The Team: Gary and Kim Rudnicki

Apr 6, 2009 Print This Post

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It’s been a few weeks since I highlighted a Riv team member, so I thought I’d take some time today to highlight another couple that kicks butt around here: Gary and Kim Rudnicki. And since they are vacationing in Italy right now (jerks) they won’t see this. Bwa ha.
I remember the first time I met Gary and Kim. We bumped into each other in Detroit Metro as I was flying out to a conference and they were flying out to vacation (they love their vacations). It was a quick, “Hi, we go to Riverview, nice to meet you” kind of moment that I have a lot. A few weeks later, Gary heard I was installing hardwood floors at my house and volunteered to help me out. My first reaction was, “I hope this guy’s not a nutjob stalker type.”

He was quite the opposite. Gary is one of those guys who loves to serve in any way he can and since he knew how to do hardwood floors, he wanted to help. He worked his tail off and told me his story about how he and his fam ended up at Riv while we measured and cut and hammered away.

Long story short, again and again Gary showed himself to be an amazing leader with the greatest servant’s heart. Eventually, he ended up taking over our Welcome Team and has taken that ministry through the roof! They now have over 120 volunteers serving every single week at both of our locations.

And Gary always seems to get time on my calendar whenever he wants it. That’s probably because his wife Kim is now my assistant.

For the last year, she has worked with Dan and I to keep our lives in order. She manages my schedule, sorts through my email (which is a monumental project), and generally keeps me on task. I have heard it said that a good assistant can actually double your effectiveness and it is absolutely true. Even as a part-timer (with two bosses), she works tirelessly to make sure I am spending my time in the areas I need to me spending it.

Of course this week, all bets are off. She’s out of town and I am already feeling the pressure. Her taking vacation is actually a form of job security: I realize how valuable she is when she’s gone.

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Growing up in the Lansing area, I wanted nothing more than to get out. My exit strategy included a complex mixture of schemes for an urban church plant, iProducts, and an elaborate Bollywood car chase scene with zombies and catchy techno music.

As a 40 year old man, I find myself entrenched in the Lansing area at a church I love (Riverview), with 4 kids I love more (a high schooler, a junior higher, a middle schooler, and an elementary schooler), and a wife I love the most (Grace).

Instead of planting one church, I dream of helping hundreds get started without ever leaving my home base. I still love my iProducts and use them as tools to help lead and teach the thousands who attend Riverview. And when no one is looking, I blare the techno music and send my unimpressive resume to casting agents for Bollywood zombie films.

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