Our Story.

In 2018, Southland Christian Church, currently located throughout central Kentucky, asked the question, “How can we leave all of Kentucky better than we found it?” Believing that new churches best reach new people, bring revitalization to existing churches, and spark gospel-change in communities, their next question was, “What if we joined God where He was at work throughout our home state? Southland’s leadership then affirmed the vision to catalyze a church planting movement across Kentucky and the first place God laid on their hearts was Pikeville, nestled in the heart of the mountains of eastern Kentucky.

In 2001, as a freshman at the University of Pikeville (it was Pikeville College back then), Jared Arnett met Bethany, his wife.  Both were born and raised in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, and after graduating from Morehead State University, they followed their hearts to stay in the mountains.  Bethany taught High School English until becoming a full-time mom in 2012 where she homeschooled their daughter, began volunteering with different ministries, and supported the different chapters that God was beginning in Jared’s life and their life.  Jared is an entrepreneur and spent a decade of his life leading economic development organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life and reversing economic challenges facing eastern Kentucky.   

In 2014, Jared was hired as the founding executive director of Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) where he worked closely with Federal and State leaders to mobilize a network of partners focused on economic revitalization across the mountains of eastern Kentucky.  In 2015, while working full-time at SOAR, God called Jared and Bethany to plant a non-denominational Christian church in Pikeville, KY, which eventually became New Beginnings Fellowship Church.  Their first gathering was in the choir room, at UPike, where they met 14 years prior.  Fast forward, in 2020, there was another call.  After prayerful consideration, Jared made the move to leave his role at SOAR where he and Bethany would pursue Kingdom work full-time, having no idea what God had in store, they made themselves available to His call and whatever He had in store for the mountains.  

During that transition, with the help of other believers and volunteers, they co-founded FaithLife Ministries and Faith Life Market, a non-profit Coffee Shop and Thrift Store in Downtown Pikeville, KY.

In early 2021, God, working through people and circumstances, brought the leadership of Southland together with Jared and Bethany.  They immediately began to dream and pray together.  Southland leadership knew God was doing something in the mountains; Jared and Bethany knew God was doing something in the mountains and had felt the call long ago.  Out of the vision God gave Southland and others, Together for the Mountains, is extending the mission of Catalyzing church plants into Eastern Kentucky. Our prayer is that many Christ followers, numerous churches, and other organizations will join the effort to see new works multiplied in and throughout the Mountains. Our hope is that this region will be completely transformed by Jesus and that we will see the Church mobilize and grow. That even the greatest of skeptics will acknowledge that God was leading and changing people one person at a time.

In the summer of 2021 God called Jared Arnett (Bethany) to lead Together for the Mountains.