This last Tuesday I read the following letter to our church board, of which I was a member. In the following days, I plan to write more about our move into the organic house church.
Throughout the last year, my family has struggled with the call to join the organic house church. This is a very exciting movement that we feel can greatly help Christians accomplish the task that Jesus assigned us…to “go and make disciples of all men.” Our heart has been greatly burdened for several years to be better ministers to the people we know in our neighborhood and to reach out to the ones we’ve not yet met. Attending church 20 miles from our home several days a week has made this next to impossible, at least to the extent that we feel called.
Though we have felt this burden, we have been hesitant to make that leap of faith for several reasons. It’s not the traditional church that we have been raised in and love. We have great relationships with the people of RCN; very few in this church have deeper roots than my husband. We didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or cause controversy in any way. We were afraid of what it would mean to take our children out of the traditional church that they have attended faithfully since they were born. One important aspect that made it so difficult for us to step out in faith was our great respect for Pastor Salter and his aspirations for what RCN can be. We love what he has done to foster social action in the community surrounding RCN because we feel this is a perfect example of Jesus’ love to those who don’t enter the doors of this building.
However, God lovingly made it very clear to us in recent months and weeks that this is definitely what He wants our family to do, and He has made the circumstances so perfect. We have prayed for years that God would show us how to minister to our neighbors, and He has placed the person that the Church of the Nazarene has hired to start the organic house church, Darrell MacLearn, literally right next door to us. This is a huge answer to prayer because we can learn from him how to be missionaries to McKinney.
And so, we are taking this leap of faith, and we are asking you to leap with us. While you will not see our faces in the halls of this building every time the doors are open anymore, rest assured that we are still a part of the body of RCN. You will still see us from time to time. We are asking for your support through prayer and friendship as we embark on this exciting journey to McKinney as missionaries from RCN. We sincerely hope that this move will in no way be interpreted as a threat to this church body, because it’s just the opposite; it’s an asset as we will merely be an extension of RCN in McKinney. We simply feel called to be Kingdom builders in our own neighborhood. Therefore, I offer my resignation from this board. Please join with my family in prayer as we sit back and witness what God has in store for His church!
Jodi…I loved your letter and I’m so proud of you, for your love, your courage, and your tender heart! Continue to allow God to use you!
One more thing…as difficult as it was for you to read that letter and resign, knowing what you know about the call God has placed on your life, imagine how difficult it might be for those hearing it to understand the decision you’ve made as a family to step out in faith and obedience! Where we once had fear, it’s now replaced with peace and joy, and we must allow others the time they need to get to the same place we are! Hope that makes sense.
That makes complete sense. As a matter of fact, I said something similar to Jay before I left to go to the meeting. And you have been a wonderful example and friend to us in this whole process! Thanks a million! We love you guys!
[...] was on the board at our old church, did a great job of explaining our feelings and reasons in her resignation letter to the board. So, check that out for some [...]