About Us

We help pastors move from managing institutions to pioneering movements of disciples and simple churches in their cities.

Leadership Team

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Neal Karsten

Neal has been walking a journey of intentional disciple and simple church multiplying since 2013. He has been on this journey with his wife, Sara, and three daughters. Along the way Neal has learned a lot through trying, falling down, reorienting, and trying again. There has been a lot of refinement, and by the grace of God, a work has emerged throughout Michigan. From this movement, seeds have been sown into other cities, states, and countries. He realizes working toward multiplication is a journey for everyone. It’s not a cookie cutter process, and Neal believes it’s an honor to walk with pastors as we hear from God and do what He says.

Britton Smith

Britton has been pioneering a simple church and discipleship movement in West Michigan since 2013. Most of that time overlapped with being a senior pastor in a growing traditional church. He now only operates in and shepherds the church that meets in homes. Britton has a passion for helping the church live into all that she is called to be according to the Word. He loves to help pastors in traditional churches see their call from the Word in fresh ways. Britton is married to Michelle, who has a heart for walking with pastors’ spouses. They have three boys who they love watching grow into active participants in the family of God.

Matt Schneider

Matt is a movement pioneer laboring in Springfield, Massachusetts and throughout New England. He started intentionally working to see movements in 2019. Before going into this work, Matt was in traditional pastoral ministry for 10 years. Besides his work in New England, he also coaches other leaders throughout North America. Matt’s dream is to see another Great Awakening with the hopes that it is the final one before Jesus returns. Investing in pioneering leaders who take ownership of their cities is his main strategy for seeing that vision fulfilled. Matt is also married to Hawley, and they have four children who are their primary mission field.

Coaches

All of our coaches were pastors in traditional church system and felt the same frustrations and desires as you. 

They have switched to a simpler way of being the church without compromising Scripture or their calling. 

They have helped many pastors like you do the same, and they are seeing fruit.

Invest in Our Mission

All giving to Pastor to Pioneer is handled through Biglife. To invest in our mission, click the link below. Thank you!

Questions Pastors Usually ask

Let’s connect. Even if the Pastor to Pioneer training isn’t right for you, we are able to train you on how to make disciples and start simple churches. We are in relationship with a lot of people around the world making disciples and being the church in simple ways. We can connect you with them for training.

No. If you are content with how things are going in your church and your role as a pastor, keep going! Keep serving the Lord faithfully there, but this training most likely isn’t right for you. If you are a pastor who has a discontentment in your heart and wants to explore a different way to shepherd God’s people and be the church, then we might be able to help. 

We highly recommend you go through coaching with your spouse if you are married. It helps you stay connected on the journey as you are talking and processing things together. Many coaches do the coaching with their spouse.

There is no monetary cost to the training. 

No, we are not part of a denomination. We train and coach pastors and ministry leaders from a wide spectrum of denominational backgrounds.

All of us at Pastor to Pioneer came to know the Lord through the traditional church. We have had powerful encounters with God through the traditional church, and we are grateful for it! While our methods look different than many church structures, we are more concerned about biblical principles than a particular model. We base our training on biblical principles of what it means to be a disciple, the church, and a church leader. While specific models come and go, we do think certain models are better at achieving desired outcomes. We don’t think the model we use is the only one, but it is a helpful way to live faithfully into biblical principles.

Contact Us

If you would like to be in touch, email us by clicking below.