Brief BioDr. Chris Dortch is a pastor who has been serving in ministry since 1993. He serves as the Lead Pastor of Grace Point Church of Lake Norman. He is the author of several books and the host of "Growing University with Pastor Chris Dortch" available on iTunes Podcasts. He is a graduate of Liberty University as well as Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
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Family Bio
Chris and his wife, Cheryl, have been married since May 16, 1992. They met during their freshman year of college (University of Kentucky) at Tatesbrook Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky where Cheryl’s dad served as the founding and Senior Pastor.
Cheryl is the Assistant Principal at South Elementary School in Mooresville, North Carolina. Cheryl began at South Elementary in July 2003 as a first grade teacher. She was awarded “Teacher of the Year” for both her school (South Elementary School) and entire district (Mooresville Graded School District) in 2011-12. Cheryl is a graduate of Western Kentucky University where she majored in Elementary Education. She earned her Master of Education from Indiana Wesleyan University in Curriculum and Instruction. She is currently working on her doctorate. She also has a gift of hospitality and enjoys cooking. If you’re ever given the opportunity, you’ll want a slice of her homemade apple pie.
They have one son, Carson, who graduated in the Class of 2012 from Mooresville Senior High School in Mooresville, North Carolina. He and his wife, Jessica, have been married since July 18, 2015. On July 4th of 2019, they welcomed their first son, Easton.
Cheryl is the Assistant Principal at South Elementary School in Mooresville, North Carolina. Cheryl began at South Elementary in July 2003 as a first grade teacher. She was awarded “Teacher of the Year” for both her school (South Elementary School) and entire district (Mooresville Graded School District) in 2011-12. Cheryl is a graduate of Western Kentucky University where she majored in Elementary Education. She earned her Master of Education from Indiana Wesleyan University in Curriculum and Instruction. She is currently working on her doctorate. She also has a gift of hospitality and enjoys cooking. If you’re ever given the opportunity, you’ll want a slice of her homemade apple pie.
They have one son, Carson, who graduated in the Class of 2012 from Mooresville Senior High School in Mooresville, North Carolina. He and his wife, Jessica, have been married since July 18, 2015. On July 4th of 2019, they welcomed their first son, Easton.
Ministry Bio
Chris’ first sermon was as a teenager at his home church in Beaver Dam, Kentucky. Although he did not sense God’s call into ministry until his Sophomore year of college, God was already preparing Chris for the work of ministry.
Chris was not able to continue his education at the University of Kentucky, in part due to the financial hardship of losing everything through a flood a mere 1 month and 2 days after they were married. Instead, they would focus upon finishing Cheryl’s education first. Therefore, Chris began serving as the Youth Pastor at a small rural church in Frankfort, Kentucky. Each week Chris would travel to Louisville, Kentucky where he visited the library of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he would study and pray that one day he could afford the courses to actually attend seminary. It was during this time that Chris began to build his personal library by purchasing course textbooks at the campus bookstore. Chris valued education, but didn’t want to allow his inability to afford and attend school to hinder his ministry. The first book he purchased at the seminary campus was a paperback copy of Herschel H. Hobbs’ Baptist Faith and Message.
In 1994, Chris partnered with his Father-in-Law to begin planting a church near Cynthiana, Kentucky. They began repairs on an old church building off Leesburg Pike (Hwy. 62) which was later destroyed by a tornado.
Near the end of 1994, Chris returned to his hometown of Beaver Dam, Kentucky and began supply preaching for churches through the Ohio County Baptist Association. In 1995 he was called to serve as the Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Cromwell, Kentucky. The church was on the brink of closing its doors. Under Chris’ leadership the church was able to secure brand new pews for the church’s sanctuary through a grant from the Oldham Little Church Foundation (Sugar Land, TX). After a number of work projects around the church to improve the general maintenance of the building, the congregation began to experience growth and continues to grow today.
During the Fall of 1995 Chris returned to youth ministry with a call to Greenwood Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Chris served two years at Greenwood Baptist Church where he began to develop a Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry. Unaware of Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose-Driven Church,” Chris began to develop a purpose statement and brochure for Greenwood’s youth group. The purposes were: evangelism, build unity, teach the Bible, fellowship, grow, missions, serve others, and worship. It wasn’t until 1998 with the release of the Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry by Doug Fields that Chris realized he had duplicated some of the purposes and then refined the purposes in his youth ministry to reach, build, teach, serve, and glorify. Chris often jokes that he has been doing Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry before he knew what Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry was.
During the Fall of 1997 Chris was given his first opportunity to serve full-time in ministry as the Minister of Youth & Education at Hawesville Baptist Church. Although Greenwood had doubled Chris’ salary during the summer of 1997, it was with the understanding that he would return to part-time pay in the fall. With the offer to begin full-time ministry at Hawesville Baptist Church; Chris, Cheryl, and Carson moved to Hawesville, Kentucky. It was during Chris’ ministry at Hawesville that he developed comprehensive programming that matched the Purpose-Driven model. During Chris’ five years at HBC, nearly a dozen teenagers accepted a call into ministry. Some have become worship leaders, youth pastors, church planters, and one served with Chris in North Carolina as the church’s graphic artist and web-designer. Chris and the youth group of HBC were featured in the state’s Baptist newspaper, The Western Recorder, as well as Growing Church Magazine for being one of the fastest growing youth groups in Kentucky.
In late 2001, Chris accepted a call to serve as Youth Pastor at Christ Community Church north of Charlotte, North Carolina. CCC was already being recognized as one of the fastest growing Southern Baptist Churches in North Carolina based upon attendance and baptisms. Though the youth group at Christ Community was considerably smaller than HBC, it didn’t remain that way. The youth group at Christ Community Church grew to minister to over 350 students on an annual basis with approximately 150-200 students involved on a weekly basis through weekend worship services and small groups. Chris gave oversight to three ministries at Christ Community Church as the Lead Pastor of Children, Youth, and Young Adult Ministries. The church was running 600 in 2002 and reached 1600 by 2008.
After serving twenty years in ministry, most of which was with students, Pastor Chris transitioned into the role of Executive Pastor at Christ Community Church. As the Executive Pastor, he was responsible for executing the vision of the church and providing leadership in the daily management of all church staff. He was responsible to lead the staff and church in planning, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive plan of business operations for the church; providing direct oversight to the pastoral staff, Office Manager, Finance Manager, and Facilities Manager.
In 2014, Pastor Chris accepted the call to serve as Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Mount Sterling, Kentucky. While in Kentucky, Pastor Chris served on the Kentucky Baptist Convention's Mission Board where he partnered with others on the Evangelism & Church Planting Team. Multiply East Kentucky is a KBC effort to plant more churches throughout the eastern part of the state. Pastor Chris also served through the Central Kentucky Network of Baptists in developing revitalization efforts among Kentucky churches.
He now serves as the Lead Pastor of Grace Point Church of Lake Norman, North Carolina. Grace Point is a community of believers who have covenanted together to fulfill the Great Commission in the Lake Norman area and to the nations. The mission statement of Grace Point states, "Where the Gospel Meets Life." Pastor Chris explains that the name of the church "Grace Point" references the intersection of the Great Commission (cf. Matthew 28:16-20) and the Great Commandment (cf. Matthew 22:36-40). The Great Commission is to make disciples by proclaiming the Gospel. The Great Commandment is to love God and love others. This is the heartbeat of the church and the pastors.
Chris was not able to continue his education at the University of Kentucky, in part due to the financial hardship of losing everything through a flood a mere 1 month and 2 days after they were married. Instead, they would focus upon finishing Cheryl’s education first. Therefore, Chris began serving as the Youth Pastor at a small rural church in Frankfort, Kentucky. Each week Chris would travel to Louisville, Kentucky where he visited the library of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he would study and pray that one day he could afford the courses to actually attend seminary. It was during this time that Chris began to build his personal library by purchasing course textbooks at the campus bookstore. Chris valued education, but didn’t want to allow his inability to afford and attend school to hinder his ministry. The first book he purchased at the seminary campus was a paperback copy of Herschel H. Hobbs’ Baptist Faith and Message.
In 1994, Chris partnered with his Father-in-Law to begin planting a church near Cynthiana, Kentucky. They began repairs on an old church building off Leesburg Pike (Hwy. 62) which was later destroyed by a tornado.
Near the end of 1994, Chris returned to his hometown of Beaver Dam, Kentucky and began supply preaching for churches through the Ohio County Baptist Association. In 1995 he was called to serve as the Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Cromwell, Kentucky. The church was on the brink of closing its doors. Under Chris’ leadership the church was able to secure brand new pews for the church’s sanctuary through a grant from the Oldham Little Church Foundation (Sugar Land, TX). After a number of work projects around the church to improve the general maintenance of the building, the congregation began to experience growth and continues to grow today.
During the Fall of 1995 Chris returned to youth ministry with a call to Greenwood Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Chris served two years at Greenwood Baptist Church where he began to develop a Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry. Unaware of Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose-Driven Church,” Chris began to develop a purpose statement and brochure for Greenwood’s youth group. The purposes were: evangelism, build unity, teach the Bible, fellowship, grow, missions, serve others, and worship. It wasn’t until 1998 with the release of the Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry by Doug Fields that Chris realized he had duplicated some of the purposes and then refined the purposes in his youth ministry to reach, build, teach, serve, and glorify. Chris often jokes that he has been doing Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry before he knew what Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry was.
During the Fall of 1997 Chris was given his first opportunity to serve full-time in ministry as the Minister of Youth & Education at Hawesville Baptist Church. Although Greenwood had doubled Chris’ salary during the summer of 1997, it was with the understanding that he would return to part-time pay in the fall. With the offer to begin full-time ministry at Hawesville Baptist Church; Chris, Cheryl, and Carson moved to Hawesville, Kentucky. It was during Chris’ ministry at Hawesville that he developed comprehensive programming that matched the Purpose-Driven model. During Chris’ five years at HBC, nearly a dozen teenagers accepted a call into ministry. Some have become worship leaders, youth pastors, church planters, and one served with Chris in North Carolina as the church’s graphic artist and web-designer. Chris and the youth group of HBC were featured in the state’s Baptist newspaper, The Western Recorder, as well as Growing Church Magazine for being one of the fastest growing youth groups in Kentucky.
In late 2001, Chris accepted a call to serve as Youth Pastor at Christ Community Church north of Charlotte, North Carolina. CCC was already being recognized as one of the fastest growing Southern Baptist Churches in North Carolina based upon attendance and baptisms. Though the youth group at Christ Community was considerably smaller than HBC, it didn’t remain that way. The youth group at Christ Community Church grew to minister to over 350 students on an annual basis with approximately 150-200 students involved on a weekly basis through weekend worship services and small groups. Chris gave oversight to three ministries at Christ Community Church as the Lead Pastor of Children, Youth, and Young Adult Ministries. The church was running 600 in 2002 and reached 1600 by 2008.
After serving twenty years in ministry, most of which was with students, Pastor Chris transitioned into the role of Executive Pastor at Christ Community Church. As the Executive Pastor, he was responsible for executing the vision of the church and providing leadership in the daily management of all church staff. He was responsible to lead the staff and church in planning, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive plan of business operations for the church; providing direct oversight to the pastoral staff, Office Manager, Finance Manager, and Facilities Manager.
In 2014, Pastor Chris accepted the call to serve as Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Mount Sterling, Kentucky. While in Kentucky, Pastor Chris served on the Kentucky Baptist Convention's Mission Board where he partnered with others on the Evangelism & Church Planting Team. Multiply East Kentucky is a KBC effort to plant more churches throughout the eastern part of the state. Pastor Chris also served through the Central Kentucky Network of Baptists in developing revitalization efforts among Kentucky churches.
He now serves as the Lead Pastor of Grace Point Church of Lake Norman, North Carolina. Grace Point is a community of believers who have covenanted together to fulfill the Great Commission in the Lake Norman area and to the nations. The mission statement of Grace Point states, "Where the Gospel Meets Life." Pastor Chris explains that the name of the church "Grace Point" references the intersection of the Great Commission (cf. Matthew 28:16-20) and the Great Commandment (cf. Matthew 22:36-40). The Great Commission is to make disciples by proclaiming the Gospel. The Great Commandment is to love God and love others. This is the heartbeat of the church and the pastors.
Educational Bio
While working as the full-time Student Pastor of Christ Community Church in Huntersville, Chris was able to complete his Bachelor of Science in Religion through Liberty University with an emphasis in Biblical Studies and Theology. Chris graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 grade point average. He has a Master of Divinity through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministries. He also earned his Doctor of Ministry degree through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and graduated with High Distinction (4.0 GPA). His doctoral thesis provided six solutions for the three categorical reasons that young adults are dropping out of church.
Arkhitekton: The Call to Church Planting
It’s the dream of every architect. It was certainly my dream: to move to the city and contribute to the city’s skyline. My calling was clear at the ripe age of six. It was 1978 when I came home from kindergarten and asked my mom, “What do you call a person who designs buildings?” She responded, “An architect.” I declared with emphatic determination, “That’s what I’m going to be.” I never wavered from that calling.
As a child, city skylines mesmerized me. They still do. I remember when our family would travel during the summer months and I anticipated that moment when from a great distance you could see the city skyline. I watched in anticipation to see the “Batman building” as we approached Nashville. I remember my first visit to Sears Tower in Chicago. I could have spent days in the observation deck. I remember placing my hand on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Lexington’s view of the “blue building” with its glowing blue light as seen from a distance on Richmond Road has always been one of my favorites. There is always something invigorating each time I see a city skyline. Every city that I have visited since my childhood has made an indelible imprint on my memory.
Architecture even impacted my creative play as a child. Lego, Erector Sets, or any other toy that gave expression to my creativity was among my favorite toys. These toys allowed me to imagine what could be and then create what my mind had envisioned. By the time I was in middle and high school, my calling as an architect only grew more steadfast. It was during this time that my teachers recognized my resolve to pursue this career and some of them helped me develop a path to that end. One of my teachers gave me a list of the top architecture schools in the United States that were fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. The University of Kentucky was one of the best schools of architecture and was my top choice. Everything was falling into place exactly as I had hoped.
In the late eighties and early nineties, the College of Architecture at the University of Kentucky had a strict acceptance program. Students couldn’t simply declare Architecture as their major. Instead, they must be accepted into the program through an examination process that involved creativity, artistry, design, mathematics, critical thinking skills, and so forth. Once each year, prospective students from all over the world came to the University of Kentucky to participate in their all-day architecture exam for entrance. Waiting for the results of this entrance exam was more intense than acceptance to the university. The packet finally arrived. It was a congratulatory letter that informed me that I was accepted among the top 10%. The years of preparation were paying off.
Before I continue, it’s important to note that there was one major change in my life that occurred between my kindergarten calling as an architect in 1978 and my high school graduation of 1990. It was the summer of 1987; I gave my life to Christ. My life was transformed. Commitments are one of my high core values. Perhaps that goes without saying since I committed to architecture at such a young age.
During my sophomore year at the University of Kentucky, I grew miserable doing what I loved. It’s difficult to explain. How can I be so despondent? I knew that God was calling me into ministry, but architecture had been my plan since kindergarten! One of the most difficult obstacles for me to overcome was my own pride. How can I abandon something that I had been working toward for so long? How can I tell those teachers who invested heavily into my plans for a career in architecture? How can I tell my soon-to-be fiancé; who by the way was the daughter of a pastor and insisted that she would never marry a pastor! I remember feeling as though God had pulled the rug out from underneath me. The blueprint for my life was changing. How could it not? I was continuing my plan toward architecture without consideration of God’s plan for my life. I made the mistake that many Christians make, creating a dichotomy between my faith and my daily life.
The affirmation of God’s call on my life to ministry came with the utmost clarity. I was reading what would become my life verse: 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” It stood out to me as never before. God was using terms that connected my heart and my brain in such a way that was undeniable. The Greek word translated in this passage as “master builder” is arkhitekton, from which we get the word architect. Could this be? Has God been preparing me for something far greater than temporal buildings of brick and mortar? Was my kindergarten calling to architecture all part of God’s plan? I believe it was. From that day forward I never questioned God’s call on my life to the gospel ministry. God was calling me to be an architect to help others build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ.
As I prepared to share God’s call on my life to ministry with those I was certain to disappoint with the news, I had to swallow my own pride. It wasn’t that I expected them to be disappointed in my call to ministry, but disappointed in the abandonment of a career in architecture. As I shared the news that God had called me into ministry, it was not met with surprise or disappointment. Instead, it seemed like a secret that everyone else knew except me! After sharing the news of God’s call, one responded, “I thought you were going to share some news with me? I’ve known God was calling you to ministry for a long time.” God used those conversations to once again affirm His call on my life to ministry.
Perhaps no conversation was more affirming than that of Cheryl. After all, she was the one that declared she would never marry a pastor. Would this be the deal-breaker? God would certainly not call me into ministry, and not at the same time call my future bride to the unique role of pastor’s wife. As will prove to be the case throughout our marriage, she was always one step ahead of me in discerning God’s will. The news was no surprise to her; she was simply waiting for me to catch up.
Through my years of ministry, God has used the skills that He has given me for His Kingdom work. Architects have a God-given ability to envision something that doesn’t exist, develop a strategic plan, and guide the process to see it come to life.
My first visit to the Charlotte – Lake Norman area was in 2001. I would spend the next thirteen years of ministry here. I would discover that God not only calls you to ministry and to a specific church, but He also calls you to a community. As I reflect on my years of vocational ministry (since 1993), I believe God has been preparing me for a specific work. My years as a Student Pastor, Executive Pastor, and Lead Pastor have each prepared me for the culmination of what God has called me to do: plant a church!
As a pastor, each time God calls you to a work, it is met with an opportunity for faith. It is at this intersection of calling and faith that will determine if we enter into God’s blessing or spend years wandering in the wilderness. The greater the calling, the greater faith will be required. Planting a new church is a high calling that will require matched faith.
As an architect, I still have a dream to contribute to the skyline. However, the skyline is not one of tall buildings but the Kingdom of God. It’s a skyline where heaven and earth meet, a place where the divine and humanity are united in Christ, a place where the gospel and life come together, … a grace point.
As a child, city skylines mesmerized me. They still do. I remember when our family would travel during the summer months and I anticipated that moment when from a great distance you could see the city skyline. I watched in anticipation to see the “Batman building” as we approached Nashville. I remember my first visit to Sears Tower in Chicago. I could have spent days in the observation deck. I remember placing my hand on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Lexington’s view of the “blue building” with its glowing blue light as seen from a distance on Richmond Road has always been one of my favorites. There is always something invigorating each time I see a city skyline. Every city that I have visited since my childhood has made an indelible imprint on my memory.
Architecture even impacted my creative play as a child. Lego, Erector Sets, or any other toy that gave expression to my creativity was among my favorite toys. These toys allowed me to imagine what could be and then create what my mind had envisioned. By the time I was in middle and high school, my calling as an architect only grew more steadfast. It was during this time that my teachers recognized my resolve to pursue this career and some of them helped me develop a path to that end. One of my teachers gave me a list of the top architecture schools in the United States that were fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. The University of Kentucky was one of the best schools of architecture and was my top choice. Everything was falling into place exactly as I had hoped.
In the late eighties and early nineties, the College of Architecture at the University of Kentucky had a strict acceptance program. Students couldn’t simply declare Architecture as their major. Instead, they must be accepted into the program through an examination process that involved creativity, artistry, design, mathematics, critical thinking skills, and so forth. Once each year, prospective students from all over the world came to the University of Kentucky to participate in their all-day architecture exam for entrance. Waiting for the results of this entrance exam was more intense than acceptance to the university. The packet finally arrived. It was a congratulatory letter that informed me that I was accepted among the top 10%. The years of preparation were paying off.
Before I continue, it’s important to note that there was one major change in my life that occurred between my kindergarten calling as an architect in 1978 and my high school graduation of 1990. It was the summer of 1987; I gave my life to Christ. My life was transformed. Commitments are one of my high core values. Perhaps that goes without saying since I committed to architecture at such a young age.
During my sophomore year at the University of Kentucky, I grew miserable doing what I loved. It’s difficult to explain. How can I be so despondent? I knew that God was calling me into ministry, but architecture had been my plan since kindergarten! One of the most difficult obstacles for me to overcome was my own pride. How can I abandon something that I had been working toward for so long? How can I tell those teachers who invested heavily into my plans for a career in architecture? How can I tell my soon-to-be fiancé; who by the way was the daughter of a pastor and insisted that she would never marry a pastor! I remember feeling as though God had pulled the rug out from underneath me. The blueprint for my life was changing. How could it not? I was continuing my plan toward architecture without consideration of God’s plan for my life. I made the mistake that many Christians make, creating a dichotomy between my faith and my daily life.
The affirmation of God’s call on my life to ministry came with the utmost clarity. I was reading what would become my life verse: 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” It stood out to me as never before. God was using terms that connected my heart and my brain in such a way that was undeniable. The Greek word translated in this passage as “master builder” is arkhitekton, from which we get the word architect. Could this be? Has God been preparing me for something far greater than temporal buildings of brick and mortar? Was my kindergarten calling to architecture all part of God’s plan? I believe it was. From that day forward I never questioned God’s call on my life to the gospel ministry. God was calling me to be an architect to help others build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ.
As I prepared to share God’s call on my life to ministry with those I was certain to disappoint with the news, I had to swallow my own pride. It wasn’t that I expected them to be disappointed in my call to ministry, but disappointed in the abandonment of a career in architecture. As I shared the news that God had called me into ministry, it was not met with surprise or disappointment. Instead, it seemed like a secret that everyone else knew except me! After sharing the news of God’s call, one responded, “I thought you were going to share some news with me? I’ve known God was calling you to ministry for a long time.” God used those conversations to once again affirm His call on my life to ministry.
Perhaps no conversation was more affirming than that of Cheryl. After all, she was the one that declared she would never marry a pastor. Would this be the deal-breaker? God would certainly not call me into ministry, and not at the same time call my future bride to the unique role of pastor’s wife. As will prove to be the case throughout our marriage, she was always one step ahead of me in discerning God’s will. The news was no surprise to her; she was simply waiting for me to catch up.
Through my years of ministry, God has used the skills that He has given me for His Kingdom work. Architects have a God-given ability to envision something that doesn’t exist, develop a strategic plan, and guide the process to see it come to life.
My first visit to the Charlotte – Lake Norman area was in 2001. I would spend the next thirteen years of ministry here. I would discover that God not only calls you to ministry and to a specific church, but He also calls you to a community. As I reflect on my years of vocational ministry (since 1993), I believe God has been preparing me for a specific work. My years as a Student Pastor, Executive Pastor, and Lead Pastor have each prepared me for the culmination of what God has called me to do: plant a church!
As a pastor, each time God calls you to a work, it is met with an opportunity for faith. It is at this intersection of calling and faith that will determine if we enter into God’s blessing or spend years wandering in the wilderness. The greater the calling, the greater faith will be required. Planting a new church is a high calling that will require matched faith.
As an architect, I still have a dream to contribute to the skyline. However, the skyline is not one of tall buildings but the Kingdom of God. It’s a skyline where heaven and earth meet, a place where the divine and humanity are united in Christ, a place where the gospel and life come together, … a grace point.
