Meet Pastor Doug Beutler

Founder of Seeds of Change

Pastor of Lifewater community church in fort wayne, indiana

-32 years Pastoral Experience

-27 years experience as a small church pastor

-Planted 2 churches

-The church he is pastoring helped plant 2 additional churches and a satellite campus

-Youth Pastor in a church of 1,000 people

-COO of a multi-million dollar nonprofit organization

-Was a Co-vocational pastor for 9 years

-Navigated a church merger

-Started a daycare center to help with income for the church

-Started a personal farming business to help with income limitations

-Married for 43 years, 5 children, & 13 grandchildren

In 2024, we sensed God moving once again. While Kim and I continued pastoring at LifeWater, we began to feel a new call stirring within us—a fresh direction, yet still connected to our current ministry. During the pandemic, I had been coaching and consulting with church planters, and it became increasingly clear that small church pastors were struggling. Many were exhausted, discouraged, and isolated, with little support available to them.

In response, in April, I launched a new ministry called “Seeds of Change.” This network is dedicated exclusively to helping small church pastors collaborate, encourage one another, and receive training in building disciple-making movements within their congregations. It also offers access to coaching and practical resources.

2025 has been an incredible year of growth and recognition for Seeds of Change. Our network of small churches has expanded to include 22 member churches, each committed to advancing the mission of disciple-making and impacting their communities.

This year also marked a new season of collaboration. Seeds of Change was invited to join a regional disciple-making movement, which has since grown into the Fort Wayne Disciple-Makers Collective—a partnership uniting leaders and ministries around a shared vision to see disciples who make disciples.

Seeds of Change also gained national visibility through several podcast appearances, including Dale Sellers’ “95 Network” (Greenville, SC), Banner Kidd’s “First Love Outreach” (Kendallville, IN), Laurie Graham’s “Small Church Ministry” (Marana, AZ), and finalist in Next Ventures Shark Tank event. These opportunities allowed our story to inspire and equip pastors well beyond our local region.

Additionally, our influence in the small-church world continued to grow through publication in Karl Vaters’ “Helping Small Churches Thrive,” where our article “Why Telling Your Disciple-Making Story Is Essential to Your Church” was featured.

We are deeply grateful for the generous financial support received this year from the Brotherhood Mutual Foundation, Lightwell Insurance Advisors, and other private donors. Alongside these financial partners, we’ve been strengthened by the encouragement and recommendations of Love Ft. Wayne, Exponential, and the Main Street Network—partnerships that continue to expand our reach and impact among pastors and churches. God’s hand continues to move—building relationships, inspiring disciple-making movements, and multiplying kingdom impact one church at a time.

It has been incredible to witness how quickly this small network has grown and how many pastors are already finding renewed strength and vision through it. God is clearly at work.