Skip to main content

Carrie Rodgers didn’t think she had the skills to plant Alive in Grandville, a Resonate Global Mission church plant, and Allix Hutchison wasn’t sure how to step up and serve—but God equipped both of them to be leaders that the new church plant needs.

Taking the Jump

When Carrie began working at Alive Ministries in 2012, church planting wasn’t on her radar. As her role in leading the student ministry program shifted over time, the church staff encouraged her to consider planting a new church. 

“I didn’t look like or have the skills that any church planter I’ve ever known has had,” said Carrie, surprised by their recommendation. “But they said to me, ‘We just want you to be you.’”

As Carrie prepared to take the first steps of the church planting journey, she had some people in mind to ask to join her. One of them was Allix, whom Carrie got to know through Alive and through a book club.

Willing to Serve

After graduating college and moving to Hudsonville in 2017 to begin her teaching career, Allix had a difficult time finding the right church where she could grow in her faith and serve at her fullest potential—something she struggled with for years. 

“I became a little disillusioned in high school,” said Allix. Though she didn’t abandon her faith at that time, she couldn’t get plugged in to a church community. 

She wanted something more.

“I wanted to be part of something from the grassroots,” said Allix. “I really wanted to be involved and be able to serve, and at that point I didn’t feel like I was serving at my full capacity.” 

That’s when Carrie invited Allix to join her for coffee. As they sat in their favorite coffee shop and sipped their drinks, Carrie told Allix she was going to plant a church. 

Allix said yes before Carrie even finished asking her to join the planting team. 

Moving the Vision Forward

While the children’s ministry seemed like a natural role for a teacher to fill, Allix had other gifts to offer. Things like emails, spreadsheets, and color-coding bring her joy, so she took on the role of an administrative assistant. 

“From the minute she came on, it only took a month to realize that she would be the administrator that we needed to be successful,” said Carrie. “She has all the skills I lack.”

“I take the ideas that Carrie has in her head and put them into action,” added Allix. 

From coordinating volunteer schedules to assisting with the church’s Love INC partnership and updating social media, Allix keeps the mission and vision of Alive in Grandville moving forward. Serving God’s kingdom in this way has been a rewarding experience for her.

“I feel as if I’m actively pursuing good work for God’s kingdom, and it’s been so fulfilling for me,” said Allix.  

And now, she has the church community she was searching for. “That part of my faith feels so much stronger now,” said Allix. “I feel like I have a second home at Alive in Grandville.”

Something to Give

For new church plants, it is so important to have people who are willing to step into leadership, and Resonate provides grants to church plants like Alive in Grandville to help equip church planting teams to be better leaders.

“It takes everybody, and everybody has something to offer,” said Carrie. “You don’t have to be the person that writes the big checks...you can be the person that says, ‘I have time and some skills to give, and my heart is in this.’”

Not only is Allix a great administrative assistant, but she’s also a great example of a young leader. Other young adults at Alive in Grandville are now following her example and offering to serve.

“We tend to think that people who help out in churches are married 40-year-olds who have their lives together,” said Carrie. “But you don’t have to be an older, ‘established’ adult to have something to give.”

Please pray for the work that God is doing through Resonate’s church plants, and pray that more people like Allix will be empowered by the Spirit to become leaders in their churches.