History
The 1999 Board of Directors meeting for Hope Chapel could be said to be the moment of conception for Hope in the City. Board member Gary Kinnamen from Mesa Arizona lobbed a bomb into the discussion when he suggested that Ron and Janine become the next church planters sent out from Hope Chapel. The idea of Ron and Janine leading the next church plant was radical because at that time, Ron was the Senior Pastor at Hope Chapel. However, when Gary broached this possibility, most in the board room felt something prophetic had just been released.
Little did anyone in the room (except Janine) know that for four months the Lord had been dealing with Ron to pioneer a new church. The "word" that Gary gave served to confirm this direction and the months that followed was the opportunity for the elders to become enrolled in the plan through much discussion and fervent prayer. By the time the announcement was made at Hope Chapel the new church had the full blessing and support of the elders and pastoral staff of the church.
In August of 2000 Hope in the City began meeting in the cafeteria of Austin High School. Nearly 200 attended that first Sunday; most had been members of Hope Chapel who felt the call to join Ron and Janine (our founding Pastors).
Some highlights of HITC's History:
- Hope for the Nations (HFN) was formed within the first year. In September of 2001, HITC focused on launching church planting teams to "the Nations". The first wave of our team in Indonesia was already on the ground and we quickly faced the need to form a coaching and support base for HFN.
- In January 2002, we made a decision to move to Southeast Asia to join in initiating church planting movements in the world's largest Muslim country. (The transition overseas was made in May 2003.) Our first focus was Indonesia. A family joined a team who had been living and ministering overseas since 1999.
- Britt and Jonelle Tucker transitioned from youth ministry into the role of college pastors at the end of the Spring semester in 2002.
- Sean and Shannon Jones joined us to serve the youth ministry in July of 2002.
- That same month the Lord provided an ideal office/meeting facility we were able to lease at 45th and Red River.
- In September 2002 , the charter class for the HFN School of Church Planting formed with 11 students. (A church planting team targeting Central Asia has formed from that class).
- 2003 was marked by transition to a cell-celebration structure. New Hope Groups were launched that seek to live out the five core values God has given us as a church.
- In January 2005 we purchased the building at 4407 Monterey Oaks Blvd. We moved into the office space in the Fall of 2005 and then into the Worship Center March 2006.
- In March of 2005, our first team formed and moved to Central Asia and we launched our first team to North Africa.
- Our HFN administrator and director of the School of Church Planting launched our second work and moved to Central Asia with a new team member in May of 2006.
- A new team launched in Southeast Asia in November of 2006 with a focus on ministering to the poor and serving street kids.
- January 2008 marked the completion of phase three of the construction of our facility. The youth and elementary wings were completed along with the coffee house we call "Awake, Awake!" (There's a dual meaning: It's what we all want when we drink it - it's name also speaks of a spiritual awakening, see Isaiah 51:9.)
- February 2008 - Second team launched to North Africa.
- August of 2008 - A new team in Central Asia. Ryan Walker became College Pastor..
- September 2008 marked the unveiling of a 5-year plan. We have focused our core values on "Loving God, Loving One Another, and Loving Austin and the Nations." We implemented specific goals around these core values and announced strategies to reach these goals.
- November 2008 - One of our Central Asia teams disbanded due to security threats.
- January 2009 - A new team member joined existing team in Central Asia.
- August 2010 - We commissioned 7 elders and wives who had been serving the church in the ministry for years.
- August 2010 - 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! The monthly celebration included a visit from all of our HFN field staff, ordination of elders and, of course, a party!
- Fall 2011 - Transition of church leadership. Ron and Janine Parrish (our founding Pastors) joining HFN. Britt and Jonelle Tucker return to Austin to lead HITC. Britt Tucker ordained as Lead Pastor.
Our story is still in the making. God's intended future for us even far more fruitful than our past. Many lives in Austin and the Nations will be transformed through God's message of grace being communicated through the lives of our church family.