and Equipping rural and small-town congregations to plant new churches.
Our desire is to see hundreds of churches planted in small communities so that every community in America has a life-giving, Bible-believing, community-transforming church.
Church Planting Networks
Dirt Roads Networks desires to develop and support networks of rural churches committed to partnering together to plant churches in rural communities and small towns across America.
Sending Church Support
Some church plants grow out of established “mother” churches that are empowered by Holy Spirit to grow the Kingdom through multiplication. These churches have a desire to impact a rural community and have the means to financially support a church plant.
Dirt Roads Networks desires to support these plants through coaching and congregation training to understand rural-specific challenges.
Church Planting Coaches
Our church plant coaches are certified through Dirt Roads Network, The Wesleyan Church and Gateway.
Jim Gulish
Jim Gulish grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and currently lives in Cadillac, MI. He felt a call of God on his life to go into full time pastoral ministry and has been serving for 25 years. Jim is married to Rachel and they have four children, Claire, Jude, Jay, and Jack. They have planted two churches and continue to be part of multiplication efforts in ministry. Jim is currently the Lead Pastor at Dighton Church, with a vision to equip and send people into the surrounding communities to reach the lost and forgotten.
Dave Hansen
Dave Hansen is married to Sara and they have two adult sons, David and Jonathan. Dave is the Lead Pastor of Lakeview Community Church in Lakeview, MI. Dave planted LCC in 2010 and since then has launched two other churches out of LCC.
Angela Audiss
Angela Audiss and her husband Jason have three children, Lindsey, Abigale, and Joshua. Angela actively seeks to live life on mission at home, work, school, church, sports, or wherever life takes her. Angela collaborated with other community leaders to form a community youth ministry in Ottawa, Kansas and holds a master’s degree in ministry leadership. She offers shepherding and encouragement to those around her and consistently champions others towards spiritual growth and development.
Randy Garner
Randy Garner has been the lead pastor and church planter for the last 25 years at Christ Community Church, and out of CCC he planted two other churches and adopted another church to revitalize. He has a passion to share Christ with anyone and everyone. He also has a passion to encourage pastors and small churches. Randy has been married for 45 years to his lovely wife Cindy. They make their home in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Church Planting Networks
Why Join a CPN?
When people think of rural places, they may visualize natural beauty: green rolling hills, farmlands, lakes, rivers, and forests. This imagery is accurate in most places, but living in these places, we learn there’s a much darker reality: broken families, substance abuse, generational poverty, and hopelessness abound.
We understand that at times, there may be a disconnect with church multiplication. The desire for church multiplication exists, but the training, resources and process is unclear. It is our goal to bridge the gap between the desire to multiply, and the action steps of making it happen.
Riley, Kansas
Dirt Roads Network is partnering with the KDWC and several other churches to plant a church in Riley, KS.
Northern Michigan
Dirt Roads Network is forming a CPN to support church plants in Cadillac and Alpena.
Thumb Area of Michigan
We are working to form a CPN to plant churches in the thumb area of Michigan. If you’re interested in joining a CPN for this area fill out the CPN form.
Nebraska
We are working with pastors in the Nebraska area and have a goal to plant in rural Nebraska. If you’re interested in joining a CPN for this area fill out the CPN form.
Current Church Plant Initiatives
Riley, Kansas
“We need a new church in Riley.” Those words were said to Brian Smith, Lead Pastor of Westview Community Church, in a hearse a few years ago. He had just conducted a funeral and was riding to the cemetery with the Riley funeral home director. He explained that families had to drive 20 miles to Manhattan if they wanted a church with children’s and youth ministries. As someone who cares deeply for his community, he believed a new church would make an eternal difference.
God nudged Brian with that conversation and over the last two years several of us have been praying about the possibility of planting a church there.
As we have prayed, God has been moving. Several connections have been made and a potential core team is developing. God has also brought several churches together along with Dirt Roads Network to form a Church Planting Network. These churches and leaders believe God is starting something new for the little town of Riley, and we are excited to be a part of it.
Cadillac, MI
Lance and Miranda Kotrch along with their three boys, Jackson, Jared and Joseph are partnering with Dirt Roads Network and the surrounding network churches to plant in Cadillac, Michigan. Lance and Miranda are natives of Michigan, and have spent the last five years in Iowa. They are excited to be back in their home state to see where God leads them in Church multiplication to this community.
Alpena, MI
Brendan and Heather Maroney were born and raised in Alpena, Michigan. They have four children, Alivia, Kiara, Kenzie, and Malachi. Brendan and Heather’s heartbeat and passion for their community runs deep. With years of ministering to the recovery community, Brendan and Heather have a passion for the lost, hurting and broken.