Over the last few weeks since Jan and I announced our “retirement” from local ministry, I have told several people that our focus is not on “retiring” but on “reinvesting.” We are “re-focusing.” Both we and the local church are preparing to go through a ministry transition. Ministry transitions in local churches are often handled poorly with a negative impact on the church, at least in the short-term. Over the last several months, we have put plans in place to manage this transition proactively so that a smooth, seamless transition can occur and the work of the church will not “miss a beat.”
Jan and I are looking forward to the challenges and freshness of a ministry that extends beyond the local congregation to multiplied congregations and locations across the nation and around the world. Rather than retiring, we are planning to expand our ministry. We already have a fairly full schedule for the remainder of 2010 and are scheduling 2011 activities.
The question we most often hear is, “Why?” Why does a person make this kind of change? When we were young, we set out to change the world, confident that such was within our grasp. We were going to make a difference in a grand way. We set about the ordinary tasks of life (and ministry) with energy and enthusiasm, seizing opportunities, seeking God’s will. Looking back over 40+ years of ministry, we believe God blessed our efforts and that what we did was significant to God. But as we became older, we also saw that we would not be able to accomplish all that we had hoped, so we have to focus on the things that we believe really have the possibility of making a difference in the long-term. We dream of doing only the work we love, of doing the work for which God has uniquely equipped us as he has opened multiplied doors through our lives, and of doing those things that really matter.
For us, encouraging and supporting mission work in receptive areas of the world is one such activity. Baxter Institute and training those who will take the message to others who will also share the message is a “difference making” work. Helping local churches with special series focused on evangelism, missions, leadership, and other church dynamics makes it possible for local churches to take giant strides forward. We look forward to using our lives and our energy thoughtfully. We also look forward to the increased flexibility in our lives along with the independence to go where we are needed when we are needed. God still opens doors, and we will be in position to walk through them unhesitatingly.