05/28/2026
Church family,
I want to give you an update on where things currently stand regarding our Forward Vision and the former Lowe’s Food Shopping Center property.
As many of you know, we have been pursuing this opportunity prayerfully and diligently for several years now. During that process, our Jefferson Avenue property went under contract back in March, but the closing has now been delayed multiple times, something completely outside of our control.
At the same time, through our due diligence process with the Lowe’s property, we have uncovered several realities and financial challenges that have caused us to slow down, seek wisdom, and continue praying through the best pathway forward. Our leadership team has poured tremendous energy, time, conversations, and prayer into pursuing this opportunity. We still believe deeply in the vision God has placed before Appalachian Church.
And I want to be clear, we are not throwing in the towel on the vision.
We are continuing to move forward in faith, asking God to provide the resources, finances, favor, and open doors necessary for the vision to come to fruition in His timing and His way. We believe that if this is truly where God is leading us, then He is fully able to make a way that points all glory back to Him.
But church family, I also want to be honest with you:
At this moment, this God-sized vision is way bigger than us.
From where we stand today, this looks like an impossible task ahead unless God intervenes. We need the Lord to open doors we cannot open ourselves.
We need provision we cannot manufacture.
We need favor we cannot force.
We need wisdom, unity, miracles, and the hand of God to go before us.
But that is exactly where faith begins.
Because what is impossible with man is possible with God.
This church has never been built on what we could accomplish in our own strength. Appalachian Church exists today because of the faithfulness and provision of God.
And when we look back over the story of Appalachian Church, all we can see is the faithfulness of God.
In October of 2017, we started in Harvest Cafe with a dream, a burden, and a calling from God. Then we watched the Lord provide the old Sears building as a place of worship. In 2018, God gave us 787 Ray Taylor Road in what can only be described as a “mic drop” moment of His provision and favor. Since then, we have watched Him expand our parking, increase our worship capacity, grow our ministries, save souls, baptize people, and continue building His Church.
God is able.
And we never want to move ahead of His presence.
Just as Moses said while leading the children of Israel, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
That is still our heart. We are not chasing buildings.
We are following Jesus.
Forward with Jesus means He remains the main thing. As long as we continue making disciples that love God and love people, God will continue to lead, provide, and open the right doors in the right season.
So right now, more than ever, I am asking our church family to pray, believe, and join the mission with greater faith than ever before.
Pray for wisdom.
Pray for provision.
Pray for miracles.
Pray for open doors that only God can open.
And pray that above everything else, Jesus would be glorified through it all.
I also want to invite anyone who would like to join us for a prayer walk this Sunday May 31st at the Lowe’s Food Shopping Center property at 2:00 PM. We are going there simply to make a declaration that Jesus is Lord, to lift up His name over that property, and to ask God to do a miracle if this is truly His will for Appalachian Church.
We are believing that if God wants this vision to happen, He is fully able to make a way where there seems to be no way.
I know this season has felt like a roller coaster emotionally, spiritually, and financially. But through it all, God has been faithful. And He still is.
Thank you for continuing to pray, give, serve, and believe in the mission God has entrusted to Appalachian Church.
We move forward together in faith, not fear.
Pastor Steve Ashley
