It’s been a disorienting season. I’m trying to get my bearings. I’ve been sensing distance and release from some of the things I’ve been part of for a long time. Like every human I have a complicated relationship with change. I described change in this post as “a beautiful bummer”.

I’ve had the honor, privilege and challenge of being a pastor at Vanguard Church for thirteen years. They’ve let me grow in and out of various roles and risks from shaping apprentices to launching a church planting network to starting parishes to curating a co-working and event hub. The gnawing feeling of vocational distance, long conversations with Julie and wise counsel have led me to realize a new season is here. It’s time for something else. I need to yield to change, and the God who is architecting it.

I’ve resigned my roles as Multiplying Pastor at Vanguard Church and Director of Frontline Church Planting, and we’re heading to “a land God will show us” while staying here in our city. 

We’re sure of some things…

• It’s been a long, fruitful run, and we’ve grown SO much!
• We’re staying in our home, Colorado Springs
• Julie will be working part-time helping foster care families
• I’ll continue to coach, write and lead the team at Stay Forth Designs
• We’ll spend the next season attending a multiethnic church
• We’re excited for growth and for whatever God has ahead

We’re not sure of other things…

• What I’ll be doing for work
• How I’ll use my gifts to serve an organization
• What shifts this will bring to our lives

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of coaching many leaders through significant changes. Now it’s my turn to navigate a major change. It’s a terriciting concoction where equal parts terrified and excited are stirred and shaken together.    

David Kinnaman at Barna research said, “The Christian community in North America does not need stronger leaders; we need more resilient leaders.” Perhaps leadership is more about adaptability than strength. Resilience is described as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change”. Sometimes we must trade preparation for adaptation. Kingdom leadership is always wilderness!

Who we are uniquely designed to be hasn’t changed, but we’ll continue to adapt. We are new creations, but we are also in process of becoming new creations. Our identity is secure and was never dependent on a title. We have no feelings of bitterness, no discord with Vanguard and no stories of being pushed out. We’re going to be okay. Don’t worry about us, but please pray for us. We know our best days are ahead, and we’re asking for clarity and confidence. 

We are so grateful for an amazing gaggle of humans around us who love us, challenge us and coax us into showing up every week. If you have any questions or thoughts feel free to shoot me an email here. 

“A ship in harbor is safe – but that is not what ships are built for” John Shedd