Pastor Sean came to me a few weeks ago to announce that he felt led to start a new church on Johns Island. When he came to share his decision I had mixed emotions. First, Sean has been a good friend and faithful servant during his five years here at JIBC. He is creative and highly energetic. Second, it had been our hope that Pastor Sean would be at my retirement, the next successor here at James Island Baptist. I had developed a four part, four year plan of succession believing Sean would help provide a smooth transition when the time came for my retirement.
Sean shared that he and Audra had prayed extensively about this new adventure. He felt like the Lord was leading him in a different direction. After hearing his plans, I agree with his decision. I very much appreciate his honest assessment, insight and concern for the ministry and mission of JIBC.
We have enjoyed and benefited from Sean’s ministry here at JIBC. He is gifted in so many ways and his sweet family has been a joy to us all. We will certainly miss them all. The good news is they are staying right here on James Island and ministering just across the bridge.
The Elders and I put together a plan that would recognize Sean’s years of service at JIBC and bless the new work he feels called to start. We are trying to be more in the sending business and less in the ending business. We believe James Island Baptist should affirm Sean’s calling with our prayer and our support. To that end, our leadership team has committed to pray and has approved supporting Sean with four full month’s salary as he begins his new church plant. In addition, when the new work is up and running, we have a $5,000 support check to donate. We believe this generous parting gift will help Sean and his family as they transition out of James Island Baptist into the work where God has called them.
Although Sean’s new work will be officially independent of JIBC, our friendship will continue and we hope there might be opportunities to partner in the future for the sake of God’s Kingdom. I have every confidence that God will continue to lead and bless JIBC just as He will Sean and his family. This may be a surprise to us but I do not believe it was a surprise to our Heavenly Father. To God be the glory.
Imagine how the Church at Antioch, Acts 13, must have felt when they commissioned and sent out the Apostle Paul AND Barnabas as missionaries. They were sending out the greatest theologian the church had known, the man God used to write half of the New Testament and his good buddy Barnabas, the most encouraging guy many of them had ever known. The end result…the Gospel continued to go around the world! May it be so again, in Jesus Name.
Pastor Tom
