Investing in the Future

This last Sunday our church voted (unanimously) for Alex Hardt to be our new Associate Pastor – Youth and Young Adults. This was a bold step for our church family, hiring a full-time pastor to lead our youth and college students. This was an investment in the future, and I love that I get to be part of a church that values the next generation so highly.

This is an investment into the future we know God wants for us.  Our church chair, Shirley Isaak did a great job helping us to realize that we will have to grow as a church to be able to afford a full-time position.  Translation – we will have to do what God has asked us to do!  Jay Pink, another leader in our church and our Financial Officer, talked about how the Lord laid it on his heart to re-think his giving to be able to help support our new pastor.  He spoke about “building the wall in front of your own house”, a line from Nehemiah. Reaching the next generation is part of the mission field.

Having strong leaders like Shirley and Jay is also an investment into the future.  As we grow we will need more people who will rise up and lead areas of ministry.  Church staff are not called to do all the work but to empower all the people – to use their gifts to do God’s ministry. The meeting also had people asking good, hard questions. This is how we want to move into the future: with thoughtful planning and good debate that always works for unity and always trusts in the Lord.

Most of all, the meeting was covered in prayer and had times of prayer – this is how we move forward as God’s people.  We voted for Alex, but this is not a democracy; it is a Kingdom. God is the King.  We want His will; we want to be His church.  We are praying for the new lives that will be transformed as we follow Jesus.  We are praying for Alex – and all of our pastors and leaders and workers – to have fruitful ministry and lives that are full of hope.  God is with us.  I am so excited to be part of a church that is investing in the future.  We are a 7 year old church plant – and this is just the beginning!