Rick and Christie Garrett moved to College Park in 2010 to start something new: Epic Church. They had connected with Grace and Pastor Mike in the years prior to the move, telling of how God was calling them to the area. Grace agreed to help them and resource them in any way possible, inviting them to participate and learn whatever they could at our church to help them launch Epic.

But as Rick developed relationships with our church, sitting in on staff meetings and learning the nuts and bolts of running a ministry, God began to unite our hearts and our visions in new ways. After several months of prayer and building relationships, Pastor Mike asked Rick to consider joining Grace as a campus pastor — helping to build Grace’s new dream of reaching our city through many smaller churches instead of one large one. Rick asked for time to pray.

Over the next few weeks, Rick began to feel that joining Grace was the right decision, but wanted to spend one last day asking God whether or not to become a campus pastor at Grace as opposed to remaining the lead pastor at Epic:

I went to Lake Eola to spend some time praying. While sitting on a bench with my journal, a homeless man approached me and began to tell me his story. In all honesty, I was bothered by the interruption. I initially hid the fact that I was a pastor for fear that it would prolong the conversation. I eventually let it slip, and was quickly engaged in a conversation regarding my beliefs about certain scriptures. I remained guarded, though, and only answered his questions without sharing any personal information.

But as the conversation was coming to a close, the man told me that the real reason he stopped to talk to me was that Jesus had shown him my face in a dream that morning and had given him a message for me.

He now had my full attention.

He proceeded to tell me that Jesus told him to tell me that I was making a big decision that day that would change the course of my life and ministry, and that Jesus was going with me into the next phase.

Rick called Pastor Mike that day and agreed to become Grace’s first campus pastor. Grace Conway launches in September of 2011.

“…there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries…” Daniel 2:28