OVERVIEW

 

We announced on January 9, 2022 that over the next three years, Brian Blum will become the Senior Pastor of the Zero Collective and David Doerner will become Frontline’s new Lead Pastor. We can’t be more excited for what God has in store for the Zero Collective and Frontline as we seek to humbly follow where He is leading.

Watch the May 2023 Transition Celebration

Watch David’s April 2023 Transition Update.

Watch David’s February 2023 Transition Update.

Watch Brian’s October 2022 Transition Update.

 

WHAT IS THE ZERO COLLECTIVE?

The Zero Collective is currently a group of four churches in the Grand Rapids area that are on mission together to see “Zero people unchanged by Jesus.” The Collective provides discipleship, collaboration, and administrative resources to those churches so they can be empowered to make disciples and expand God’s mission in our region.

ZERO needs among us

ZERO lost people

ZERO unconnected people

ZERO gods before him

ZERO unfulfilled callings

THE STORY BEHIND BRIAN AND DAVID’S TRANSITION

While on a study break on June 26, 2020, Brian was spending time in prayer and felt like God told him that in one year, we would name David Doerner as Lead Pastor of Frontline and Brian would step into the role of Senior Pastor of the Zero Collective, beginning a 3-year transition process for both of them. Brian asked God for confirmation and committed to sharing it with no one but his wife, Kerry, and wrote it down in his journal and waited for confirmation.

On September 24, 2020, David returned from a prayer retreat with 8 other Wesleyan pastors. David had a recording of the four people that prayed over him, and when Brian checked in with him after the retreat, David shared that there was only one thing that was said that didn’t make sense to him. At one point, one of the men said, “I’m telling you, son, go to the Frontline, go to the Frontline, go to the Frontline.”

When David played that clip for Brian, Brian opened up his journal and shared with David what God had put on his heart three months earlier. Brian then began the process of seeking confirmation from the Zero Collective Leadership Team and the Lead Pastors from the other churches in the Zero Collective, ultimately and unanimously agreeing that God was leading us into this next chapter as Frontline and the Zero Collective.

Brian sees this next chapter as a continuation of God’s calling on his life. He is not leaving Frontline, but will begin to play a different role with Frontline. As Brian has shared many times, this is a significant “yes before how” season and is requiring him to continue to trust God as he takes a large faith step these next few years.

 

What does this transition NOT mean?

  1. There is no scandal or cover-up whatsoever. We truly believe God is in this and has orchestrated every step and confirmed it along the way. There is nothing going on “behind the scenes” that we haven’t disclosed.

  2. This is not about the pandemic. Frontline is in one of the healthiest places it has ever been, and we believe God is calling Brian to step into a higher-impact role by investing in more Lead Pastors through the Zero Collective.

  3. This also has nothing to do with Brian’s cancer or treatment. Brian is currently in remission and continues to get regular screenings. He is healthy and excited about an even greater challenge that he believes God is calling him to step into.

What does this mean for Frontline?

  1. There is not much that will be changing during the first year of this transition. Brian will remain as Lead Pastor of Frontline and will continue to preach the same amount in 2022. After this first year, however, Brian will begin preaching less at Frontline and David will begin preaching more.

  2. Over the next three years, Brian will continue to stay invested here at Frontline. He and his family will continue to attend Frontline as their home church, but his new role will allow him to oversee David as well as the other Lead Pastors in the Zero Collective. The staff and ministry here at Frontline will eventually report to David and the expression and methods of Frontline will eventually change, but the vision and values that Frontline has been built on will not.

  3. There are many staff at Frontline right now who are playing “double roles” here at Frontline as well as with the Zero Collective. Over this next transition, those roles will be more defined and there will be roles created within the Zero Collective that serve all of the churches, but Frontline will also eventually receive a staff that is fully devoted and dedicated to Frontline specifically.

 

BRIAN’S MESSAGE TO FRONTLINE

 
 

“I just want to thank you all for your support and prayer. This will not be a sudden change, but a process that will take place over the next three years. None of this would be possible if Frontline wasn’t such a healthy, mission-focused church that cares about reaching more people for Christ.

I am so excited about my role as Senior Pastor of the Zero Collective because it is an extension and expression of the DNA and vision that God has given Frontline over the last 22 years. It is such a blessing to me that I get to share in this with all of you and we get to see the Kingdom impact multiply in our community and so many others.

I believe God has called David and his family here to Frontline and God has been preparing David for this time and role. He is actually the same age now as I was when I first took over as Lead Pastor of Frontline. Please love him and his family the same way that you have loved me these past few years. I absolutely love being your pastor and want you to know that you will continue to be loved and led well in the future.”

 
 

BRIAN’S NEW ROLE WITH THE ZERO COLLECTIVE

 

  1. For those that have asked what Brian’s new role will entail, there are three significant pieces we’d love to highlight. The first is expanding the Zero Collective. This will include connecting with other churches and leaders to expand the Gospel impact of the local church. This might include mergers with other churches, church planting, or other partnerships that can continue to multiply Kingdom impact in every context here in West Michigan.

  2. The second significant piece of Brian’s new role will include leading the Zero Collective staff and Leadership Team. This also includes the Lead Pastors of all of the other churches. Because of Brian’s experience in ministry at Frontline and with the Great Lakes Region of the Wesleyan Church, he is best positioned to invest in and coach the Lead Pastors of each church in a mentoring and supervisory role. The purpose of the Zero Collective staff will be to resource each church in the Zero Collective to help them to be as efficient and effective as possible.

  3. The third piece of Brian’s role will be to continue leading the preaching ministry of the Zero Collective. Brian will be a regular presence on stage at all Zero Collective churches and he will continue to oversee sermon series, the development and coaching of the Teaching Team, and the overall theological vision of the Zero Collective.