Catch 22

I’ve been walking a tightrope in most of my conversations over the last few weeks. If I seem too excited about the new job I’ll be assuming at Faith Promise Church, I come across as a jerk – uncaring about the many relationships that we’re leaving behind. On the other hand, if I communicate my sadness to move away from so many friends, people think that maybe I don’t really want to go, and that there must be some hidden reason that we’re moving to Tennessee.

As a result, I have to explain both sides to almost everyone I talk to.

In addition to this, I think many people are trying to connect the dots of recent events with this change, and sometimes the result is very far from accurate. So, just to set the record straight, let me do a little Q & A:

Is this the reason the West Campus was closed down?

Please!!! You’ve got to be kidding me!

We had no idea about this position until several weeks after the West Campus was closed, and we were a bit hesitant when we first heard about the position.

Why are you leaving? Are you glad to move to Tennessee?

While this change is very challenging to us, in that we’re moving farther away from family and leaving many of our closest friends behind (not to mention that I’ve never lived outside of Texas), we feel a clear direction from God that this is where we’re supposed to be.

It really helps that one of my closest friends, Josh Whitehead, is on staff there as Executive Pastor.

What will you be doing there? What exactly is a Communications Pastor?

My primary responsibilities will include overseeing the church websites, directing PR and marketing initiatives, doing some graphic design, and working as a part of the pastoral staff at FPC.

What is Faith Promise Church like?

Most of you reading this will know my passion for small group ministry and doing church in non-traditional ways. Faith Promise is that kind of church, and they’re making an impact by reaching people who aren’t being reached through traditional methods of doing church. (They have just under 3,000 in weekly attendance, and they are on track to baptize 200 people this year. Most of those are not children).