Critical Transitions
Life is a series of transitions. We transition from the warmth of the womb to the cold air of the outside world; from the innocence of infancy to the inquiry of childhood; from the dependence of childhood to the searching of adolescence; from one stage of life to the end of life, until we transition to what awaits us in eternity. Some transitions are almost seamless. Others are accompanied by difficulties and challenges. Whatever the case may be, all transitions are critical turning points fraught with dangers and filled with opportunities.
I look back at the transitions of my life with mixtures of lament and laughter, amazement and amusement, and grief and gratitude. That’s the nature of transitions. There is always something lost and something gained. We outgrow our clothes and step into shoes a size too large, until they aren’t.
When I retired from serving as a senior pastor of a local church, I didn’t retire from pastoral ministry. I transitioned into a new way of doing pastoral ministry, a part of which was becoming a Transitional Pastor. The irony of that was not lost on me. I was a pastor in transition serving a church (Fort Johnson Baptist Church) in transition. Since then, it has been my great honor to serve three other local churches as their Transitional Pastor.
Churches, like individuals, go through times of transition. Churches, like people, are living organisms and have a life cycle that is inescapable. Church transitions are brought on by other factors not directly related to years of existence. For example, a church outgrows its property and facilities and relocates on more acreage and newer, larger facilities. That’s a transition that is exciting on the one hand and painful on the other because while something is gained, something is also lost. The feel of family gives way to the pulse of plurality.
Another very common example is the church that loses a long-time pastor. In most cases of this nature, there exists a strong bond of love between the pastor and the people and all the positives that accompany a relationship of longstanding ties that impacts multiple generations. There is an established culture, order, and understanding of church life and mission that cannot be duplicated by a new pastor. One of the roles of a transitional pastor is to help the church come to grips with their grief and accept the reality and opportunity of change.
I’m sharing this with you because I want you to know our current reality (and to ask that you pray with us!) as Elliott and I enter a critical new transition of our own. In July of last year, I was called to be the Transitional Pastor of Old Fort Baptist Church in Summerville. We had just gone through the death of Elliott’s mother and, a month later, the sudden and unexpected death of her brother, when I was asked to consider serving this great church. The pastor, someone I knew and admired, had announced his retirement after 29 years of fruitful and faithful service in Summerville. I felt honored, but was reluctant to accept, given what Elliott and our family as a whole had just experienced. With Elliott’s encouragement and much prayer, I accepted the one-year assignment, understanding that the process might take longer (It usually does!).
As we drew closer to the one year anniversary, it became apparent that the search for a new pastor would take longer than the one-year commitment I had made. A lot has been accomplished nonetheless. The Pastor Search Committee has been chosen and commissioned by the church. The Transitional Task Force and various teams have been organized and are hard at work. A Transitional Vision has been presented and promoted. A number of challenges are being met with the strength of prayer and a call to consecration. Good (God things!) are happening. To God be the glory!
Nevertheless, after much prayer and seeking God’s will, I have decided that after a year of constant travel and time away from home, though blessed beyond words in serving the wonderful people of Old Fort and working with a devoted and gifted staff, that my time there is up. It’s time for me to step back from this ministry and be more present with my very understanding and faithful wife of 53 years.
An additional factor to this critical transition is the fact that we have sold our home at Bonneau Beach after 17 years on the lake. We have bought Elliott’s mother’s home in Pinopolis and are preparing to move back in a few weeks to the area where we raised our children and called home for 24 years. This was a big decision for us. So much has happened in the last few weeks (It’s one reason this newsletter is so late in coming!).
All this will have some impact on Compass Coach and Consulting. What exactly, I can honestly say, I’m not really sure. As the Lord leads us through this transition, please pray for us as we seek his direction with a desire to be in his good, acceptable, and perfect will in the days to come. The Lord is faithful in all his ways. And be assured that we are very grateful for your support throughout all these years as partners together in ministry.