This morning I made an official announcement to our church that I am resigning from my position as Minister to Students. At the end of December, we will be moving our family up to the Atlanta, Georgia area, where I have accepted a position with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee as their Director of Production and Roasting.
This has been one of the biggest and toughest decisions that I have ever had to make. Moving our family from Jacksonville, FL to Atlanta, GA (Roswell), finding a place to live, a school for the kids, and a job for Katrina is going to be a big transition. In addition to that, I have enjoyed the past few years at MHBC, serving with the staff there, worshiping with the church family, teaching and hanging out with the youth, and seeing lives transformed in our youth ministry. We also have both of our families and a lot of friends here in Jacksonville. So it’s not that easy to leave. But at the same time, we look forward to what lies ahead for us. This has been a decision that followed much prayer, anxiety, white hairs, and excitement, and we know that this is where God is leading our family.
I have had a relationship with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee for the past 4 years. I met them at the 2007 Catalyst Conference, while I was serving at First Baptist Church in Ashford, AL (now Watermark Church). Soon after, I started a coffee ministry in the church through Land of a Thousand Hills. As the 2008 Catalyst Conference approached, I was asked by LOTH to come volunteer and help serve coffee and share their mission and story with the conference attendees. I happily agreed. I mean, who would turn down an opportunity to attend Catalyst for free in exchange for serving great coffee to great people? This continued on to the 2009 Orange Conference, 2009 Catalyst, 2010 Orange, 2011 Orange, and 2011 Catalyst conferences. Each time I left with a stronger desire to be more involved with Land of a Thousand Hills and their work.
And now that opportunity has been fully realized.
I’ve already received questions and comments about getting out of the ministry, so I want to make sure that it is said that this decision is not a result of my dissatisfaction with my current ministry position and church, nor is it an effort to abandon church ministry all together. I’ve also been asked about motivations for a better income. Many of you know us well enough to know that money has nothing to do with me taking this position. We will actually be on about the same financial level that we are right now. So it’s not about leaving ministry work, or about being upset with my church, or about getting a pay raise. This is simply the direction that God is leading us, and the passions that He has been establishing in my own heart. I love Murray Hill Baptist Church and the leaders and members there. And I still have a strong passion for the work of the local church. I also believe that just because my title will no longer be Minister of __________ or __________ Pastor, it does not mean that my work is no longer a ministry.
Land of a Thousand Hills is ultimately a missions organization in the form of a coffee company. They are extremely passionate about great coffee, and the culture surrounding coffee, but even more so, they are passionate about the people who cultivate the coffee and the communities in Rwanda, Haiti, and Thailand in which those farmers work and live. They are passionate about seeing reconciliation taking place between conflicting tribes and groups. They are passionate about working along side of communities as they work towards economic sustainability. They are passionate about seeing children receive the education they need. And through the coffee company, they have the ability to see these things become a reality. So do I consider my work a ministry? Yes.
At the same time, I am looking forward to finding a great local church to plug-in to and serve at as a volunteer. As I said, I am still strongly passionate about the work of the local church, and I will still be very involved in church ministry, but now as a volunteer, which is something I am excited about, and something that I will write more about later.
So with all that said, we would greatly appreciate your prayers during this transition. We will miss all of our Jacksonville and MHBC friends and family. If you ever need some excellent coffee, I know just where to get it. And if you ever come across some free Braves tickets, we’ll have an air mattress for you.
Let the chapter begin…
