THE HEART BEHIND NORTHKNOWN

Hi there.
I’m Andrew.

A designer. A husband. A dad.
A heart for the local church.

Get to know me
Andrew Ryver with his wife Gina and their three children by the lake
The Ryver family

If you’re here, thank you. Seriously.

I started NorthKnown with a heart to step outside the walls of my own church, ministry, team, and people—and meet people like you. People God is working through in unique ways, just in a different location than me. Thank you for taking a minute to get to know me, too.

HOW NORTHKNOWN CAME TO BE

A new chapter.
The same calling.

From 13 years in worship ministry to a new way of serving the church.

It started with an honest moment.

I get asked a lot how NorthKnown came to be. Honestly? Burnout. I know that can feel like a taboo word for people working in ministry to say out loud, but it’s true. By the time 2024 rolled around, I had spent around 13 years in full-time worship ministry. What a wild ride it was. But something was missing, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

I originally went to school intending to major in Graphic Arts. I took a ton of classes while working part-time in worship ministry. Eventually, that tug-of-war ended when my church offered me a full-time position. It seemed like the direction God was moving my life.

The heart for design never left.

It just evolved. Every worship job I took eventually became a full creative role, with graphic design responsibilities attached. And I loved it.

After years of serving in worship, I knew it was time for a change. Letting go was scary. My wife, Gina, was the one who encouraged me to step out. She knew the tired days, sleepless nights, and demands ministry put on our family. She knew I needed a different outlet for ministry—and that I wanted to be an entrepreneur.

Joke’s on us, though, because starting a business is a whole other animal!

A leap of faith in April 2024.

I stepped away from ministry and filed an LLC for NorthKnown. I didn’t know the logistics of starting a business, but God had put remarkable people in my life who walked alongside me and helped show me the ropes.

I’m so grateful to John Hancher, Tyler Harden, Warley Scarabelli, and my wife Gina for constantly giving me feedback and stretching me.

Grateful for what’s grown.

Two and a half years later, here we are. I’m immensely blessed that God has used this work to provide for my family. I’ve had the honor of meeting amazing pastors and church staffers I never would have known without this endeavor. I cannot wait for more.

There’s something special about God planting a seed in your heart to start something from the ground up. I imagine many of you church planters are living that exciting season right now. You don’t know what’s next or how it will unfold. But you know God has your back. And that’s enough.

I hope we can partner together to develop a visual identity that serves your church well.

Andrew Ryver

THE FOUNDATION OF NORTHKNOWN / HABAKKUK 2:2

Write the vision.
Make it plain.

I chose Habakkuk 2:2 because I believe God has a unique vision for each of us. I would be willing to bet that you know the vision. You have it written on your heart. You're excited about it. But the challenge for us as leaders is to write that vision plainly so that other people can jump in and run with it as well. Vision plays a huge role in our identity as ministries and churches.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Good design starts
with good conversation.

You bring the heart, vision, and story of your church. I bring a collaborative process that helps turn those things into an identity your people can get behind.

01

Clear pricing from the start.

We’ll agree on your project scope and price before design begins. You’ll know what’s included and what to expect, without wondering how many hours are adding up.

02

A pace that works for your team.

Church life is full. We’ll talk through your timeline together and plan the project around the moments that matter, with room for thoughtful feedback along the way.

03

Discovery before design.

We start with your church’s story, culture, and direction. The discovery call and Brand Noun Process give us a shared starting point before we explore concepts.

04

Real conversation. Plain language.

You don’t need to know design terminology to have a voice in the process. I’ll explain the ideas clearly, ask good questions, and listen to what feels right for your church.

05

Feedback at every milestone.

We’ll review the direction together as the identity develops. From concepts and revisions to final files, you’ll have a clear view of where we’re headed.

LET’S CREATE TOGETHER

Your church’s story.
Our next conversation.

I’d love to hear what God is doing in your community.

Let’s talk Explore the case studies

LET’S CREATE TOGETHER

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