History of Cultivate
The Birth and History of Cultivate Community Church
Cultivate Community Church was born in the eternal plan of God long before it ever existed in human history. Yet from a human perspective, its story began between 2015–2017 through a friendship between two pastors who regularly met to discuss ministry, life, and the future of their churches. What began as simple conversations eventually became the foundation for a new church family.
Two Seeds Meet
Pastor Ryan O’Malley served as Lead Pastor of Pursuit Community Church, which was planted in 2013, while also working for the Central School District. His greatest passion was preaching the gospel and loving people in the community.
Pastor Dan McMillan became pastor of Central Baptist Church in 2014 after the church had spent several years under interim leadership. After more than 40 years in ministry, Dan faithfully served the congregation and prayed for renewed life and growth within the church.
Ryan and Dan first met while Ryan was helping install flooring in Dan’s home. Through continued interactions in ministry and the community, a friendship quickly developed. Dan admired Ryan’s love for Christ and people, while Ryan deeply appreciated Dan’s pastoral wisdom and often referred to him as “his pastor.”
During many of their conversations, Ryan shared both the joys and challenges of leading an independent church without a permanent home. He also expressed a desire for greater partnership with other churches. Dan often spoke about Central Baptist’s connection to the Northwest Baptist Convention and the wider Southern Baptist family of churches. Those conversations planted important seeds that would later grow into something much larger.
Two Seeds Unite
In the fall of 2017, while praying about the future of Central Baptist Church, Dan sensed God repeatedly bringing Ryan and Pursuit Community Church to mind. He saw a young pastor leading a growing church filled with young families but lacking a permanent home, while Central Baptist had a building and a desire to see new life and ministry flourish. Dan eventually invited Ryan to meet and asked him one important question: would he be willing to pray about merging Pursuit Community Church with Central Baptist and serving together as co-pastors? Ryan responded with excitement and a willingness to pray.
From there, conversations and prayer increased quickly. Ryan and Dan, along with their wives Maggie and Sharon, spent time praying, sharing meals, and discussing what a merged church could look like. They agreed the new church should remain connected to the Southern Baptist family of churches while also functioning autonomously in local ministry.
As prayer continued, trusted leaders from both congregations were invited into the process. Though there were many questions, there was also growing excitement and unity. Bob Barlow and Gary May joined Ryan and Dan in helping guide important decisions, and the circle of prayer expanded to include more ministry leaders and volunteers from both churches.
By early spring of 2018, after months of prayer and confirmation, both congregations were informed that God seemed to be leading them to become “better together.” Pastor swaps, question-and-answer meetings, and fellowship meals followed as the two churches got to know one another. Eventually, both churches voted to move forward with the merger and set June 3, 2018, as the official launch date of the new church.
A New Church Emerges
Many important details still needed attention: new bylaws and incorporation paperwork, building renovations, and most importantly, a new name.
A team from both churches gathered to pray and consider possible names, with more than fifty suggestions submitted. During this same season, Ryan shared that God had placed the name “Cultivate Community Church” on his heart—a name that reflected a desire to cultivate the gospel deeply into the heart of the community.
After prayerful consideration, both congregations affirmed the name Cultivate Community Church. As launch day approached, members from both churches came together weekly for prayer and workdays. Walls were painted, the building exterior was refreshed, decorations were updated, and the former Central Baptist signage was replaced with the new Cultivate name. Pastors Dan, Ryan, and Bob also worked together to develop the church constitution and bylaws that would guide the new congregation moving forward.
Launch Sunday
Sunday, June 3, 2018, became Launch Sunday for Cultivate Community Church. The sanctuary was filled with people celebrating what God had done. Worship, led by Josh Putnam, was filled with praise, Pastor Ryan preached a message centered on Christ as our cornerstone from 1 Peter 2, and the church shared a joyful fellowship meal afterward. Many who had once been strangers now gathered together as one church family.
God Gives Growth Through Faithful People
Cultivate continued to grow throughout 2018 and 2019, eventually expanding to two services. Seth Cole later served as worship leader as the church continued looking ahead with excitement for the future. Over the years, God has faithfully raised up leaders and servants within the church body. In 2022, Shawn Magnuson was affirmed as an Elder in training and later confirmed to the Pastor/Elder team. That same year, Pastor Dan retired from full-time ministry after decades of faithful service, though he continues serving wherever needed. In 2023, Jeff Kershner joined the Pastor/Elder team. Cultivate continues to believe that a plurality of pastors and elders provides healthy leadership and shepherding for the church. God also provided faithful ministry leaders in many areas of church life. Aleisha Preston began serving as part-time worship leader and continues leading a growing worship ministry today. Anthony Preston was called as part-time youth leader and continues faithfully serving students.
The church has also been blessed by many faithful staff members and volunteers through the years, including office managers, children’s ministry leaders, custodians, financial assistants, and countless volunteers who have served behind the scenes in vital ways. There are far too many people to name individually, but Cultivate’s story has always been shaped by ordinary people faithfully serving God and loving His church. As Pastor Dan once prayed for God to fill the building with people of all ages, the Lord answered those prayers in remarkable ways. No one could have imagined all that God would do through a simple friendship, warm conversations, and seeds planted in faith.
God Sends Forth His People
In the spring of 2026, Cultivate entered another important season as Pastor Ryan stepped down after eight years of faithful leadership to pursue God’s calling in church planting and pastor equipping throughout the Northwest with Send Network. Though he will be greatly missed, the church celebrates God’s continued work through Ryan’s ministry and prays for the next chapter of kingdom work ahead of him. At the same time, Cultivate trusts that God is already preparing the next Lead Teaching Pastor who will shepherd the church into the future. As a church family, Cultivate remains committed to prayer, unity, and faithfulness as they prepare to welcome and support their next pastor and his family.
“So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
— Colossians 2:6–7
Cultivate Community Church was born in the eternal plan of God long before it ever existed in human history. Yet from a human perspective, its story began between 2015–2017 through a friendship between two pastors who regularly met to discuss ministry, life, and the future of their churches. What began as simple conversations eventually became the foundation for a new church family.
Two Seeds Meet
Pastor Ryan O’Malley served as Lead Pastor of Pursuit Community Church, which was planted in 2013, while also working for the Central School District. His greatest passion was preaching the gospel and loving people in the community.
Pastor Dan McMillan became pastor of Central Baptist Church in 2014 after the church had spent several years under interim leadership. After more than 40 years in ministry, Dan faithfully served the congregation and prayed for renewed life and growth within the church.
Ryan and Dan first met while Ryan was helping install flooring in Dan’s home. Through continued interactions in ministry and the community, a friendship quickly developed. Dan admired Ryan’s love for Christ and people, while Ryan deeply appreciated Dan’s pastoral wisdom and often referred to him as “his pastor.”
During many of their conversations, Ryan shared both the joys and challenges of leading an independent church without a permanent home. He also expressed a desire for greater partnership with other churches. Dan often spoke about Central Baptist’s connection to the Northwest Baptist Convention and the wider Southern Baptist family of churches. Those conversations planted important seeds that would later grow into something much larger.
Two Seeds Unite
In the fall of 2017, while praying about the future of Central Baptist Church, Dan sensed God repeatedly bringing Ryan and Pursuit Community Church to mind. He saw a young pastor leading a growing church filled with young families but lacking a permanent home, while Central Baptist had a building and a desire to see new life and ministry flourish. Dan eventually invited Ryan to meet and asked him one important question: would he be willing to pray about merging Pursuit Community Church with Central Baptist and serving together as co-pastors? Ryan responded with excitement and a willingness to pray.
From there, conversations and prayer increased quickly. Ryan and Dan, along with their wives Maggie and Sharon, spent time praying, sharing meals, and discussing what a merged church could look like. They agreed the new church should remain connected to the Southern Baptist family of churches while also functioning autonomously in local ministry.
As prayer continued, trusted leaders from both congregations were invited into the process. Though there were many questions, there was also growing excitement and unity. Bob Barlow and Gary May joined Ryan and Dan in helping guide important decisions, and the circle of prayer expanded to include more ministry leaders and volunteers from both churches.
By early spring of 2018, after months of prayer and confirmation, both congregations were informed that God seemed to be leading them to become “better together.” Pastor swaps, question-and-answer meetings, and fellowship meals followed as the two churches got to know one another. Eventually, both churches voted to move forward with the merger and set June 3, 2018, as the official launch date of the new church.
A New Church Emerges
Many important details still needed attention: new bylaws and incorporation paperwork, building renovations, and most importantly, a new name.
A team from both churches gathered to pray and consider possible names, with more than fifty suggestions submitted. During this same season, Ryan shared that God had placed the name “Cultivate Community Church” on his heart—a name that reflected a desire to cultivate the gospel deeply into the heart of the community.
After prayerful consideration, both congregations affirmed the name Cultivate Community Church. As launch day approached, members from both churches came together weekly for prayer and workdays. Walls were painted, the building exterior was refreshed, decorations were updated, and the former Central Baptist signage was replaced with the new Cultivate name. Pastors Dan, Ryan, and Bob also worked together to develop the church constitution and bylaws that would guide the new congregation moving forward.
Launch Sunday
Sunday, June 3, 2018, became Launch Sunday for Cultivate Community Church. The sanctuary was filled with people celebrating what God had done. Worship, led by Josh Putnam, was filled with praise, Pastor Ryan preached a message centered on Christ as our cornerstone from 1 Peter 2, and the church shared a joyful fellowship meal afterward. Many who had once been strangers now gathered together as one church family.
God Gives Growth Through Faithful People
Cultivate continued to grow throughout 2018 and 2019, eventually expanding to two services. Seth Cole later served as worship leader as the church continued looking ahead with excitement for the future. Over the years, God has faithfully raised up leaders and servants within the church body. In 2022, Shawn Magnuson was affirmed as an Elder in training and later confirmed to the Pastor/Elder team. That same year, Pastor Dan retired from full-time ministry after decades of faithful service, though he continues serving wherever needed. In 2023, Jeff Kershner joined the Pastor/Elder team. Cultivate continues to believe that a plurality of pastors and elders provides healthy leadership and shepherding for the church. God also provided faithful ministry leaders in many areas of church life. Aleisha Preston began serving as part-time worship leader and continues leading a growing worship ministry today. Anthony Preston was called as part-time youth leader and continues faithfully serving students.
The church has also been blessed by many faithful staff members and volunteers through the years, including office managers, children’s ministry leaders, custodians, financial assistants, and countless volunteers who have served behind the scenes in vital ways. There are far too many people to name individually, but Cultivate’s story has always been shaped by ordinary people faithfully serving God and loving His church. As Pastor Dan once prayed for God to fill the building with people of all ages, the Lord answered those prayers in remarkable ways. No one could have imagined all that God would do through a simple friendship, warm conversations, and seeds planted in faith.
God Sends Forth His People
In the spring of 2026, Cultivate entered another important season as Pastor Ryan stepped down after eight years of faithful leadership to pursue God’s calling in church planting and pastor equipping throughout the Northwest with Send Network. Though he will be greatly missed, the church celebrates God’s continued work through Ryan’s ministry and prays for the next chapter of kingdom work ahead of him. At the same time, Cultivate trusts that God is already preparing the next Lead Teaching Pastor who will shepherd the church into the future. As a church family, Cultivate remains committed to prayer, unity, and faithfulness as they prepare to welcome and support their next pastor and his family.
“So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
— Colossians 2:6–7
