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You left a very successful legal career to plant a church in Detroit. What drove that decision?

I kept feeling this pull. I was winning cases and losing sleep. Something in me knew that I was built for something more than billable hours. When God made it clear, I gave myself a year to transition. That year became six months.

What were the first 12 months of the plant like?

Hard. Beautifully, painfully hard. We started in my living room with eleven people. By month six, we had outgrown two locations. By month twelve, we had our own building. God moved fast. I had to move faster.

What do you wish you'd known before planting?

That you'll feel more alone than you expect, and that's okay. Also: get a therapist. Seriously. Church planting is one of the most emotionally demanding things a human being can do.

What's your word to anyone considering an urban plant?

The city needs you. Not a program. Not an event. You — your presence, your roots, your commitment to stay. Show up and stay.