- I, Curtis, was raised in Louisburg. I went to a small local church most of my childhood. By the time I was in Louisburg High school I was bored with the church and looked to what the world had to offer. As a result, I was left to figure things out without a community of believers and I got into all sorts of trouble (girls, alcohol, drugs, theft.) As a young man, I felt like there was nowhere for me to GATHER and get plugged into a fun and exciting church. There was nowhere to help me GROW in my relationship with God, support me and hold me accountable. There was nowhere for me to GIVE BACK to God and others. There was no one teaching me how to live or GO tell others about my faith. I needed something that was Biblical, fun, and relevant to me! I had to drive 20+ minutes to find something. At the age of 20, I started following Jesus and He has changed my life. There were and are many great churches in Louisburg that we have attended but the vision God has given us is different than any other church in town. The people of Louisburg should not have to travel 20+ minutes to find a church that fits them, like I did. God had put an unstoppable passion in my heart to start His church. He has helped me become educated, has prepared me, and has given me a Godly wife, Erika, to help along the way. Louisburg needed a church for students and adults to gather, grow, give back, and go! The Porch Community Church is and will be a church that is seeing lives change!
- Pastor Curtis and Erika Riley started planning for the launch of The Porch Community Church in 2010, had the first preview services in 2011, and launched weekly in 2012! They had no “sending church,” so they started from scratch. In fact, just to get the church off the ground, they went an entire year with no salary, 6 months at a combined $500, 6 months at a combined $1,000, and have only ever taken a salary of “what the church can afford” which was often below the poverty line. Even last year, Pastor Curtis was paid $25,000 (while the average pastor salary is around $68-130,000). These salaries, along with all finances, have always been posted publicly online.
- Pastor Curtis and Erika has faithfully served God and thePorch for 12 years. They have poured out and dedicated their lives to it’s mission and success. They have made sacrifices that may have even been unseen, such as:
Pastor Curtis not taking a single week of vacation for years
Pastor Curtis working 6-7 days a week for years
Flipping houses for extra income (while working full time in ministry)
Losing sleep over church related issues
Extreme stress
Missing family time
Working on days off, on holidays, and while not on the clock
Never buying any drinks at restaurants
Splitting one meal between 3 people at restaurants
Not having cable or satellite for 12 years
99.9% donated hand-me-down clothes for their kids
And much more…
Yet despite low income, they have seen God faithfully provide for them in countless ways! He is truly the Great Provider!
The Situation
- In September of 2022, after years of prayer, thought, discussion, and wrestling with God, Pastor Curtis & Erika decided they would be transitioning out of leadership at The Porch and seeking God for their next steps in ministry.
- There was no singular reason for this, no major issues, and they had no immediate future plans…but rather the decision was based on a combination of feelings, thoughts, & convictions. During the next season of their life, their goals will be to:
Recalibrate – Taking time to talk with, listen to, and hear from God.
Rebuild - Investing in and improving their marriage and themselves
Refresh – Laying down the weight, responsibility, and demands of leading a church.
Revaluate – Seeking God’s will, direction, and ministry calling for their family.
The Solution
- The idea of “taking care of” Pastor Curtis and Erika as they leave, was brought up by a few porchPartners, knowing their sacrifices, and that (outside of designated donations) nothing was put towards their retirement. They have sacrificed more than we can know (financially, spiritually, emotionally) over the years to carry the burden of starting a church from scratch and keeping thePorch more than financially healthy.
- Understanding that Pastor Curtis & Erika are picking up their entire lives, have no current job offers, and have no current plan for income, the temporary Executive Team agreed on a parting package that will allow them to be able do what God is calling them to without the stress of having no income. This parting pack is considered a “parting gift” to bless them for their ministry & sacrifices made over the years, to help with their transition to whatever is next, and to allow them to breathe while they reset their lives. It is also considered a “back pay” to compensate (yet it is just scratching the surface) for their financial sacrifices. Pastor Curtis and Erika will receive 75% of a year’s salary. After 6 months, the state of the church will be re-evaluated and if stable, they will receive the final 25% of the year’s salary.
- Thanks to Pastor Curtis & Erika’s sacrifices and management of money, thePorch is left with a paid off building, no debt or loans, and money in savings. Pastor Curtis has always made sure the church has always saved 10% of all income and given away 10% of all income to missions and the local community’s needs (which was not a requirement and could have been used for salaries). The funds for their parting package will come from previous donations that were “above and beyond” the tithes to meet any of the churches needs and has been approved by those donors.
- 1 Timothy 5:17-18 says, “Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.’ And in another place, ‘Those who work deserve their pay!’” If you would like to continue to follow, support, and/or bless the Riley’s, you can do so at www.therealrileys.com/support