The number two question I get about starting a new church is, “How do you know you’re supposed to start a church?” My answer is pretty simple, God told me to….I think.

“Pray that God would lead people to plant churches in Boston.” That was the prayer request I read in 2007 while at a gathering for college students, for which I was a leader. I had no clue that God would change the trajectory of my entire life that weekend. When I read that prayer, I knew that Jesus was daring me to trust Him, to follow Him to places that I’ve never been before, to do things I’ve never done before. If I had ever heard God speak, this was it. I decided that I was going to go for it. Whatever the cost.

Fast forward 10 months. I developed a 5 year plan of getting to Boston and had already talked to some key people about what God was calling me to. Everything was trucking along just fine, until the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in 2007. I was called into my boss’ office and let go. Fired. Boom. My 5 year plan was just bulldozed by the Divinity of the Almighty. His timeline didn’t match mine. Holy Spirit wins.

I didn’t know what to do. We couldn’t afford to move straight to Boston, plus we didn’t know the first thing about planting a church. So, we prayed about it. Fought about it. Cried about it. Then we moved to Charlotte to catch a glimpse of what God can do with willing servants and a desire to see His name be made famous.

I say all of that to say this: God speaks. Listen. If you are 100% sure you know what God is saying, think again. You just might need to spend some more time with Him. God is probably calling you to something bigger and scarier. When God speaks, faith and obedience are usually a requirement to do what He says.

So to answer the initial question, “How do you know?” I don’t really, but if the city of Boston doesn’t hear the Gospel, it won’t be because of my disobedience.

—D’Art