FITZSPEAK-BLOG: WHAT IS INFLUENCING YOU IN THIS SEASON?

People often ask, ”So what good books have you read recently”.

When someone asks that question they are interested in knowing what is influencing your thinking and what is having an impact on shaping ones life in real space and time. For me I currently have two sources that are having maybe the most significant impact on shaping my perspectives in this season of my life and they are not books but two people. Tyler Ward and Jared Black. (Ana Lee & Steph very much appreciated as well). We spend a lot of time together and we talk a lot, about life, the kingdom and just we’re we are at in the small scheme of things.

To a certain degree I understand the grid I’m working with but a true understanding of the data of life is even more crucial. I am dated and they are freshly current so I constantly hear gems of wisdom or insight or perspective that realign my pursuit of True North. To me they are brilliant friends and deep wells to draw from and I always carry my bucket. My bucket is made up of questions, pursuits, ponderings and a quest for life and to share life. I think they like the bucket because we so often are all gleefully surprised when we see what comes up out of them, from within the halls of their personhood. They make Jesus’ words ring true “for the kingdom of God is within you”. They are my books and true friends having a big impact on my world my life and my future.

Thanks guys.

DAVID FITZPATRICK

As a child of the 60’s Dave was born to seek; born to find. In 1969 in pursuit of truth and meaning, he left Michigan for San Francisco. Disenchanted by the hatred he encountered during the People’s Park riots in Berkley, he returned home briefly before resuming his pilgrimage in Europe. Still not finding what he was looking for he pressed through Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, paying for his travels by sending hash (drugs) back to the states. Eventually it was while living in India that he saw the emptiness of eastern mysticism. After much disillusionment and nowhere else to search, he realized whatever the answer to life, it would not be found by traveling. Though his catholic upbringing left him severely jaded on religion he began to feel that somehow Jesus, the person, not the religion, might be the answer. Six months after returning to America Dave had a radical salvation experience in 1971.

The following years held extreme transition while becoming grounded in the word, in character and in community. After a year of correspondence with Peggy, who was living with her family in Africa, they met when she returned home to Pennsylvania. They were married in 1976. Their growing community was leading so many to the Lord in these remarkable days called the Jesus movement that Peggy’s father converted his barn into a place for the emerging church to meet. It was in these dynamic days that, during a visit to friends in Nashville, he met Don Finto, who became a friend, a mentor and role model for many years. During these years Dave and Peggy had their first child; Dave received his ministerial degree in Philadelphia followed by a summer studying leadership at Princeton.

In 1979 Dave and the small family returned to Michigan where he and his wife Peggy started a church with a desire to bring light to the region where he had been so instrumental in darkness. The church was based on intercession, radical commitment to Jesus and the freedom of the Spirit. At that time, while doing intercessory trips with James Goll the Lord asked Dave to seriously consider giving an extended season exclusively to prayer. So in 1988, Dave turned the leadership of the church over to the leaders who had been raised up and moved his family, now with three children, to a pastoral setting outside of Nashville.

For the next seven years he gave himself primarily to prayer. During this season he was an instrumental player in Nashville’s prophetic movement, the eventual establishment of Abounding Grace Church, now called Grace Center, as well as becoming involved with Israel and living as a family for a year in Russia.

1n 1996 they returned from Russia and Dave became the senior leader (pastor) of Abounding Grace church (Grace Center). Again this was a rich season of establishing the congregation’s strengths of seeking God, intercession and community. In 2000 he recognized an emerging leadership and anointing on one of the elders and began the process of transferring over his position.

It was at that same time that the Lord called Dave into the market place and he began a several year journey of working as an executive coach, primarily focused and working one week a month in California. It was also during this season of working in the business arena that through the influence of his children that he and Peggy have progressively become involved in the causes of justice.

Dave’s heart continues to be toward his family and prayer. While a significant amount of his time and attention is aimed at serving the emerging army of justice workers, he is still involved in executive coaching and entrepreneurial endeavors. Dave also plays a supportive leadership role at Grace Center Church.

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WHAT IS INFLUENCING YOU IN THIS SEASON?

DAVID FITZPATRICK

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