Welcome, Dustin Hunt

PCPC welcomes Dustin Hunt, our new Pastor of Church Planting. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Southwest Church Planting Network (SWCPN) and has just moved from New Mexico to Dallas! Dustin has been called to make a generational impact for the Kingdom of God. A man after God’s own heart, Dustin wants to be part of a story to build churches where there are none. He dreams of the next five, ten, or twenty years in which Christians will be worshiping, and non-Christians will be baptized in places where there were no churches before. But he won’t do it alone. 

Dustin is the third Director of the Network, which has existed for 27 years. From Yuma, Arizona, to Springfield, Missouri, the Southwest is now “one of the fastest-growing and most spiritually diverse regions in the country,” according to the Network. By God’s strength and grace, the Network has planted over 108 churches and 26 Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) chapters to date. 

Church Planting Needs

Before moving to Dallas, Dustin spoke with PCPC staff about the current needs of the Network. In an interview, Dustin stated that the Network is “collectively reimagining what our future could be together….Fifteen years ago, the church planting environment looked different from what it is today. Back then, you had guys graduating from seminary who wanted to go plant churches, but now that pipeline has started to dry up. The biggest crisis we face now is the lack of future leaders and the lack of a strong pastoral pipeline. We are having to take a lot more time with future pastors to train them to go plant churches and RUFs.” 

To address the pipeline issue, the Network is working on two tracks — one track would raise up leaders from local churches with residency programs for current seminary students, and another track would take individuals who have already graduated from seminary and provide them with church planting skills. Either way, the goal would be to have “pastors who are known, supported, and strengthened over decades of ministry,” said Dustin. “We are praying for the courage to plant in cities where the barriers feel high, and the costs feel daunting. And we are asking the Lord to knit our churches together in trust and shared mission so that the burden and the joy are carried together.”

Getting to Know Dustin

Dustin’s family includes his wife of 14 years, Annie, and three children — Jayden, Owen, and Claire. Dustin and Annie met as high school sweethearts and always called the desert home prior to their move to Texas. Annie was born in Englewood, Colorado, but moved to New Mexico at age one. Dustin was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico. 

What are some other fun facts about Dustin?

• Dustin is a big St. Louis Cardinals fan and “could get excited about the Mavs.”

• Dustin sang classical opera at New Mexico State University as a baritone. He loves nearly any genre of music except country. 

• Dustin loves hiking, biking, and the outdoors. In New Mexico, he lived just 15 minutes from a mountain range.

• Dustin’s first job out of college was at the White Sands Missile Range.

Prayer Requests: How can the PCPC congregation be praying for Dustin and the Network? 

• “Let’s dream big prayers together. Pray for God to do the unthinkable!” said Dustin. The Session of PCPC has asked Dustin to create a 2050 vision for the Network, asking questions like — Where could things be by 2050? 

• Pray for opportunities to plant a PCA church south of downtown Dallas.

• Pray for Dustin and his family during this transition.

• Pray for the Network’s board retreat in August as they work on mission, values, and strategic planning. 

• Pray for the Network as it prepares to host a joint conference with REACH South Texas in September in Austin to focus on training and residency programs. 

Dustin reminds us that “The chief goal of planting a church is to see a community flourish and to see lives changed by Jesus. That’s the exciting reality!” 

At PCPC, we “take seriously the Great Commission, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations.’ In this way, we seek to ‘extend the transforming presence of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.’” Towards this end, please pray for church planting in our region for the glory of God. Thank you for your prayers, generosity, and encouragement as we welcome Dustin and his family. We are so thankful they’ve chosen to join our church family at PCPC! Please greet Dustin warmly when you see him, and be sure to join us on Sunday, August 30, for Dustin’s Installation (during the worship services) and Welcome Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall!