Leaving Well!

If you've been a part of a church for any period of time, you know that leaving a church can be very hard. Relationships are at stake. Families are involved. Feelings get hurt. Intentions are criticized. Tempers rise. Anger mounts. Territories are defined and "true colors" are seen for the first time. In fact, many feel that if they ever left "their" church, they would never be welcomed back again.

I think it's sad and frankly unacceptable, that "the church", people who are supposed to be known by their love for one another, can't leave well.

Adam and Laurie have been a part of NewSpective Church since day one. Adam led our worship, assisted with purchasing equipment, held practices at his house, hauled equipment around, set up and packed up the church each and every week & served on our leadership team. Laurie . . . Supported Adam! Any man in ministry will tell you that support like that is a Full Time Gig.

However, God has other plans for Adam & Laurie. This past weekend we had the chance to say goodbye. We did it well. We publicly thanked Adam & Laurie for their time with us and service to God at NewSpective. We gave them a gift and prayed over them. It' wasn't a big ordeal but It was good for NewSpective to see that leaving a church doesn't have to be ugly. It doesn't have to be long and drawn out with trash talking and storytelling.

You see, when God is the focus of what you are doing, it's so much easier to accept His will. We may not understand it, we may not like it, but God is God and we . . . are not!!! God moves people from one post to another. He knows what He's doing and He's ALWAYS right!!

I wish Adam and Laurie the best and pray that God speaks clearly as to what their next post will be.

I also pray that "the church" would learn from this example and understand that Leaving Well is part of this command.

G3,