Dear Church Family,
This prayer request is one of personal labor, and I ask that each of you make petitions to the Lord for FBCN and for Robyn, me and the children. Throughout the past four years, we have been actively praying for God to multiply His church across California and into other parts of the world. Many of you have labored with us in this journey as we hold fast to the confession of our hope who is Jesus Christ, and many of you have seen God do many things as FBCN has been equipped to “go make disciples”.
As the elders have urged the church to be a planting church in 2009, 2010 and Jan of 2011, I know you have all been praying to this end. My role in church planting and expansion of the gospel has always been to equip and teach others the truth of God’s word, and we have seen God transform many lives and bring life to a body of believers.
This calendar year, we have seen God make opportunities for new birth in several cities, and my personal prayer has been that I could be used to assist and facilitate these churches as FBCN stands as a mother church to these mission churches. In May of this year, God struck my heart that maybe I was to step out in faith and answer the call to plant a new church. As we returned from the East Coast, God was clear that we were going to be doing just that. So our prayer began to change that God would make clear how and when this was going to take place.
By divine arrangement, God has shown us that the time is now and has opened the doors wide and given us a clear direction to indeed become missionaries and answer His call to church planting. Please pray for us as this is not easy and our love for you is great. Just as the churches we left in the past are still dear to our hearts and our ministry to them is yet to be severed, neither will your souls leave our concern.
The elders at FBCN have been aware of this possibility as we have all prayed for God’s timing and clarity. God is preparing them to continue to serve and lead you effectively as you have entrusted yourselves to their care in accordance with the scriptures. The elders that remain will continually labor for your joy in Christ.
My last Sunday preaching will be September 4th and after that time we will be in active missions status and head back to the rural south east for a season of fighting the good fight and defending the faith. Although I am the primary teaching elder for FBCN, the other elders have great care for you and will effectively lead this church to find another man who will teach in my absence. You have entrusted yourself to the word of God and through the calling and election of your elders, they will continue to watch over you, guide you and correct you as you stray, stay and work out your salvation together as a family. My ministry with you as your pastor of preaching is coming to an end, but my ministry with you for the kingdom is just beginning.
We will be actively returning to the Bay Area as the Lord allows to walk with you in ministry. We seek your prayers and for some of you, you might even pray how else God might have you participate in the efforts of church planting. I will be making a personal announcement this Sunday. We are holding fast to the word of God and His grace to sustain us all during this time of transition and rest assured that the continued pursuit of unity will be maintained in my absence, as will the strong affection for the gospel through the teaching of God’s word with zeal and truth!
For His Glory by His Grace,
Pastor James