As our partners in the gospel, we want to invite you to rejoice with us at God’s provision and highlight a few ways for you can continue to help us during this exciting transition. 

• If you live in Louisville or Morgantown and would be interested in helping the Whitakers load up or unload the truck, send us an email and we’ll send you the relevant times and addresses.
• Continue to pray!  D.J. is still job hunting in Morgantown and is hoping to join Scott there as soon as possible.  Jeff is also looking to move within the next few months.  Pray fervently that God would provide the resources needed to reunite the team in Morgantown soon so that we can begin our work in earnest.  Pray that things would go smoothly for Scott, Amanda and Matt as they arrive in town and settle in, and pray that God would quickly open up new relationships through which to share the gospel.
• As we move to our mission field, we need your financial support now more than ever.  Doing the work of the gospel in Morgantown will mean beginning to incur real expenses, and if you haven’t considered giving financially to our work in the past, this would be a great time to begin.  To our current donors – thank you so much.  Your gifts over the past year have given us a financial foundation on which to build from the day we arrive in town, and for that we praise God!

Look for more updates to come as things progress over the coming weeks!  We’re grateful for your love and partnership and excitied about beginning the journey that God has planned for us in West Virginia.  God has been good to us along the road so far, and we know he will continue to be through this next chapter as well!  To him be glory!

- Scott and D.J.

As you may already know, we have been job-searching in Morgantown to get us into the community.  Once we have a job lined up, we are securing a place to live so that we can begin the work of planting a church.

This is unusual for church planters, since we often see church planters supported full-time by denominations or fundraising and a paid staff.  So, if we are doing fundraising, why do we need to get jobs?

1. We want to get jobs, because Paul (the Apostle in the Bible) made tents on the side to fund his church planting work.  We believe that’s an example worth following.
2. We want to get jobs to reduce the cost of planting.  Church plants typically seek to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars so that the planters can be fully supported, and the plant can afford various up-front costs and bring on additional staff members.  However, we believe that churches can be planted more inexpensively if planters get a job.
3. We want to get jobs because it gives us a natural way into the city and into the lives of the people who live and work in the city.  We are seeking to build intentional gospel relationships in Morgantown, and one of the most natural places for relationships to develop is through the workplace. 
4. We want to get jobs because we want our process to be simple and reproducible.  We believe that the future of church planting in North America (and the rest of the world) is largely in bivocational planting.  The small towns and major urban areas throughout the world will be reached when the planter can run the framing shop and plant a church that meets in the back of his framing shop.  Normal Christians (not just “professionals”) need to consider church planting, and we need to demonstrate how it might be done from the beginning.
5. We want to get jobs so that we can effectively equip God’s people who work regular jobs to be Christians in their spheres of life and among their natural networks.  We can’t lead people to do what we haven’t learned to do.

Why Are We Fundraising?

So, since we’re looking for jobs, why is there still that “Donate” button on the right side of our website?  Why are we still seeking to raise money for our efforts?  There are several reasons that donors like you are still vital in the planting process for Frontier.

1. We are fundraising because Paul raised money even as he made tents, and it is good and right for God’s people to fund God’s kingdom work.
2. We are fundraising because new churches always have lots of start-up costs (purchasing resources, materials, and equipment, renting facilities).
3. We are fundraising because mission, service, and evangelism are more easily accomplished when the team can afford hundreds of hamburgers and hot dogs for a neighborhood cookout, or when they can afford to serve neighbors in need, create fliers, or care for the sick.  Those things are all bridges for the gospel into people’s lives – and they all take money. 

Those reasons are why we’re asking you to pray for our job searches, and consider donating to our efforts.  Through both avenues, we’re thankful for your support, and we’re excited about having you partner with us as we seek to be a family of Jesus-worshipping missionaries for Morgantown and West Virginia.

- Scott and D.J.

- D.J.

After months and months of preparation, the time for our planned move to Morgantown has come.  However, we still need jobs before we can relocate our families, and that door has not yet been opened.  Our goal remains to be in Morgantown by August, and we’re currently filling out job applications at a furious pace!  With that process continuing, and even a couple interviews upcoming, please continue to be in prayer for our job prospects.  We believe that God is calling us to Morgantown, and that he will provide exactly what we need exactly when we need it.  Yet, you  know as well as we that knowing and trusting are two entirely different fights.  Pray that God will provide in his sovereign wisdom and that we’ll trust and rest in him completely as we work toward our goal.

If you live in Morgantown and know someone who is looking to hire some full-time help, please drop us a line and let us know!  We’ll keep you posted in the coming weeks, and thanks again for your faithful support of our ministry.

- Scott and D.J.

As we’re here, please continue to pray for us.  Pray that this week would be foundational in making the decisions and connections that will allow us to get here this summer and get moving with the work of planting the church.  Pray especially for us on Thursday afternoon, as we head out into the city with the aim of engaging people in conversation and sharing the gospel message.

We’re so thankful for you – our group of supporters who have been faithfully praying for and giving to the Frontier cause.  Thank you for your continued support, keep us on your mind this week, and look for more content – including pictures and video from our trip, coming soon!  In the meantime, check out our recent VideoBlog to meet our newest core team member!

- Scott and D.J.