A New Vertical Update

Engaging the marketplace with the gospel

A brief update on the Oaks family including prayer request.   View this email in your browser Letting the Gospel redefine our measures of success.  How will they hear? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  Romans 10:14-15  newvertical.org   Learn More Launching PATH As the summer ends, New Vertical is excited to launch PATH. The third phase of our three-fold ministry strategy. This process provides a tangible system for connecting faith with every area of a leader's life.  Explore Phil's PATH journey. second video - Steve's PATH Journey Fall schedule. While we roll out PATH, our engagement ministry will continue in Roswell, Alpharetta and Birmingham. The topics for the collaboratives this Fall will include: September - Balance (reframing work-life balance), October - Spotting Anger (sourcing and directing Anger), November - Rest (applying narrative in chaos). REFRESHER: These collaboratives are designed to encourage Christians and those curious about Jesus.  By faith this structure will serve as a model for future collaboratives and PATH groups in multiple regions. 2 Truths 4 You There are two truths for our journey and yours. God's plan does not change There is no normal How can both statements be true?  God reveals his plan incrementally. Which means every step and season is predicated with "unknowns". I get it! The process is really hard.  When all you know is the next step (and that is often vague), the twists, turns and valleys are very challenging to say the least.  Then you look back. You are surprised. You were never alone or abandoned. You might have felt that way at times, but through all things His providence is working for your good.   Consider the Heidelburg Catechism Q 10: "God's providence is his almighty and ever-present power, whereby, as with his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth and all creatures, and so governs them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly hand."  Network Update If you recall from previous updates, we were seeking admission to a national network. This will not be happening. As part of my perpetual silver lining... I can only assume this to be a good thing in light of the heavy Fall schedule listed above.   Prayer needs PATH Our first group is almost full. Please pray for the right people.  Fall Group Gatherings We have made great progress on these groups, but regaining momentum will be challenging.   THANK YOU! Our ability to proclaim Christ in unreached areas of the Marketplace depends on the support of others. We could not do it without you.  Your one-time or monthly support equips New Vertical to proclaim Christ to community leaders beyond the reach of the local Church.  The goal is to build a network of chaplains that engage a broad range of communities. Grateful We know support comes in many forms. We cannot pioneer marketplace ministry without you. Thank you for your support. You are loved and we are grateful. His Grace is enough. Copyright © 2026 Brian and Heather Oaks, All rights reserved. You are receiving this because you either subscribed or were added by us. Our mailing address is: Brian and Heather Oaks 340 Silver Oaks Court Roswell, Georgia 30075 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

A New Vertical Update

Creating a two-way bridge between the Church and the Marketplace

A brief update on the Oaks family including prayer request.   View this email in your browser Letting the Gospel redefine our measures of success.  How will they hear? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  Romans 10:14-15  newvertical.org   Learn More Alignment Your life has many themes. Family, Money, Work, Hobbies, etc. While these themes are independent, they are also interconnected. If your work fails, your family will be impacted. If your family hurts, your community hurts. Understanding the system of your life is essential for balance, joy and peace.  This system starts with the inseparable relationship between loving God and loving your neighbor. Neither can be done without the other. Understanding how our relationship with God operates as a fixed axis for all of life brings alignment when we feel disjointed. This is the foundational thought for the next step of New Vertical.  Next Step Historically New Vertical has operated through two simple steps. Step 1. Engage a community outside the reach of the local Church. Step 2. Offer that community the gospel through hospitality.   Step 1 This typically happens at existing business networking events. While people do attend these events to grow business, the conversation almost always turns to the challenges of life. Topics like marriage, parenting, sickness, stress, money, and so on are common at these events. Its real life and the need for shepherding is present.   Step 2: Individuals are invited to a familiar space to hear the gospel on a relevant topic (fear, anxiety, relationships, etc.). While this step has fostered many gospel conversations, we have been searching for a discipleship process to continue the dialog.  But how to build a discipleship process that is business friendly?    This brings us to Step 3: PATH A process that combines business tools for personal development and pastoral care. A 10 step journey where participants align the themes of life with a fixed axis. AKA... aligning our vertical relationship into all our horizontal themes.  On the surface, PATH is an opportunity to design a framework for intentional living. On a deeper level, PATH is an invitation to abide with Jesus.    We are excited about PATH! It opens the door for faithful followers of Christ and those considering initial faith steps to apply the gospel in new and thoughtful ways.  Please read more about it here  A Helping Hand PATH is designed to grow through a national network. The initial group will be located in North Atlanta and we are trying to be selective on the group composition.  Currently the group has 5-6 guys and we would like to grow the group by 2-3 more men. We are seeking men who want to become more intentional about the impact they are having at home, work, and in the lives of the people they lead.    You can help by:  Referring PATH to someone in your network. Ideally this person has experienced enough success and failure to know that meaning and purpose will not be found in vocation. This person may or may not be a Christ follower.     You can also:  Pray for New Vertical and the successful organization of our PATH launch group. Finding the right participants is just one piece of the pie. There are many other logistics to navigate in the coming months. NONE of this can be done without collaboration and prayer.  Network Needed Last month we shared about our desire to join a national network. If successful, the connection would foster tremendous opportunities to receive and dispense resources on a scale currently outside our reach. Please pray for admission into this network.  Prayer needs As mentioned above.  PATH For our first group to be full, and full of the right people..  Network Growth Admission to the previously mentioned national network.  Fall Group Gatherings As we approach the Fall we are preparing to resume our monthly Gospel engagements in Alpharetta, Roswell and Birmingham.  THANK YOU! Our ability to proclaim Christ in unreached areas of the Marketplace depends on the support of others. We could not do it without you.  Your one-time or monthly support equips New Vertical to proclaim Christ to community leaders beyond the reach of the local Church.  The goal is to build a network of chaplains that engage a broad range of communities. Grateful We know support comes in many forms. We cannot pioneer marketplace ministry without you. Thank you for your support. You are loved and we are grateful. His Grace is enough. Copyright © 2026 Brian and Heather Oaks, All rights reserved. You are receiving this because you either subscribed or were added by us. Our mailing address is: Brian and Heather Oaks 340 Silver Oaks Court Roswell, Georgia 30075 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

A New Vertical Update

Creating a two-way bridge between the Church and the Marketplace

A brief update on the Oaks family including prayer request.   View this email in your browser Letting the Gospel redefine our measures of success.  How will they hear? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  Romans 10:14-15  newvertical.org   Learn More Summer Promo We are excited to share a promotional piece for our new discipleship process: PATH. It is a 10 step process rooted in the gospel and approachable for the curious.  Webpage Print Version The content is robust. But there are still many details to complete. Please pray for the: "Who, Where, and When" as we are finalizing the next steps.  Summer Refresh Addition, we are using summertime to refresh our extended network on the vision of New Vertical. By faith we can continue to engage the marketplace with the gospel through a network of community chaplains. Below are two files that illustrate our vision for this process. The first, is an overview of New Vertical. The second, is a deeper dive into the data driving the New Vertical imperative.  New Vertical Overview New Vertical Case Study  Please pray for New Vertical's 3 step strategy to extend the Church's reach into the marketplace. Engagement - Entering a new community or culture as a missionary. Hospitality - Inviting the curious to explore the Gospel in a familiar context.  Discipleship - Shepherding individuals in a pursuit of Christ. NETWORKING New Vertical is on the edge of a major milestone for our vision to build a network of chaplains. God has been so faithful to lead us every step of the way. Please pray for his provision on three essential steps.  Admission into a national (unnamed) program. This program would foster tremendous opportunities to receive and dispense resources on a scale currently outside our reach.   Those who gave one-time financial gifts would consider joining us as monthly partners. The strength of our network is built by many hands.   Church Partners. Historically the Church has been reactive to culture shifts. Our prayer is that New Vertical can foster a bridge with the local Church that feels proactive to a cultural shift that began in the 1970's. Around Town As mentioned above. We are pausing our regular collaboratives for the summer to focus on support raising. Below are some images of seasonal or irregular New Vertical engagements.  The annual STATE OF THE CITY luncheon. Business and CIVIC leaders gathered to learn about economic growth and development in the region.   Faith leaders from the region gathered at North Fulton Community Charities to collaborate on serving the "unseen" peoples of our region who live in hardship. A 10 week summer study on the gospel. This year we are reading GENTLE and LOWLY. The sun rises as we discuss questions about the heart of Jesus for sinners and sufferers.  Prayer needs This update is seasoned with prayer request. I have listed them here for simplicity.  PATH For the: Who, Where, and When as we finalize the next steps.  For our first group to be full Process For our 3 step strategy to grow into a network of chaplains.  Network Growth Admission to national program.  Increase in monthly partners  Church Partners.  THANK YOU! Our ability to proclaim Christ in unreached areas of the Marketplace depends on the support of others. We could not do it without you.  Your one-time or monthly support equips New Vertical to proclaim Christ to community leaders beyond the reach of the local Church.  The goal is to build a network of chaplains that engage a broad range of communities. Grateful We know support comes in many forms. We cannot pioneer marketplace ministry without you. Thank you for your support. You are loved and we are grateful. His Grace is enough. Copyright © 2026 Brian and Heather Oaks, All rights reserved. You are receiving this because you either subscribed or were added by us. Our mailing address is: Brian and Heather Oaks 340 Silver Oaks Court Roswell, Georgia 30075 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences