New church start Valley Church on its way to self-sufficiency in 2011

The Rev. Matt Bistayi (left) interacting with young adults at Valley Church.

By RJ Walters, Editor

The Rev. Matt Bistayi is the kind of guy who isn’t afraid to say he’s wrong and you’re right.

He’s the type of team player every coach would pick first.

And he’s thrilled to be spreading the gospel in a place where he finds people “searching for something more” as they endure the struggles of everyday life.

Based on the community being built at the Valley Church in Allendale less than 20 months into the new church start, the fruits of his engaging labor are evident.

The West Michigan Conference church plant is averaging 120-140 adults in worship each week, with 30-40 kids tagging along each Sunday.

Valley Church is comfortably meeting benchmarks set forth by the conference with the counsel of their Director of New Church Development Barb Flory and Bistayi said the church has high hopes of being self-sufficient and accommodating 150-200 regular worshippers by year’s end.

District Superintendent Laurie Haller said the 39-year old Bistayi not only has a certain “It” quality needed to succeed as a church planter, he is also extremely teachable.

“That is a great gift because if something doesn’t work Matt will try something else,” she said. “If I see something or Barb Flory sees something or (the Rev.) Brad Kalajainen (of Cornerstone Church) sees something that he’s not doing that maybe he should (Matt) isn’t defensive, he doesn’t say he knows it all and he’s very open.”

Haller said his out-going personality draws in young families and young adults and he is committed to studying new church techniques and taking risks.

Bistayi has leaned on the spiritual influence of small ‘house churches’ — groups of churchgoers who meet regularly and engage in service opportunities together — and he has attempted to cater to the college students at Grand Valley State, while trying to stay transparent about where the church is financially and what the future may hold.

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Cool enough to be different, passionate enough to be real: Valley Church starts up with foundations of outreach and diversity

By RJ Walters, Editor

Check out Valley Church's website here.

Valley Church does not have the word Methodist in its title, but digging deeper, people might just see the shadow of John Wesley outlining lead pastor Matt Bistayi.

Focused on creating a new worship community centered on the motto, “For God. For People. For Change.” the 38-year old is pounding the pavement in the Grand Rapids area to fester authentic Godly relationships, regardless of a person’s background or political stance.

Located just minutes from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, in the same building as Byron Bank, Bistayi and his wife Shellie seem to be right on the money with the principles they are using as they live out what Matt calls his “God dream.”

Opening the door of possibilities
When the Bistayi’s moved from Bronson, Mich. in July 2009, where Matt was a lead pastor, it seemed like a natural progression.

Bistayi’s father Joe was a United Methodist pastor for 35 years, Matt has always felt called to open up new opportunities for people, and he even founded the UnLeashed Conference to nurture Michigan’s 20 to 30somethings who have leadership potential.

“This was natural, this was logical, it was a ‘God thing.’ That’s why it’s so hard for me to talk about, because how can you put something like that into words?” he said. “Sometimes I think my words mess it all up.”

His words have been the genesis of this new church as well though.

He started by creating what he calls his “mobile office” at Biggby Coffee, where he would pass out business cards and let locals know a new church was in town.

What he found out is the Grand Rapids area is quite “churched”, but many people are looking for new faith adventures and ideas.

One of the keys to getting a new church started on the right foot, in Bistayi’s opinion, is identifying a core group of people with leadership potential.

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