Get to Know Bart Banwart: Director of Administration at Restoration Church
Tell us a little about yourself and your family
I’ve lived in Adel almost my whole life. I grew up in church and became a Christ-follower at an early age. I have been married to my wife, Leslie, for 23 years and we have four sons. I own my own accounting business and in my free time, I enjoy officiating basketball and softball, watching sports, and golfing.
What is your earliest experience with God?
I grew up living close to my grandparents and on special occasions, I would spend the night at their house. When I woke up on Saturday mornings, my grandmother would pour me a bowl of Golden Grahams and invite me to have devotions with her and my grandfather. This childhood experience allowed me to observe and participate in my grandparents’ rhythm of Bible reading and prayer. I experienced God sitting at the breakfast table with my grandma and grandpa.
What is your role at Restoration Church and why do you feel called to this role?
I am the Director of Administration which means I oversee the finances and lead the finance team. I feel called to this because God has equipped me with a deep understanding of numbers and money. I also am a Sunday morning greeter and serve on the worship team. I strongly believe that God uniquely gifts us to serve the church, ultimately bringing glory and honor to him.
How did Restoration Church become your church home?
God was orchestrating my family’s involvement in Restoration Church decades before Restoration Church was established. When Leslie and I were first married we attended a small church in West Des Moines called Grace West. There we met Todd Stiles who would later plant First Family Church in Ankeny which became the sending church of Restoration. My family had been without a church home for 18 months when we heard that a church plant from First Family was coming to town. Because we respect First Family Church, and its leadership, Leslie and I both knew that God was calling us to Restoration. When meeting Anna and Eric Trout for the first time to talk about the mission and the vision of the church, they claimed they needed someone to lead the kids; programming and someone to oversee the finances. It was confirmation that God wanted us at Restoration.
Restoration Church's mission is seeing lives restored through the gospel of Jesus Christ. How do you live out this mission within the church community and your neighborhood?
Within the church, I serve on the worship team, greeting team, and finance team. I am very much wired for task completion and know that the gospel is proclaimed through the work I do for the church. I am a small business owner, so I conduct myself in a way that reflects Jesus. When I help clients with taxes or bookkeeping, I lead with honesty and integrity. I strive to treat my clients as an example of Christ.
What do you love about Adel?
The people are the best thing about Adel. I love living in a small town where I can interact with people I know. What's your favorite Bible story and why? I can relate the Job’s story. I think you see authentic interaction between God and people and people with people in the book of Job. Deep truths about human nature and the power of God shine through.
How do you nourish your relationship with God?
This year I am reading through the Bible in a Year chronologically. I’m a very consistent person, so I read my Bible around the same time every day.