Host Matt Carter welcomes Noah Oldham, Bryan Loritts, and Trevin Wax to discuss the importance of relationships in church planting as part of the nine essentials of a faithful and effective church planter series. They emphasize that real ministry is inherently relational, requiring planters to cultivate healthy connections in various areas, including marriage, family, their core team, unbelievers, new converts, and friendships. The discussion explores what maturity and health look like in these relationships

Matt Carter is vice president of mobilization for Send Network, the largest church planting network in North America. He was also founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church. During his tenure at The Stone, the church sent over 300 full-time missionaries to unreached people groups around the world. Matt holds an MDiv from Southwestern Seminary and a Doctorate in Expositional Preaching from Southeastern Seminary. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children.

Noah Oldham is the executive director of Send Network. He served as the founding and lead pastor of August Gate Church for 15 years and the Send City Missionary to St. Louis for almost 10. In both these roles, he led his church and dozens of others to plant churches throughout the St. Louis region and beyond. He holds master’s degrees in Biblical Studies and Christian Leadership and is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. He writes, speaks, and trains in the areas of two of his greatest passions: the local church and physical fitness. Noah and Heather have been married since 2005 and have five children.

Bryan Loritts is the teaching pastor at The Summit Church. An award-winning author of seven books, Dr. Loritts has spent the bulk of his ministry serving and resourcing the multiethnic church. He co-founded Fellowship Memphis in 2003 and serves as the president of The Kainos Movement, an organization committed to seeing the multiethnic church become the new normal. His ministry takes him across the globe annually, as he speaks at conferences, churches, and retreats. Bryan has been a featured speaker for Catalyst and the Global Leadership Summit. Currently, he serves on the board of Biola University and is a regular visiting professor at Grimke Seminary. He is also the vice president of regions for the Send Network. He is the husband of Korie, and the father of Quentin, Myles, and Jaden.

Trevin Wax is vice president of resources and marketing at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition and has contributed to The Washington Post, Religion News Service, World, and Christianity Today. He has taught courses on mission and ministry at Wheaton College and has lectured on Christianity and culture at Oxford University. He is a founding editor of The Gospel Project, has served as publisher for the Christian Standard Bible, and is the author of multiple books, including The Thrill of Orthodoxy, The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, andGospel Centered Teaching. His podcast is Reconstructing Faith. He and his wife, Corina, have three children.