Collaboration is at the heart of how NewThing fosters church planting movements. No one plants a church alone—it takes a network of committed partners sharing resources, mentoring leaders, and working together toward a common mission. These interconnected relationships are not just about multiplying churches; they are about multiplying healthy leaders, disciples, and Kingdom impact.
A Family of Networks Fueling Church Planting Movements
Dakota Adair began attending West Ridge Church in Dallas, GA, where his high school sweetheart (Maggie) grew up. He started playing college football in West Virginia, but after the first year, he surrendered to a call to ministry. After completing his freshman year, he transferred to Seminary in Dallas, TX. While in Seminary, he and Maggie were married.
After completing Seminary, he and Maggie returned to Dallas, GA, and West Ridge Church, just outside Atlanta. In July 2020, Dakota was accepted into a two-year church planting residency program at West Ridge Church. The residency program included developing and leading a mid-sized group that spun off new groups each semester and his own small group. He also led a men's discipleship group.
The residency program also included monthly participation in local network gatherings. The West Ridge team gathered with other network church leaders and their teams each month, focusing on relationships, reproduction, resourcing, and residency. This two-year cycle allowed other church leaders and their teams to get to know Dakota and to watch him in action. Dakota and Maggie attended a two-day church planter assessment retreat held by SEND Network, and they received a "ready to move forward" result. He also had the opportunity to preach at several local network churches and collaborate with their teams.
The movement in the greater Atlanta area is called Engage Churches: A family of churches, multiplying healthy pastors and churches. Their values are:
His Kingdom Over My Kingdom
It’s not about any single church or denomination but rather about His church joining together to see His name lifted high.
Prayer Makes It Possible
If prayer isn’t at the center of what we do, it won’t expand, sustain, or have a lasting impact
Family First
Too many leaders run in a rhythm that is out of balance, engaging in the tough questions to ensure this is a priority.
Healthy Leaders, Healthy Churches
Health leaders lead healthy staff and healthy churches. It’s not just about the leader but also about ensuring his family's health.
Multiplication Is “The” Mission
Leadership development and discipleship are essential to reproduction in leaders and future church planters.
During the last six months of his residency, Dakota met with several local networks in the Atlanta Movement to share his vision and plans to plant a church in Central Texas. Dakota, Maggie, and their son Elijah moved to Texas, where they spent a year with Brent and Ebby Isbill at Epic Life in New Braunfels, Texas (an Engage Churches Partner). Brent, a Send Network planter who had undergone an assessment at West Ridge Church, helped Maggie and Dakota acclimate to the area, continued to equip and encourage Dakota as he went through Send Network training, and funded their church plant.
After a year, they had their second child, Lucy, and moved to Kyle, Texas, where they began planting Heirloom Church. They are currently holding Pre-Launch Services every Sunday as they prepare for their official launch on September 15th, 2024. The core team has grown from just three people meeting in their home to over 100 attending weekly pre-launch gatherings. Currently, six Engage Churches partners are sending and supporting Heirloom Church.
This is one of many stories about a local network of churches coming together as a family to plant healthy churches.
As Dakota puts it, "We could not be doing what we are doing without the faithful and generous partners from Engage Churches."