Expect it to be difficult (w/ Ken Claytor)

Ken was a businessman before he started a church. 

He began with 6 people— and no budget. In fact, he financed the start-up himself. 

That was back in 2007. He and his wife, Tabatha, moved from Washington, D.C., to Gainesville, Florida. They began meeting in their living room.

Ken talks candidly, too, about soul care. In fact, he talks openly about his psychologist.

“You don’t expect things to be difficult most of the time,” he says. “But we should. When we don’t, we look for life to be easy…”

This message echoes what Jesus promised the disciples: “In this world you WILL have trouble” (John 26:33).

If you don’t expect marriage, business, parenting, leading… and other things to be a challenge— and still enjoy it THROUGH the “hard”— you will always look for it to be easy…

… and you won’t enjoy it.

One of Ken’s unique challenges was taking his church through a name change AND a culture change 7 years ago. They were 97% black at the time. He methodically studied several of the fastest growing churches to see how they connected in diverse ways. 

For 10 years leading up to that point they SAID they were a church FOR all people, but all people didn’t come. That took time and intentionality….

Diversity doesn’t happen accidentally. 

Then, he undertook another example of “hard.” Ken, the lead pastor, left the “main” campus to take the satellite church himself… 

… leaving a campus pastors behind where he was… 

This meant he did the launch meetings again— just as he had in his living room back in the early days.

Ken reminds us, “Anything that’s worth ANYTHING is on the other side of hard.”

You’ll set your expectation in the wrong place if you don’t expect a challenge…

But, when we DO expect challenges, we’re prepared. We’ve counted the cost, and we’ve gone “all in” with our eyes wide open (Luke 14:25–33).

The Gathering = join us in Atlanta February 21-22.

Schedule your free strategy session here.

More about Ken Claytor = 

Alive Church = https://www.myalivechurch.org 

Pastor Ken on Instagram = https://instagram.com/kenclaytor

His wife = https://instagram.com/tabathaclaytor

*