would you pray for us?

My wife, Sara, and I will be flying to Tulsa on Sunday. We plan to spend 5 very productive days there in preparation for launching Freedom Valley Tulsa. Our objectives for this trip are:

• Find ourselves a home to live in.
• Meet with an organization called ARC to explore a future relationship with them as we go toward planting the church.
• Meet with officials from the OK Assemblies of God to discuss the church plant as well.
• Meet with some new friends in the Tulsa area.
  

It's a big week, to be sure, and a big week warrants some big prayers. Could you pray for the following:

• We would find the right house for us.
• We would find great favor with ARC and OKAG.
• God would strategically develop our relationships in the Tulsa area.
  
• We would have smooth travel to and from.
• Our boys would have a great week at home without us . . . and that our hearts would not ache too much being away from them.

My last trip was, quite literally, a trip from hell . . . canceled flights, faulty equipment, rental car accident . . . I believe this trip will be one where we have great favor and blessing on us.

As always, thanks for your prayers!

Jason Fitch - lead pastor

DVD coming soon . . . preview right here!

God has done so much, up to this point, to make this church a reality and I have a growing sense of how much more He wants to do.

We just finished pre-production on a short documentary telling that story. The 15 minute film will be all replicated on DVD in a few weeks. Please let me know if you would like a copy. I believe that it tells the story of what God has done and is doing so much better than I ever could.

It is a completely original film, including the soundtrack, produced almost exclusively by people on our team. Many thanks to Shawna Lewis, Evan Stoltzfoos, Jake Lewis and Daniel St.Armand for their tireless work to turn an idea into reality.

I uploaded the 3-minute preview version for you to see for now.

Jason Fitch - Lead Pastor

the story of God calling a man

I just saw that the story of God calling me to plant the church in Tulsa was featured on CMN's blog a few days ago. Check it out here

Jason Fitch - Lead Pastor

the gravity of what we're going toward

As I get closer to the move to Tulsa, I find my head full, with no less than one thousand thoughts per second. I'm finding it difficult to concentrate on anything lately. I just finished reading in my one-year bible this morning, but I struggled the whole time to focus. I read in the books of Isaiah, 2 Corinthians and Psalms, but in addition to those books I was thinking about opening bank accounts, budgets, setting up offices, renting meeting space, how to meet and connect with people in Tulsa, work-week structure, future staff, structures to integrate interns . . . it goes on and on. I only scratched the surface.

I would guess this is normal for a church planter. Perhaps it's normal for anyone who's in the midst of selling one home, buying another and moving their family across the country. It just feels heavy and tiresome as of late. I would greatly appreciate your prayers.

I still feel like the luckiest man on earth to be called to such a great thing as this life I live!

Jason Fitch - Lead Pastor

Dec. 28th

Its becoming a reality. Shawna and I moved out of our apartment and into her parents attic this past weekend. We packed the majority of our belongings into my parents barn for storage until we move. We scheduled the trailer and made plans for moving on December 28th. We will be in Tulsa on December 29th. We are beyond excited to make the move. God has so much in store for the people of that city and we are so excited for what God is going to do in our lives as we offer ourselves to Him.

Jake Lewis - lead worshiper

prayer creates movement!

Just a quick follow up to my blog last week about some opposition coming against our launch team . . .

In the last few days since there has been a concerted prayer effort, I've seen some big time positive movement in a couple different families! Unfortunately, the details are personal, but maybe one day I can give some specifics.

My point is to bring some praise to God today. He is moving on our behalf and I love and praise Him for that.

Please continue to pray with us and for us. Your prayers make the difference far more than our work.

Jason Fitch - lead pastor

moment of truth

We are really blessed to have a very healthy launch team of twenty-six people. I can hardly believe God has spoken to so many families about going to Tulsa, but I know He has and I'm so grateful to lead such an awesome team.

God has really perked my ears up lately to the fact that this team is headed for a season of opposition and attack. Well, I think it's underway and I want to ask you to pray with me.

For many on the launch team, the moment of truth may have seemed to be the time they decided to come to Tulsa. However, I think this is the real moment of truth. It's close enough now that it requires action and action that is change hurts.

I am asking that you would pray specifically for financial and relationship challenges for everyone on our launch team. I am asking God that not one person be knocked off the path God has called them to. Here are the names of everyone so you can pray very specifically for them.

Jason and Jenn Allder (Kids: Aleah,Lauryn,Brayton)
Heather Bryant
Derek Engle
Jason and Sara Fitch (Kids: Colin,Liam,Ethan,Jude)
Matt and Cindy Gesser (Kids: Shade,Stone,Silas)
Jake and Shawna Lewis
Fred Nimmon
Daniel St.Armand
Jon and Jen Trout(Kids: Annie,Ezra)

Jason Fitch - Lead Pastor