Planting Portland

What does it really take to plant a church?

Thomas sits down with church planter Daniel Reid to talk about his journey from local church discipleship and ministry to missions work in Nepal and eventually planting a church in Atlanta.

They discuss discerning God’s call, starting a church through evangelism, building relationships in a new city, leading Bible studies, discipling believers, raising support, and developing a church one person at a time.

Daniel also shares what he has learned about church planting before the official “launch”—including why their work in Atlanta began with simply sharing the gospel and investing in people rather than trying to build a crowd.

If you are a pastor, missionary, church planter, prospective church planter, or someone who wants to see more gospel-preaching churches established, this conversation offers a practical look behind the scenes of starting a new church.

Learn more about Project Atlanta at project-atlanta.com and follow our church planting journey in Portland at projectportland.org.

Scotland once sent missionaries around the world—but today, many churches are closing and a generation is growing up without the gospel. Christopher Scott shares how salvation, discipleship, local church service, and ministry experience prepared his family to plant a church in Scotland. Thomas and Christopher discuss missionary calling, cross-cultural preparation, evangelism, and building churches through relationships, Bible study, and biblical discipleship.

Thomas introduces Project Portland’s podcast about church planting and interviews Nirmal, a friend from their sending church near Atlanta who is preparing to sell his house and move to join Daniel Reid’s church planting team in Atlanta.

Nirmal shares his background (born in Dubai, raised Indian, moved to the U.S. for grad school), his upbringing in a Syrian Orthodox tradition, and how he came to faith through an evangelical campus ministry retreat in college. He describes years of hidden sexual sin, discipleship and growth through baptist churches and the Navigators influence, and how confession, Scripture, accountability, and Oakland Heights’ discipleship and training helped bring victory and a Bible-centered worldview, including embracing the King James Bible.

Nirmal explains how mission exposure, two heart attacks, and conviction from Scripture led him to surrender and commit to the Atlanta plant, emphasizing obedience even when turnout is small and asking prayer for health and fruitful disciple-making.

00:00 Project Portland Intro

00:20 Meet Nirmal Andrews

01:10 Portland Visit Update

01:58 Nirmal's Background Story

03:59 Growing Up Syrian Orthodox

07:55 College Conversion Moment

10:30 Pentecostal Years And Doubts

12:27 Auburn Discipleship And Struggle

14:46 California Double Life

15:43 Atlanta Turning Point

20:07 Finding Oakland Heights Baptist Church

22:11 King James Bible Breakthrough

23:54 Truth Anchors And Growth

26:07 Anchored in Scripture

26:39 Discipleship Training Track

28:12 Called to Plant Atlanta

28:16 Argentina Breakthrough

30:46 Portland vs Atlanta Decision

31:59 Heart Attacks and Surrender

33:45 Bible Guidance to Go

40:38 Early Church Plant Reality

42:21 Obedience Over Outcomes

44:23 Final Prayers and Sendoff

About Project Atlanta:

Project Atlanta is a church planting initiative out of Oakland Heights Baptist Church and led by pastor Daniel Reid. Their team is assembling and they intend to plant a new church in the city of Atlanta in 2026.

About the Planting Portland Podcast:

Planting Portland is a Christian podcast about church planting, ministry leadership, discipleship, evangelism, missions, and life in the Pacific Northwest.

Hosted by Thomas Harding, each episode features pastors, missionaries, church planters, and ministry leaders, discussing the challenges and opportunities of planting and growing gospel centered churches in Portland, Oregon and beyond.

Whether you are a pastor, missionary, ministry student, church planter, or faithful church member, Planting Portland provides practical insights and biblical encouragement for advancing the Gospel in today's culture. Learn more about our church planting work in Portland, Oregon at projectportland.org.

Jump into a behind the scenes conversation with Kale Horvath, planting a church in Budapest, Hungary. Kale is 5 years in his ministry and describes the joys and challenges of planting a church in post-Christian Europe.

Learn more about Kale's ministry...

Support:

https://www.horvaths2hungary.com/home

Church:

https://www.zugloibiblia.hu/

Music & Projects:

https://www.kalehorvath.com/

Project Portland

Learn more about the church we are planting in Portland, OR at projectportland.org.

Portland Gospel Church

Local to Portland? Join us for church. Learn more at portlandgospel.org.

Jump into our conversation with David Allred - a member of our church planting team. Hear from his story and his heart on how God brought him to Portland, and how he sustains his ministry through his career.

Follow our journey planting a church at projectportland.org or @projpdx.

Buy David's t-shirts to support our ministry at chapterandverse.store.

Learn more about David's business Black Smoke Shields at blacksmokeshields.com.

#portland #church #churchplant

Church planting is a rewarding yet challenging journey filled with unique challenges and lessons. In this episode, we’ll explore key insights from pastor James DeKoker, who has navigated the complexities of church planting and shares invaluable lessons learned along the way.

#portland #church #churchplanting

Not everyone is called to plant a church. Even when our heart is set on the mission, we need God's direction and confirmation for what to do. Sometimes He answers with, 'No', or not now. Join our conversation with my good friend and veteran missionary James Fyffe as he discusses how God has helped him navigate decisions in ministry.

Not all church plants start the same way. Jump into our conversation with Josh O'Hora to hear about the work they are doing in Toronto, Canada. What was borne out of a long distance relationship has blossomed into a healthy and thriving discipleship-minded ministry.

More at projectportland.org and lftoronto.com

Not everyone will be called to 'Go' and plant churches, some will need to stay behind. In this episode we interview Chris Allred about what it was like to fill the void after sending a team of friends to plant a church in Portland, OR.

What should the local church be doing to train men for ministry? Should we outsource our training? Join us in a discussion with Seth Keenum from Decatur Baptist Church on how they are preparing the next generation of church planters.