Three years ago, Harvest Valley Church was a dream—a vision—to reach the people of Horace, North Dakota. From humble beginnings meeting in coffee shops to forming small groups to using a “portable” approach from week to week, the church has grown to nearly 500 people as it approaches its third anniversary.
How does a church like this start right and grow in a healthy way? In this episode, Erika speaks with Peter Olson, the executive pastor of Harvest Valley (and a Church Law podcast listener!). The two talk about the fundamental importance of good pre-launch planning and organization, the creation of good governing documents, and the filings with the secretary of state and Internal Revenue Service that develop good order. 
They also talk about key spiritual components to starting a church. Understanding vision and mission, following the way of Jesus, and embracing the value of consistently asking questions—of staff, of volunteers, and of congregants.
The result? “A lot of learning, a lot of learning, and a lot of learning,” Olson observes. And recognizing that faithful obedience—not just numerical growth—should be the first priority. 
A Special Offer for Our Podcast Listeners!
As a special thank-you to our loyal podcast listeners, we’re offering an exclusive 20-percent discount on registration for the 17th annual Church Compliance Conference, a virtual event on September 19, 2024.
Simply use the discount code PODCAST at checkout, or, use these links to the discounted registration pages:

All Access Group Ticket

Individual Ticket + Companion Guide and Conference Replay

Single Admission


Show Notes


Church Governance, by Richard R. Hammar


Pastor, Church & Law, Fifth Edition, by Richard R. Hammar

Download your FREE copy of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System document checklist here, and check out Episode 29 (“Using a Legal Audit to Position Your Church for the Long Haul”) to learn about the importance of a legal audit for your church.


Questions? Comments? We welcome them! Please contact Erika Cole at erikacole.com. Erika reads each comment and may answer your question in an upcoming episode.
See all episodes of Church Law.
The Church Law podcast is part of Gloo LLC’s ChurchLawAndTax.com.Erika E. Cole, Esq., known as The Church Attorney®, is the creator of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System, a proprietary legal audit process that helps church leaders be confident they are operating with integrity, and avoiding costly risks. She serves a
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