Two years ago next month our family drove away from our house in Wichita Falls, TX making our way to an apartment in Franklin, TN. We left a church, a home, and friends that we loved to go to a place we had never actually seen before except online. Our move was prompted by a stirring I felt from the Holy Spirit to walk along side of some guys who were planting new churches while I finished a doctorate that focused on team leadership with church planters. It was a move that was based upon faith, obedience, and convictions…no job, no church, no security, but no doubts. Although I can’t say that I have accomplished all that I had hoped…it has been an incredible adventure filled with great times of growth and learning.
Before we left TX, we had a family meeting with the girls to talk through the move. There were a lot of thoughts and emotions that night as we had that conversation but I communicated two things that were very clear to me. One, our moving to TN was an adventure that we were all going to go on. Our whole family had a purpose for our move…it was not simply about me. And two, I shared that we may only be in TN for a year or two…a time to serve, learn, grow, and work on my dissertation. We would then see where the Lord would lead us again but it may not be to stay in TN. I shared those two things that night and there have been many changes and surprises along the way. However, one thing that has not changed is the belief that God would be faithful as we walked in obedience. True to His character, God has been faithful and now almost exactly two years later, He has provided an opportunity for me to serve the Kingdom utilizing my gifts, strengths, past experiences, and passion.
Although we love living in the Nashville area, God has opened a door for me to serve at Pinelake Church in Brandon, MS. www.pinelake.org. I will be serving as a pastor in charge of the church planting efforts and the leadership development of their ministry interns. Pinelake will lead out in producing a new generation of church planters and network with other church planting churches to help recruit, equip, coach and lead church planting-focused disciples with a vision for kingdom multiplication nationally and internationally. (For those so inclined, I copied the job description below.)
It will be a new role for me and for Pinelake. This position will call for major adjustments from me and the family as we make the move to a new location so your prayers are appreciated. Brandon is located just outside of Jackson, MS in a beautiful, growing community. Pinelake has been well led by their Senior Pastor, Chip Henderson, for the last 12 years and has grown to some 7500 in attendance in their weekend services. Church planting and leadership development is taking a front seat in their overall mission and I have the incredible privilege of being on the ground floor of developing this emphasis.
I accepted their invitation last week and will begin serving in March. Understandably the girls have mixed emotions but actually they are doing well and see some great things ahead for our family. At this point, I will be doing some commuting back and forth as the girls and Melody finish out the school year in TN and then we will make the final move in May. Thanks for your continued support, love, and friendship. Please keep us in your prayers as we start writing a new chapter…it is one that is filled with great anticipation of amazing things to come.
Partial list of responsibilities:
- Create, develop and manage Pinelake’s Church Planting Residency Program.
- Annually discover and recruit church planters from various colleges, seminaries, or churches to participate in the Pinelake Church Planting Residency program.
- Lead the equipping and coaching of the church planting residency members in 11 months of training preparing them to plant new life giving churches nationally and internationally.
- Oversee the ASCEND internship programs (www.ascendatpinelake.org) for kingdom multiplication.
- Annually discover and recruit 8-10 college/seminary graduates who are preparing for full time vocational ministry to participate in 11 months ministry intern program.
- Oversee the ministry interns, providing on-the-job training and experiences to next generation church leaders.
- Direct the development, oversight, and execution of Pinelake national church planting strategies and partnerships.
- Serve as a working link with the LAUNCH Network (www.launchstrong.com) and all associated church planting hubs. Facilitate church planting equipping and networking in coordination with LAUNCH Network strategies, opportunities, and needs.
- Support “Hub South” of LAUNCH equipping and networking roles: to help train and coach planters with an ability to start, grow, and lead strong, to mature a vision of multiplication, and to facilitate dialogue between church planting minded churches.
- Network with other like-minded church planting networks (NAMB, IMB, etc.), churches, or planters to facilitate best practices for multiplication and kingdom advance in accordance with Pinelake vision and strategies.
- Maintain partnership and connection to select Pinelake sent or supported national church planters through networking, follow-on coaching, and needed long or short-term mission team augmentation.
- Communicate to the Pinelake body the role and impact of church planting churches for God’s kingdom advance.
- Develop servant leaders/disciples with a vision and passion for multiplication and church planting.
- Provide opportunities for the Pinelake body to support and interact with the work of partnering church plants and planters.
