An Open Letter to the Family

Dear Harvest Family,

Faith and I are overwhelmed and overjoyed by the sense of God’s goodness and grace in our lives in leading us to serve with you and be a part of the family here at Harvest. I read recently that how we say "hello" and "good-bye" reveals a tremendous amount about a culture. We have watched you say “good-bye” to the Herrons in a deep, heartfelt manner and, at the very same time, say "hello" to us in a way that has made us feel warmly welcomed and part of the family. This is not easy to do, but we have watched you do so with sweet grace and authentic love. We are so grateful for both of these gifts that you have given!

As you might expect, along with our excitement there is a bit of nervousness, and there will definitely be a learning curve – so I am asking for some help from each of you. Specifically, would you pray for a few things with us? Maybe I can provide a little more info to help you know us better as you pray . . .

First, pray that God’s blessing would be evident as we adjust to you and you adjust to us. We are committed to listening and learning during this season, as well as loving and leading. We want to hear your personal stories, your hurts and your dreams, your family concerns, and your individual victories. We also want to listen to you as a church body. In every church – really in every organization – there is sort of a "voice," and we are praying that we will have spiritual ears to hear that voice.

I know that I am going to make some mistakes. There will be inevitable adjustments as you get used to me and as I figure out how to lead effectively in the Harvest context. Would you be willing to be patient with me? It will take time for you to trust my heart and adjust to my style. I promise I will strive to earn your trust.

Second, pray that God's Word would be lifted up in a clear and heartfelt way, so that the Scriptures alone would shape the future of HBC and Harvest Ministries. I am an expository preacher. That means we will read the Scriptures and seek to "expose" the meaning of the text, letting it speak to us as we depend on the Holy Spirit's counsel. I am also a passionate guy, and you will hear that. It really is, well . . . real, and ebbs and flows in a communication style that is just who I am. The fact is, I love God's church deeply, take the shepherding role seriously, and desperately desire that God's Word be communicated in a way that will impact and change lives. I hope that you will hear my heart and, more importantly, you will learn to hear God's voice.

I understand that one of my primary responsibilities as the Lead Pastor at Harvest is to "devote [myself] to prayer and to the ministry of the Word" (Acts 6:4; 2 Tim. 4:1-5). The fact is, this preaching and teaching responsibility week after week, comes like waves on the beach—one after the next. In many ways, the prayer part comes easily for this reason. Would you join me in praying for the sermons? Let's ask God if He would use His Word in powerful ways to impact our church and the people of Guam in an unusual manner. I know that I am praying in this manner for this coming Sunday – and for the waves of Sundays that come after.

I can sure relate with Paul's comments to the church at Corinth, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

Third, pray for spiritual protection. This is a concern that must not be overlooked. Our enemy hates what God is doing at Harvest, and the more we engage in the spiritual battle and the more spiritual victories that are won, the more active he becomes. We do not wrestle with flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12)! One thing I know after a few years on the frontline is that Satan is a masterful tactician, cunningly seeking weaknesses and vulnerabilities in his scheme to disrupt and destroy. Transitions can find a church particularly vulnerable. Please pray for God's protection for me and my family as we make this significant transition. Pray for each other as well, that we would evidence great grace and spiritual maturity in order to stand against the "wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11). Thankfully, we have a victorious Jesus who is our Shield and Defender!

Fourth, pray for wisdom, vision, and favor to overwhelm me as we step into the responsibilities with the Harvest family. Along with the other pastors whom God has provided, I need wisdom to know how to shepherd God’s people at Harvest – how to guide, feed, and protect. Along with the pastors and lay leaders, I need vision to know where the dangers lie in the future and how God is leading us forward. I also know that I need favor from the church family, that our hearts would be knit together and that we could move forward with unity, purpose, and bold enthusiasm.

Finally, I would ask you for one more thing. I know that we will need time to grow together. I am committed to earning your trust, knowing that trust and relationship go hand in hand. However, could I boldly ask you to be "all in" during these pivotal days? Now is not the time to adopt a "wait and see" approach or spectate from the bleachers. The stakes are too high to sit on the sidelines, and the mission before us is too critical! There is no time to waste while we hold back to see how things might shake out! Every day that we spin our wheels trying to get ministry traction means that we are losing pace in the race for the spiritual destinies of many all around us! I would like to humbly, but boldly ask you to join me in looking, dreaming, and striving for the fullness of God’s blessing in the coming days.

One of the blessings of transitions is that we all have an opportunity to begin with a fresh start. Would you join me in getting off of the bench, stepping out of the group of spectators, and venturing onto the playing field? We need every one of you if we are going to fulfill the task in front of us.

I am praying that you will join me with your full heart. I can’t wait to get going!

Growing in grace and truth,