Seattle Church planting


So, the need in the Puget Sound is great, overwhelming even! How do you decide where to partner? Or perhaps you just want to be involved on a larger scale. The Seattle Church Planting team does everything they can to assist new church planters to find the community to which they are called, and to resource and equip them to effectively do their God-given task. SCP’s primary focus area is from the Canadian border in the north to Tumwater (Olympia) in the south, but they are also assisting new church plants across North America, in areas like eastern Washington, Oregon, Montana, Hawaii, Indianapolis, and Vancouver, BC (to name a few). Please contact Gary or Natalie (see below) for help in finding the right church plant, or to partner with Seattle Church Planting overall.


Giving circledollar 

About the Irbys

Gary Irby
Church Planting Director
425.640.3676 email 

Gary Irby is the Director of Seattle Church Planting and Northwest Baptist Church Planting (www.nwbaptistplanting.com). He has helped start multiple churches through his work as a church planter (in Washington and Oregon), staff member, mentor, supervisor, consultant, and Church Planting Director. Gary caught a personal vision for church planting when God made it clear that He wants us to do more than addition. “Gary, you’ve been adding. It’s time to start multiplying.”


Gary leads the Northwest Church Planting Coalition comprised of church planting leaders for more than 15 denominations and networks. He has also written and presents around North America the Network Leader School for those who want to start or enhance a church planting network.


Gary and his wife, Joyce, were high school sweethearts and have been married for over 30 years. They have four awesome children: Randi, Nathan, Austin, and Kendall; a fantastic daughter-in-law and son-in-law: Joanna and Justin; and three amazing grandchildren: Lily, Wyatt, and Tristan.

about the hammonds

Natalie Hammond
Church Planting Administrator
425.640.3676 email  


Natalie Hammond serves as the Church Planting Administrator for the Northwest Baptist Convention. She is gifted in administration and her passion is to assist Gary and the church plants in their work of furthering the kingdom of God. She and her husband, Brian, are Northwesterners with a heartbeat for seeing the Puget Sound reached with the love of Christ. They have two adorable children, Joshua and Abigail.