The story starts in 2008 with me being in a bit of a mess.

It’s important that this is an honest story. Church planting stories can be a little misleading as faith, hard work and God’s favour are hard to explain. On our journey, I sometimes wonder if God helped us out because he felt sorry for us and decided to cut us a break!

I wasn’t in great shape when we decided to move to Manchester, but I was beginning to realise. However, being in great shape isn’t a prerequisite for a church planter. You need a strong desire to have a go and innovate. People don’t start things because they are happy with the world around them. Motives aren’t always wonderfully clear and holy!

So I was partly motivated to start a church because I thought I’d be good at it and that I would want to go to my church! It seems a horribly arrogant thing to say but it was true. It’s only 5 years later that I realise that the entrepreneurial spirit is a complex beast that has a mix of ego, arrogance, naivety and faith.

I often meet potential church planters and they talk about being sent well and starting with a big group of people. I listen politely and remember that all I had to start with was a chip on my shoulder and a strong desire to see God move.

Like most people, I have done some clever things and some stupid things.

So the picture is painted. I honestly believe that God dropped some desires/dreams/ridiculous ideas into our hearts and we would then spend most of 2008 just trying to get to Manchester.