Wednesday night, when I got home, I was on a high from the pure goodness that unfolded in the life of our church at our Shepherd’s Heart Live event. With a 95% vote of affirmation, we are thrilled to welcome Pastor Jake Roberts to our staff as the new Executive Pastor of Ministries. In addition to preaching and general pastoral care, Jake’s responsibilities will include leadership to our Family Life and Disabilities Team, our Adult Ministries Team, and our Preschool. Jake’s first Sunday will be on December 10th, and we cannot wait to welcome his family with open arms. 

In addition, Laura Jean Martin will be joining our staff on November 1st as the First Impressions and Engagement Minister. Laura Jean’s main responsibilities will be creating pathways to discipleship engagement and missional living. Laura Jean will work with Bob Dean and our amazing Welcome Team ministry to help them create pipelines and pathways for anyone to experience total engagement in the life of our church.

This Sunday, we begin our new series, On Purpose, where we will be unpacking our engagement pathway, beginning with INVITE. Pastor Glen will be preaching in the sanctuary and taking a look at the Woman at the Well, and I will be unpacking the calling of Levi, the Tax Collector, and how Jesus engaged Levi to live on mission. Pastor Glen and I will be addressing an important topic, evangelism. 

Evangelism has become a complex word in some circles, and while I understand the reasons, I believe that our God is a missional God, and our calling is to collectively invite everyone to walk together in the calling of Christ. I believe the headwinds of the Spirit are calling the church to reclaim evangelism for a new day. With that, I wanted to alert you to an event happening next Thursday from the New Thing Network. You can learn more here. I believe this will be a rich time. Hugh Halter is a great missiologist and one of the leading voices on evangelism. I would be thrilled if some of you were able to attend! This is a FREE event!

Beloved, it is a joy and honor to serve as your pastor. Bright and joyful days are ahead of us, as long as we abide in Jesus and remain open to the Spirit. God is a leading God, so may we have eyes to see where he is going. May we have ears to hear his calling. May we have a mind to imagine the things he has for us. May we have a heart courageous enough to follow him.

From my heart,

Pastor Tara Beth