A Note from Pastor Joel
Dear Parents,
Tonight I shared some important news with the teens, and I wanted to follow up by communicating with you directly as well.
After much prayer, counsel, and seeking the Lord’s direction, our family has made the decision to step into a new ministry assignment. At the end of May, I will be transitioning out of my role here at West Florida Baptist Church and will begin serving as a youth pastor at another church closer to our family.
This has not been an easy decision. I love this church deeply, and I love your teenagers deeply. Serving as their youth pastor has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Over these past several years, God has allowed me to watch many of them grow, ask honest questions, take meaningful steps of faith, serve others, and begin to own their walk with Christ. I do not take lightly the trust you have placed in me and in this ministry.
I want to be clear about something I also told the students tonight: I am not leaving because of a problem with them, with this ministry, or with this church. I am leaving because, after a long process of prayer and counsel, Ashtin and I believe the Lord is leading our family into this next season, and we want to obey Him.
Over the past few years, God has changed our family in significant ways. He brought Rosie into our home through foster care and adoption, gave us Phinehas, and now we are preparing for another baby. As our family has grown, the Lord has also made clearer our responsibility to steward our home well. This decision is part of that process of seeking to follow the Lord faithfully as a family.
Tonight with the students, I wanted to do more than simply announce that I am leaving. I wanted to shepherd them through this transition. I reminded them that this ministry has never been built on one person. Jesus loves this youth ministry more than I do. He loves these students more than I do. He was working here before I came, and He will continue working here after I leave.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to use my remaining time with the students to remind them of the truths that matter most. Last week, we looked at Ephesians 2 and talked about who they are and what they are for: that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Tonight, from Ephesians 3:14–21, I shared with them what I am praying for them as I leave.
My prayer is not first that their lives would be easy, but that they would be strengthened in Christ and rooted in His love.
I told them that what they need most is not a certain youth pastor, a certain program, or perfect circumstances. What they need most is Christ. They need to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man. They need Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith. They need to be rooted and grounded in His love. They need to know the love of Christ in a deeper way. They need to believe that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
That is my prayer for your teenager.
I am thankful for every retreat, every Wednesday night, every Bible study, every conversation, every hard question, every moment of laughter, and every opportunity I have had to point your students to Jesus. But I also know that I have never been the foundation of this ministry. Christ is. And because Christ is the foundation, we can trust Him in seasons of change.
I also want to thank you as parents. Thank you for allowing me to have a voice in your teenager’s life. Thank you for bringing them, encouraging them, praying for this ministry, serving alongside us, and partnering with the church in the discipleship of your children. I have always believed that youth ministry is meant to support the home and strengthen the church, not replace either one. It has been a joy to come alongside you in that work.
I know transitions can bring questions, emotions, and uncertainty. I understand that. I also want to encourage you to talk with your teen about this. Ask them how they are processing it. Let them be honest if they are sad, confused, or unsure. Then help point them back to the same truth I tried to give them tonight: Christ is enough, and He is still leading His church.
These next few weeks matter to me. I want to finish well. I want to love your students well, encourage them, and keep pointing them to Jesus. I am praying that this season, though emotional, will become another opportunity for our students to grow in faith, maturity, and trust in the Lord.
Thank you again for the privilege of serving your family. I love these students, I love this church, and I am deeply grateful for the years God has given us together.
In Christ,
Pastor Joel
Tonight I shared some important news with the teens, and I wanted to follow up by communicating with you directly as well.
After much prayer, counsel, and seeking the Lord’s direction, our family has made the decision to step into a new ministry assignment. At the end of May, I will be transitioning out of my role here at West Florida Baptist Church and will begin serving as a youth pastor at another church closer to our family.
This has not been an easy decision. I love this church deeply, and I love your teenagers deeply. Serving as their youth pastor has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Over these past several years, God has allowed me to watch many of them grow, ask honest questions, take meaningful steps of faith, serve others, and begin to own their walk with Christ. I do not take lightly the trust you have placed in me and in this ministry.
I want to be clear about something I also told the students tonight: I am not leaving because of a problem with them, with this ministry, or with this church. I am leaving because, after a long process of prayer and counsel, Ashtin and I believe the Lord is leading our family into this next season, and we want to obey Him.
Over the past few years, God has changed our family in significant ways. He brought Rosie into our home through foster care and adoption, gave us Phinehas, and now we are preparing for another baby. As our family has grown, the Lord has also made clearer our responsibility to steward our home well. This decision is part of that process of seeking to follow the Lord faithfully as a family.
Tonight with the students, I wanted to do more than simply announce that I am leaving. I wanted to shepherd them through this transition. I reminded them that this ministry has never been built on one person. Jesus loves this youth ministry more than I do. He loves these students more than I do. He was working here before I came, and He will continue working here after I leave.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to use my remaining time with the students to remind them of the truths that matter most. Last week, we looked at Ephesians 2 and talked about who they are and what they are for: that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Tonight, from Ephesians 3:14–21, I shared with them what I am praying for them as I leave.
My prayer is not first that their lives would be easy, but that they would be strengthened in Christ and rooted in His love.
I told them that what they need most is not a certain youth pastor, a certain program, or perfect circumstances. What they need most is Christ. They need to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man. They need Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith. They need to be rooted and grounded in His love. They need to know the love of Christ in a deeper way. They need to believe that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
That is my prayer for your teenager.
I am thankful for every retreat, every Wednesday night, every Bible study, every conversation, every hard question, every moment of laughter, and every opportunity I have had to point your students to Jesus. But I also know that I have never been the foundation of this ministry. Christ is. And because Christ is the foundation, we can trust Him in seasons of change.
I also want to thank you as parents. Thank you for allowing me to have a voice in your teenager’s life. Thank you for bringing them, encouraging them, praying for this ministry, serving alongside us, and partnering with the church in the discipleship of your children. I have always believed that youth ministry is meant to support the home and strengthen the church, not replace either one. It has been a joy to come alongside you in that work.
I know transitions can bring questions, emotions, and uncertainty. I understand that. I also want to encourage you to talk with your teen about this. Ask them how they are processing it. Let them be honest if they are sad, confused, or unsure. Then help point them back to the same truth I tried to give them tonight: Christ is enough, and He is still leading His church.
These next few weeks matter to me. I want to finish well. I want to love your students well, encourage them, and keep pointing them to Jesus. I am praying that this season, though emotional, will become another opportunity for our students to grow in faith, maturity, and trust in the Lord.
Thank you again for the privilege of serving your family. I love these students, I love this church, and I am deeply grateful for the years God has given us together.
In Christ,
Pastor Joel