A season of transition
Pastor Luke's statement from Sunday
Zealhouse,
I have a statement I want to read to you but before I do, I want to assure you this is not a bad thing. No sin or disunity has taken place, quite the opposite actually. I believe the Holy Spirit is orchestrating something beautiful in our midst and over time we’re going to see Romans 8:28 play out, “He works all things together for His good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
Anna and I want you to know we love our church, and we love you. Nothing will change that. The highlight of our life in ministry has been seeing the life-change, passion, and transformation that God has birthed among us. We have prayed together, served together, mourned together, celebrated together, and pursued Jesus together. We’ve seen the lost saved, the disconnected reconnect, marriages restored, children make decisions to follow Jesus, and our community impacted by the mission of Jesus among us — and that work is going to continue, because it’s never been about a single person, but always been about the Savior we all serve — and us collectively becoming His body — the church.
The Holy Spirit has made it undeniably clear that God has a new ministry assignment for us and our family at a church in the Pacific Northwest. I wasn’t actively looking for something – but the Holy Spirit orchestrated this opportunity, and the process of us getting to a YES, in a way that can only be attributed to His supernatural work. Over the course of the next couple months I will share more details with you about how this all happened, but for now I want you to know this decision has been made through persistent prayer; in community with our board and mentors; and most importantly continually affirmed through Scripture and by the Holy Spirit.
Please hear me — today is not my last Sunday. Today marks the start of a season of transition we’re all going to walk through together this fall to prepare our church for the future God has for us. I’m working together with our board and we have a great plan in place that I truly believe is going to take us beyond where we are to new and greater heights of ministry.
I know many of you throughout the years have prayed, cared for, and loved my family in such beautiful ways and the future of my family is very important to you. While this wasn’t a deciding factor, I do want you to know this future move is going to be an absolute game-changer for our entire family. My boys will attend Christian schools, my children with special needs will receive great benefits and care, and this opportunity will positively impact our entire family in ways that only God could provide.
At the same time — we will deeply mourn in a beautiful way — the incredible family God has given us here at ZEALHOUSE. Most of you know me well enough to know the only person who could convince me to do something like this is God — and by way of His Spirit — I’m certain this is His plan.
Family, this is the beauty of the kingdom. Jesus’ ministry was marked by His continuous travel from city to city calling disciples, teaching about the kingdom, and performing miracles. The apostle Paul’s entire literary work — spanning ⅔ of the New Testament — traces his ministry journey through 50 cities on five ministry trips. The bittersweet beauty of the kingdom of God is that it moves — and it moves as the Spirit has need. Anna and I felt this so clearly over the past few months — God, by His Spirit, is saying, “I have need of you here.”
I know this news comes as a shock to many of you, and along with that shock can come a wave of emotions from saddeness, frustration, confusion, and to hopefully a very small contingency of you, joy. I have experienced those same emotions – I’ve cried, been sad, confused, mourned, and also experienced joy and am filled with hope. Perhaps this is one of the most glorious truths of all – that the power of the Spirit and the goodness of our God can turn all our mourning to dancing, sorrows to joy, and grief to grace.
Family, THIS is what life is all about — expanding the Kingdom, building the church, reaching more people, and reuniting together again in eternity. Seasons beginning, seasons ending, and all things being made new.
Over the next couple months I’m going to be here. We’re going to walk through this together — I’ll continue to share updates with you — and I truly believe our best days are ahead.
I have a statement I want to read to you but before I do, I want to assure you this is not a bad thing. No sin or disunity has taken place, quite the opposite actually. I believe the Holy Spirit is orchestrating something beautiful in our midst and over time we’re going to see Romans 8:28 play out, “He works all things together for His good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
Anna and I want you to know we love our church, and we love you. Nothing will change that. The highlight of our life in ministry has been seeing the life-change, passion, and transformation that God has birthed among us. We have prayed together, served together, mourned together, celebrated together, and pursued Jesus together. We’ve seen the lost saved, the disconnected reconnect, marriages restored, children make decisions to follow Jesus, and our community impacted by the mission of Jesus among us — and that work is going to continue, because it’s never been about a single person, but always been about the Savior we all serve — and us collectively becoming His body — the church.
The Holy Spirit has made it undeniably clear that God has a new ministry assignment for us and our family at a church in the Pacific Northwest. I wasn’t actively looking for something – but the Holy Spirit orchestrated this opportunity, and the process of us getting to a YES, in a way that can only be attributed to His supernatural work. Over the course of the next couple months I will share more details with you about how this all happened, but for now I want you to know this decision has been made through persistent prayer; in community with our board and mentors; and most importantly continually affirmed through Scripture and by the Holy Spirit.
Please hear me — today is not my last Sunday. Today marks the start of a season of transition we’re all going to walk through together this fall to prepare our church for the future God has for us. I’m working together with our board and we have a great plan in place that I truly believe is going to take us beyond where we are to new and greater heights of ministry.
I know many of you throughout the years have prayed, cared for, and loved my family in such beautiful ways and the future of my family is very important to you. While this wasn’t a deciding factor, I do want you to know this future move is going to be an absolute game-changer for our entire family. My boys will attend Christian schools, my children with special needs will receive great benefits and care, and this opportunity will positively impact our entire family in ways that only God could provide.
At the same time — we will deeply mourn in a beautiful way — the incredible family God has given us here at ZEALHOUSE. Most of you know me well enough to know the only person who could convince me to do something like this is God — and by way of His Spirit — I’m certain this is His plan.
Family, this is the beauty of the kingdom. Jesus’ ministry was marked by His continuous travel from city to city calling disciples, teaching about the kingdom, and performing miracles. The apostle Paul’s entire literary work — spanning ⅔ of the New Testament — traces his ministry journey through 50 cities on five ministry trips. The bittersweet beauty of the kingdom of God is that it moves — and it moves as the Spirit has need. Anna and I felt this so clearly over the past few months — God, by His Spirit, is saying, “I have need of you here.”
I know this news comes as a shock to many of you, and along with that shock can come a wave of emotions from saddeness, frustration, confusion, and to hopefully a very small contingency of you, joy. I have experienced those same emotions – I’ve cried, been sad, confused, mourned, and also experienced joy and am filled with hope. Perhaps this is one of the most glorious truths of all – that the power of the Spirit and the goodness of our God can turn all our mourning to dancing, sorrows to joy, and grief to grace.
Family, THIS is what life is all about — expanding the Kingdom, building the church, reaching more people, and reuniting together again in eternity. Seasons beginning, seasons ending, and all things being made new.
Over the next couple months I’m going to be here. We’re going to walk through this together — I’ll continue to share updates with you — and I truly believe our best days are ahead.