“My own personal love for children and the fact that we have quite a few small children ourselves made it a fantastic fit,” Stitt said.
Words can’t express how much they treasure the congregation’s gifts of food and furniture. Actually, they can’t remember a time having this nice of furniture.
“Oh my goodness, the members have been incredible,” Stitt said. “I’ve been blown away. We sold everything we had to be on the mission field, so we came back with nothing.”
Now, comfortably settled into the parsonage, Stitt’s main objective is simply complex. He just wants to invest in the individual people.
“I think God gives us all a calling and a mission in our life,” Stitt said. “Part of a pastor’s job is to provide people with guidance to fulfill that mission and goal.”
Still trying to brush the borsch off himself, (a Russian soup) he warmly welcomes anyone and everyone to his office for a nice chat. No conversation is too long.
“Jesus spent time with people, and didn’t go around doing quick fixes for people. Sometimes, he spent a lot of time with people and worked through their junk.”
In fact, there’s no spiritual and emotional healing that’s too taboo for him. He kindly meets people where they are at, suit and dress unnecessary.
“Everyone’s welcome here,” Stitt said. “Whatever you have thought about Christianity, leave it at the door. God has something for you. He has a plan for your life far more amazing than what you’ve ever thought possible. Come and find out what it is.”
One way to do that is through time spent in the church pew, either on Sunday or another day yet to be determined.
“We are also going to do small groups that will be open to everybody,” Stitt said. “Some are just going to be social. Others are going to get stuck into the Word, while the remaining ones will have a more mission base.”
So, whether you’re interested in digging into the word or bonding over a chicken wing dinner, dump all your preconceived ideas about church and bring your smile.
“He wants to blow away some of our preconceived notions of whom we think He is,” Stitt said. “That’s something that is powerful for Him. He doesn’t give up on us."
The bottom line: Jesus has a fabulous plan for our lives, and Stitt invites anyone and everyone to join his congregation for this marvelous journey.
“Even the apostles weren’t automatically fantastic people,” Stitt said. “There was a process of mentoring that was arduous and painful. We really learned that working with the ladies in Buldova. They had been through so much. And as much as we wanted them to boom come out of it, the love of Christ compels people to recognize that our lives aren’t simple. They require mentoring and someone who is going to be loving, patient and compassionate.”
Even Stitt has maxed out God's credit cards, thus proving how rich the Lord's mercy is.
“He has shown me so much patience," Stitt said. "I really hope that this church and myself as a pastor can let people know that they aren’t too bad or too good for Jesus. He’s willing to meet you wherever you’re at.”
He further notes that the Christian lifestyle isn’t about a Sunday message or how nice a building is. It’s much more than that.
“I love Jesus and I love bringing Jesus into people,” Stitt said. “Certainly growing up in Northern Ireland where denominations were a matter of life and death and now, being here where we all work together to reach out to the community and glorify God, I just think that’s a fantastic thing.”
What he thinks is even more fantastic is God’s divine plan for Vibrant Life and the surrounding community.
“I think the Vibrant Life congregation is really a loving bunch of people,” Stitt said. “When there is something to be done, everybody shows up. When there’s a gap in need, somebody jumps in. They are ready to do something for the kingdom.”
But, no matter how much we want to control our lives, Stitt has one thing to say about that.
“We can always want to have a security in our next step,” Stitt said. “But, he has a better plan for us. And as scary and terrifying as that is, He knows what he’s doing.”
