Oasis Church North Florida

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Nope, this is not a post about a politician. And this has nothing to do with the song "Pants on the Ground"!

Instead, this is about the last week of our "Break Free" series that we finished this past Sunday. We concluded with the topic of lies... and how often, we believe lies and live, think, and act as if they are true...and these lies, told to us and authored by Satan, hold us captive. But, freedom is found in the Truth, which has always come from God, our Father!

Here is the mp3 from yesterday... Download Break Free from Lies

You can access all the teachings from this series here on the blog or by going to the audio page on our website...

I think we are feeling this...

We are six weeks into our every week service with Oasis Church...it has been an amazing time! We are averaging 100 people each week and about 25 of them are kids...wow! It truly has been a great experience for me personally and our immediate family...

But I believe, after of course the working of God, that our positive experience with the launch and weeks after can be attributed to our launch team... to the other couples and friends and family who are launching this church with us, ...they have been crucial to getting things going, to being portable church, to leading different areas...we would not be where we are today without them.... I am honored to labor with the team!

I came across this blog that helps explain where we are at... good read...

History in the Making: Turning Converts into Co-Laborers.

I will write more later about the extended and far-reaching power of team...

Secularism gaining ground in Christian-founded US: poll

Just so we are clear on the reasoning behind planting new churches and continuing the life long mission of "being and making disciple-makers of Jesus"... 

There is still lots of work to do in America and around the world...keep praying and trusting Jesus as we live out the Great Commandment and Great Commission!

Secularism gaining ground in Christian-founded US: poll.

This blog is being put on pause...

We have officially launched!! To stay up to date with Oasis Church North Florida, please go to www.jeremyhigdon.com ...thanks for being part of launching a church...together! 

Today is a day to pray and fast...

I have asked our friends and team to be willing to pray and fast today on Tuesday, February 3...just 5 days before the official launch of Oasis Church North Florida! It is amazing to see what God has done and some of the doors that have opened... we are looking forward to what He will continue to do in our lives and the lives of others as this church is planted!

So, I am asking you to join me in prayer and fasting... we bring our requests before Him continuously, as kids approaching and asking our loving Father. I am asking you to fast, to give up something, to recognize that we need Jesus MORE than food, tv, whatever...that we are seeking Him with our whole heart. Jesus is the One Who builds churches, Jesus is the One who saves people, and Jesus is the One with ALL AUTHORITY and we are obeying Him through the building of His church...He gets the glory!

We are depending on Jesus... if it's about Jeremy, or any of our team or anything else, then let's kill it now before it even begins...

What do we need to pray for...

1. people...the church is people...people who love and worship God and will live as a community for the sake of seeing more people love and worship God...we are asking God to send us people that will be part of the church in North Florida!

2. I am studying today...speaking out of Eccles. 5 & 6...need to prepare the message God wants spoken not me...I need wisdom and understanding from the Holy Spirit

3. All the details leading up to this weekend...we have a Family Fun Day on Saturday and then the first official worship service is on Sunday. God is good and I am not! I need to work as hard as I can and then trust that God is in control...this helps me realize again, it's not about me!

4. Pray for Jonathan (Oasis Kids) and Justin (worship leader) as they prepare for their areas of leading.

I think that's it... thanks for joining me in this day of prayer and fasting... for more on this subject, check out this link...

21 Days Until The Grand Opening!

As I write this after midnight, making right now Sunday the 18th of January, we are 21 days (3 short weeks) from officially launching Oasis Church North Florida! Wow! It has been amazing to see what God is doing and exciting to think about what He is preparing for us in the coming weeks and months. 

But this also, comes with a heavy burden and responsibility...things that can't be taken lightly. Instead of working harder and trying to run faster, it is my desire to live personally and as church in an ever-growing understanding and dependence on Jesus. It is my job to lead and live in the example of Jesus, who constantly showed us the importance of prayer and spending time with God, even in the midst of heavy demands and responsibility. 

So, this is where I find myself...will I depend on me or will I turn to Him? Will our church jump in the race and try to make a name for ourselves or will we, from before day one, live in such a way that proves our foundation is on Jesus? It is no coincidence that I came across a website called Awake 21 and found several churches who are participating together and seeking the Lord in a focused way through prayer and fasting over the next three weeks. I have signed Oasis Church North Florida up to join in and participate, and even though we are a week behind the official 21 days, it works out to be a perfect ramp to our launch day on February 8! I love how God's timing is always perfect...

So, will you join me in prayer and fasting and being part of Awake 21? You can find tools and helps on their website and I will also be posting stuff here and at jeremyhigdon.com...

Thanks again for being part of launching a church... together. I look forward to seeing and hearing what God does in our lives as we seek His face over the next three weeks!

*this is also posted at jeremyhigdon.com.

Resource Wishlist for Oasis Church North Florida

One of the great statements I love to say as Oasis Church is being launched is the fact that we are "launching this church...together." First of all, we believe God has called us to this and is already at work...we are joining him! Secondly, we have hundreds of families and several church partners who have given money and prayer to be part of this launch. We even have several families who be coming up from Oasis South Florida to help with our final preview weekend and our official launch day, February 8.

But, we are still in need of several items which will position us to launch in the best way possible, in a portable setting depending on volunteers to set-up and tear-down each Sunday. We are asking people and churches to prayerfully consider the following list and either donate money toward these items or, if you already own them, donate these items to Oasis Church North Florida. 

- A Large Towable Storage Trailer

- Beat-em up truck to pull trailer

- Safe place to store trailer on Northside of Jacksonville
- Every Type of Children's Ministry   Equipment/Supplies Imaginable (Birth-5^th Grade)

- Portable Sound Equipment (speakers, subs, mobile cases, etc...)

- Video Projector (minimum 2500 lumens)

- Mics, cables, mic stands, music stands, stools, drum shield, drum mics, etc...

- Countryman over-the-ear mic

- Portable staging

- Portable lighting
- Communion Supplies
- Pipes & Drapes
- Office Space on Northside of Jacksonville
- Video Camera equipment to film our services
- Web design
- Videography and Film Editing

Please feel free to forward this list to anyone or organization that may be able to help us with these items. Email me at jeremyh@oasisnfl.com for more info or to schedule a time for items to be picked up. And of course, join us in prayer for these items as we launch a new church... together!

January 11 Preview Service at the theater

We are under one month away from our church launch...amazing! We had our 2nd preview service this past weekend...things set up and ran smoothly and we had 27 people in attendance (including 2 returning from our first service...which is awesome!). We wanted to shoot a little behind the scenes footage so you could try to get a feel for what we are trying to begin in the theater...we get in at 8:30am, the service begins at 10:30am and we have to be out by 12:30pm...whew!

But when you have a good team, everything goes pretty smoothly...enjoy the video!

A Walking Tour Before The Service from Jeremy Higdon on Vimeo.

Our first preview service set-up...

Want to give you a little peek at our first set-up this past weekend...we have a great group of people on our launch team but I especially want you to see all the stuff that is being used to plant a church in a theather in Jacksonville. Everything you see in this video is stuff that you purchased for us by giving and praying and supporting as part of The 600! Thank you so much...we are off to a good start and the funds that you continue to give will be used for resources, rent, and planting a church...which impacts our lives and the lives of people who will be connected with a church who loves God and loves people...thanks for helping us plant this church...together!

Set-up Prep for first preview service from Jeremy Higdon on Vimeo.

Our first preview service is nearly here!

I am so pumped tonight! I don't know if I will be able to sleep...the last two weeks have seen a ton of things purchased, ordered, downloaded, set-up, prepared, delivered, arranged, and tested to make sure we are as ready as possible for our first "sneak" preview service of Oasis Church North Florida. We have practiced and prayed and now are ready to preview!

So, we will leave the house, with about three vehicles full of equipment, around 8am. We will get in the theater and begin setting up our refreshment, Oasis Kidz, and auditorium. And then, we will welcome and worship and begin to publicly celebrate the birth of the One who has called us to plant His church, Jesus Christ...what a great season to begin a church!

Today we spent a few hours over at River City Marketplace, passing out 500 invite cards and candy canes and talking to and meeting some of the people who live in our community. We had a great time and our Santa was a big hit! Here is the video...I will update you tomorrow on how everything went!

Santa Walks from Jeremy Higdon on Vimeo.