There's a verse that won't let go of me. It's the reason this church is named what it's named, and it's the reason Jaclyn and I stayed in the Wiregrass instead of moving on to somewhere easier.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
That's Isaiah 60:1. It was spoken to a people who had every reason to believe the darkest chapter was the last one. And God's word to them wasn't "wait a little longer" — it was arise. Get up. The light has already come. The glory is already rising. Stop waiting for dawn and start living like it's here.
I believe that's God's word for Dothan.
Why here, why now
I didn't plant this church because Dothan lacks churches. It doesn't. I planted it because I believe God isn't finished here — and because so many people in this city have quietly set church aside. Some have never set foot in one. Some walked away and never found a reason to walk back. Some sat through a thousand services and are still hungry for something real.
Arise Dothan exists for all three. There's a seat at this table for you, wherever you're starting from. Come as you are — that isn't a slogan, it's the whole posture of this church.
Follow. Become. Do.
Everything we do traces back to three words: Follow. Become. Do. We want to help people follow Jesus, become like Him, and do what He did — right here in the Wiregrass, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Not as a program to complete, but as the whole shape of a life waking up to God.
That's what we mean when we say our mission is to participate in God's kingdom by multiplying disciples across our city. Not just gathering a crowd — forming people who follow Jesus and then help others do the same. A church that multiplies, not just adds.
The season we're in
I'm not going to pretend we're something we're not. We're young and we're small — a launch team in the making, not yet a Sunday morning church, but building toward one with real intention.
Every Thursday at 6:00 PM, we gather as a Disciple Making Community for coffee, prayer, open Scripture, and honest conversation. Our gathering spot moves around Dothan — a park one week, a coffee shop the next — so if you want to come, text Pastor Brian and I'll tell you exactly where we'll be. Once a month, on the second Saturday, we move out together to serve our city. That's the whole rhythm right now, and it's enough to build something real on.
It's not flashy. There's no fog machine, no big stage. What there is: real people, an open Bible, and a growing conviction that God is doing something in this city that's bigger than any one room. Every dawn starts small. We're praying this is one of those mornings.
An invitation, not a pitch
If you're reading this because you're curious about Arise Dothan, here's my honest word to you: come see for yourself. Bring your questions, your doubts, your kids, your coffee order. There's no test to pass and no performance to sit through — just a group of ordinary people learning to follow Jesus together, building toward a Sunday we can't wait for you to see. And if you want to help form that launch team from the ground up, I would love to talk with you.
The glory of the Lord is rising over Dothan. I believe that with everything in me. I'd love for you to rise with us and see it for yourself.
— Pastor Brian