Deep Roots, New Fruit: How Exchange Church Is Reaching Yulee From the Inside Out

When God called Pastor Todd Carr to plant Exchange Church in Yulee, Florida, He did not send an outsider. He sent a neighbor. After eighteen years serving students and families at First Baptist Church Callahan, Carr knew the people, the rhythms, and the gatekeepers of Nassau County. That long obedience became the hidden advantage that helped a school-based church plant take root and bear fruit.

"We planted out of First Callahan, and I had already been serving in this community for years," Carr said. "I was not coming in cold. I knew the sheriff, the superintendent, and the fire chief. I had worked in the schools. God prepared me for such a time as this."

Today, Exchange Church's strategic location at Wildlight Elementary School, right in the path of growth east of I-95, is a testament to its providential story. "Two other groups had applied with the school board," Carr remembered. "But when our name came up, the principal told the superintendent, 'That guy has served on campus for years. He will make your school better.' They held the spot for us. Six months after we started, that principal came to Christ."

From trusted relationships to open doors

Carr believes deep roots in the community opened doors that money and marketing cannot buy. "When there was a tragedy with first responders, we were able to rally volunteers, feed crews, and connect families to Christian counselors," he said. "When we needed a place to park our trailer, we parked it beside the sheriff's SWAT trailer. Who can do that? Only God. But He often works through relationships you have been faithful to build."

That same relational capital fuels local outreach. Exchange Church hosts visible community events like school-based festivals and neighborhood gatherings, not as an end in themselves but to serve and be present. "A lot of those things get our name out there," Carr said. "We want to be part of the community so when a crisis hits, we are already there." This commitment to serving the community is what makes Exchange Church a beacon of hope in Yulee.

One particularly fruitful lane has been a dad's initiative at a local middle school. "We average seventy to eighty dads, many who do not go to church," Carr said. "We talk about character, we play games with their kids, and it gives me time to have real conversations with men who want to be good fathers. God uses it."

A sending church and a culture of collaboration

Exchange Church did not launch alone. "We saw what God was doing through partners like Mercy Hill and First Callahan," Carr said. "Send Network helped. Pastors like David Tarkington, David Burton, and Craig Culbreth gave honest counsel. A church in Indianapolis that had closed sent funds at just the right time for livestream needs. During a kids' camp, First Fernandina sent students to serve. Partnerships mattered."

Prayer support has been a cornerstone of Exchange Church's journey. "Everybody says prayer is important until you are in the battle, then it becomes central," Carr said. "We have had seasons where a key leader fell, and that hits the whole team. Having a brother from a nearby church come in and exhort our men, point to repentance and restoration, and keep us focused on the mission has been huge."

As Mission Strategist for the Northeast Florida Baptist Association, I am grateful for how churches across our Family of Churches have leaned in. Exchange Church is a living example of voluntary collaboration at work, and it strengthens our broader cooperative efforts. Leaders, dollars, and encouragement flowed in at crucial moments, and the Kingdom is stronger because of it.

A discipleship culture with expectations

Exchange's structure is simple and purposeful. "We are elder-led, with teams for personnel, stewardship, and leadership as checks and balances," Carr explained. "We do not have deacons by title, but our elders function as servant leaders."

Membership is not passive. "You cannot be a member unless you are serving," he said. "That looks different for different seasons of life. A seventy-two-year-old may serve on the prayer team rather than set up and tear down, but everyone has a role. We want every member to know why they trusted Christ, what discipleship is, and where God is calling them to serve."

Carr is candid about the challenge of biblical accountability in a consumer culture. "Discipleship is hard if no one wants accountability," he noted. "But Scripture calls us to speak the truth in love. We try to equip leaders to do that with grace and clarity."

Why planting from deep roots matters

Carr's long tenure in the area helped him read the map and the moment. "I knew Wildlight was not Callahan," he said. "It is a different demographic. You cannot just copy and paste a model. You have to exegete the community and serve it." This strategic planning and adaptability to the community's needs are what set Exchange Church on the path to success.

Because he had already invested in local leaders, doors opened for unique gospel opportunities. "We ran a full-day kids camp with community partners, field trips, and a daily gospel emphasis," Carr said. "We did not charge families that year. And yes, volunteers were tired by week's end, but people saw God's favor and the vision gained traction."

Vision, he emphasized, must be lived before it is adopted. "People need to see wins," he said. "Souls saved. A school that says, 'We will hold the space for you.' A sheriff's office that says, 'We will send a team to help serve the community with you.' When the community sees the vision and the church puts feet to it, buy-in follows."

Equipping leaders and multiplying responsibility

Carr believes a church's readiness for planting, replanting, or revitalization often shows up as a holy restlessness among maturing leaders. "There came a point when our guys wanted more," he said. "Not more programs, more responsibility. Leaders grow when you give them real assignments with discipleship and accountability."

That conviction shapes Exchange's mission partnerships and global engagement. "For years, I carried a lot of the weight for international trips," he said. "This year, one of our elders and two team leaders are taking a group to serve middle school students impacted by war in Eastern Europe. Seven of the team have never left the country on a mission. That is the goal. It is not taught as much as it is caught."

Facilities, flexibility, and future focus

As a portable church, Exchange continues to pray for a permanent home while staying light on its feet. "God keeps bringing me back to a specific eight-acre option, or possibly a middle school facility in a future phase," Carr said. "We are counting the cost, staying patient, and training leaders so that when God opens the door, we are ready."

In the meantime, flexibility is a virtue. "You have to be fluid," he said. "Roles change. People move. Some leaders follow a call into marketplace chaplaincy or serve with other ministries. We bless that. Our job is to equip the saints and keep cutting trails."

What churches can learn from Exchange

Carr offers simple counsel to congregations praying about new works or partnerships. "If water sits still, it stinks," he said. "Stir the water. Do not be afraid to release people to use their gifts. Be willing to collaborate. Ask God for gatekeepers in your community and for partner churches who will share people, resources, and time."

He also encourages associations to target support where it counts. "In the first couple of years, help with discipleship and leader care is a game changer," he said. "A prayer list of our team leaders, with other churches lifting them up by name, would be huge. Sending a volunteer team to cover the children's ministry on a Sunday so our workers can rest and be refreshed can do more than you realize. Even practical help, scouting facilities can move the mission forward."

As Mission Strategist, I appreciate Pastor Todd's candor and courage. Exchange Church reflects the best of our cooperative heritage: a sending church, trusted relationships, accountable discipleship, and a shared commitment to reach neighbors with the gospel. It is a picture of how deep roots can produce new fruit.

"God brought so many non-churched people to this area," Carr said. "We prayed and fasted. We listened. We stepped out. We are not there yet, but we are going to keep pursuing the mission God has given us."

May the Lord raise up more works like Exchange Church across Northeast Florida, planted from the soil of long faithfulness and watered by the prayers and partnerships of God's people. Healthy churches reproduce. Healthy families of churches help them do it.