Today is a big day.
Today I start as the Lead Pastor of Kamloops Alliance Church.
Today is the day I start to live a dream that God placed in my heart more than five years ago.
Today is the first day that I have the opportunity to love, shape, lead and grow a group of people to love God and love each other.
Today, as they say, comes with “all the feels.”
I start this day reflecting on all the grace, love and people that have put up, built up and stood up for me.
Here are some of those reflections:
- God is faithful
I hit a real low in 2014. Ministry wasn’t fulfilling and I sat on a balcony with Krista, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Positano Italy, eating cheese and salami, and dreaming of ways I could get out of ministry. I was done, or so I thought.
Fast forward just a few months and a new challenge came, at the right time, serving with the right person and God restored excitement and renewed my passion. When I wanted out, God allowed me to stay in.
This is one example of hundreds, illustrating God’s abundant faithfulness in my journey serving His Church. The longer I serve Him, the more I realize that this journey is more about Him than me.
- Family is everything
I am more convinced than ever that ministry is a partnership. There are unique stressors and challenges that pastors experience that often negatively impact families.
I am so grateful that Krista is in this with me. She doesn’t put up with ministry; she is passionately involved in it. She doesn’t do it because she has to, but because she wants to. As we said our goodbye’s to people in Coquitlam, there were countless stories of the impact that Krista had on people as she journeyed and loved them.
I wouldn’t be able to embark on this journey without Krista.
- Calling counts
I believe that every follower of Jesus is called to ministry in the places and spaces they live, but there is a unique calling to serve as a pastor. Throughout the recruitment process with the leaders from Kamloops Alliance, I was listening and waiting for Jesus to call us from Coquitlam to Kamloops. During our candidation weekend, he called us (read more here).
Why does this matter so much? There will be days and seasons where there is momentum and growth. And there will no doubt be days where I am discouraged, afraid and faithless.
It is in these days that this call counts. It will keep me tethered to the mission and to persevere both in times of success and struggle.
- It’s go time!
Proverbs 13:12 has been close to me this year, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” I have felt the life and energy that this opportunity has brought me. I have spent the last 6 weeks in-between jobs. It has been refreshing, fun and a great preparatory time.
But it is time to get going. I have stayed up and been woken up, in the middle of the night full of prayer, dreams, and hopes for Kamloops and Kamloops Alliance. The church is well situated for the future, with a great team, and a generous and engaged church.
I am beyond thrilled to be able to take the helm, along with a great staff team, to love the people of Kamloops Alliance and seek the renewal of Kamloops.
Here are a few things I am most excited for:
- Preaching often – this is my first passion and an enormous privilege to open up God’s Word
- Working with and developing a staff team – some of my greatest joys come from watching others succeed
- Crafting and casting long-term vision – along with the Elders and other Senior Leaders, I am so excited to see God’s story unfold at K.A.C.
- Developing leaders – I love watching others grow and see how they come alive when God uses them to impact others
Thanks for reading and loving me and my family well.
Let’s get this started!
