Moving On But Not Up

I woke up one day this week and checked my email on my phone and saw that an  article had been posted about me. I knew it was coming, had even provided information for it, but it still made me smile to see it. It announces my new position as Associate Director of Church Planting.

Some have told me that it is a step up from my current job, kind of like a promotion. I am quick to say that there is nothing more important than leading worship, which is what I do as Worship Pastor now and will continue to do through Easter, juggling both jobs.

I don't think of this as a promotion. It is different. It has different responsibilities. I will be traveling a lot and visiting with our current church planters and looking for more. It does excite me to be able to do this since I value church planting so much and have made it a priority in my life for quite awhile now.

But I will miss the every week opportunity to share with friends at Friendship Community Church in worship. I will miss laughing with the worship team and church staff and working hard to put together a well planned worship experience and then lifting it up to God to do with as He wishes.

I will miss standing in my office with the worship team before we move onto the stage, lifting my hands indicating it's time for the sharing to end and for us to join hands in a circle and pray, and praying to Almighty God for concerns raised in that small group and for Pastor Dennis Hall as he preaches that service and that God would move among us as we not only lead worship but are worshipers ourselves.

I will miss playing guitar with talented musicians who far exceed my abilities but still follow my leading of the band, knowing that it is important to work together. I will miss hearing the singers join their voices together in a heavenly chorus that is still on earth for the moment. I will miss the tech team making us sound good and keeping ahead of us with the lyrics so that we can all be out of the way and God be praised. I will miss how even though we work so hard to put this all together and want to use our musical abilities at their highest levels, that God touches lives despite us as well as through us. I do love surprises and every worship experience is one.

So yes, I am moving on but not up. I am happy to be moving into a time in my life where I will share in overseeing new churches but don't think I won't miss what I am doing. Don't you ever dare think that. Tears are flowing now even just as I write this. I do love the people of Friendship and I will miss being with them for worship and small groups and more from week to week. Thank you for allowing me to spend a decade with you. I love you.



Comments