Pastor Brent called to Baltimore to plant a new church

This is my definition of “bitter-sweet”.  Brent and his family have been a wonderful addition to our church family and community.  I love him and have appreciated his work with us over the past years.  So, I will miss his friendship and what he brings to the mission and ministry here at JIBC.  At the same time, I rejoice, kind of in the same way a parent rejoices, when their child goes off to college or gets their first full time job.  I thank God for Brent’s desire to plant a new church.  He is really at ground zero with what our North American Mission Board is doing.

 

When Brent told me of his decision, I immediately started making calls to help connect him with the North American Mission Board.  He really did not know much, if anything, about what Southern Baptist were doing in the way of starting new churches.  Now, by God’s good grace and the generous giving of Southern Baptist, Brent and his family may be partially supported by the North American Mission Board.  To God be the glory.  

So now, what will we do?

As soon as Brent told me of his desire, the first thing I did was to start working on his behalf to help connect him to the people who are the best at starting churches, the North American Mission Board.  The very next thing I did was to start the process of praying for the next person to come on board with us at JIBC to work with our students.  Even though we DO NOT KNOW an exact date Brent will leave, we started the search process believing it will be sooner rather than later.  At first, Brent believed it would be a year or more.  I felt it could be by the end of the summer.  It may be as early as mid September, but we still really do not know.

What I do know is we have already started receiving resumes and doing interviews.  It is not like we are just filling a job.  We are looking for a family member, a ministry partner, a fit for the church and a missionary to the community.  In the same way I feel sure God is leading Brent and his family, I feel God will lead the JIBC family.

We are meeting with the Elders and Finance Team Leadership to find ways we can help Brent and his family make this transition. They have served faithfully. We are allowing Brent to spend the necessary time preparing for the new job while continuing to serve here at JIBC.  It is Kingdom work, whether it is here or in Baltimore.  I know for sure, I expect Brent to serve faithfully wherever He serves.  He is a Kingdom servant.  I will miss him and his friendship.

See you this Sunday, Good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom