www.joshboldman.com

The Boldman’s Next Step

Posted by Josh Boldman | Filed under Life, Westside

Wow, this morning was certainly interesting. Besides all the normal Sunday morning stuff (like accidentally butchering Amazing Grace – I know, this is one that I should know, right?), Rachel and I had the chance to break the news to our church that we’d be leaving for the Show Me State in August. Just in case you weren’t there, I know that this might be quite a shock, but please, know that this a good thing. For the past three years, we have been encouraging everyone at Westside to find their “Next Step” and to follow God’s guidance. Now it’s time for us to follow our own advice. Now that it’s kind of out in the open, we’ll be posting more info in the coming days/weeks, but certainly don’t be afraid to ask us about it. We’re excited about what God is doing in our lives, and we hope that everyone else can be as excited to know that we are doing what we believe God wants us to do.

In case you weren’t there, here’s a copy of the letter I read this morning in both services:

In September of 2006, my beautiful wife, Rachel, and I followed God’s calling on our lives to join the Westside Family, filling the role of Associate Pastor of Youth and Worship. In the almost three years that have followed, I have been given the privilege to serve with some of the kindest and most caring men and women that I have ever met. During this time, I have had the joy to serve under a senior pastor that has not only been a strong leader, an encouraging mentor, and dynamic visionary, but also a great friend and partner in the Lord’s ministry. It is a joy to have seen the collective youth and worship ministries and the individuals that are involved in those ministries grow in ways that we could not have foreseen. Though this growth has not always been easy, it has been incredibly rewarding. As Rachel and I reflect on this time that we have spent being a part of this family, we realize that these last three years will forever be remembered as some of our family’s greatest and most formative.

As a minister you have allowed me the joy to foster growth in your teenagers, but you have also given me the freedom to lead my own family. You cared for my wife and I throughout Rachel’s pregnancy and the birth of our son, Ezekiel, and you have welcomed him into this family without condition. I believe wholeheartedly that my family will be better off for having been a part of this family.

However, just as we believe that God called us to come here, we are now sensing God calling us away. For some time the calling on my heart has been to lead a congregation of God’s people much in the same way that Pastor Biz leads you. Over the years that I have been here, I have shared this desire with our Pastor and Elders, and they have been nothing short of encouraging through out this time of decision-making.

As we have been seeking God’s will for our next step, we have been introduced to a small church out of state that has been asking the Lord to send them a leader to help them move forward (much in the same way that Westside has moved forward in the past few years under Pastor Biz’s leadership). After much prayer and seeking Godly counsel, I have accepted the position of Lead Pastor at a church in Missouri. It is with a mix of both sadness and excitement that I inform you of my resignation as Associate Pastor of Westside Community Church, knowing that God has called us to move on.

I believe that great things are in store for both our family and the family at Westside. We certainly covet your prayers as we are beginning preparations to move our family in an attempt to follow the leadings of our Lord. Please also know that we will still be around for a short while and that we will be doing everything possible to empower leadership to take our place and to serve in our absence. We have already begun working with the youth volunteers to formulate a plan for the remainder of the summer and the coming school year, and I believe wholeheartedly that the volunteers that have been trained over the past few years are capable of continuing to foster spiritual growth not only your children but also the teenagers in the surrounding community. The ministry here at Westside is in capable hands.

Thank you for the opportunity to have served in a place that so very obviously blessed by the Lord. Again, we will still be around for a little while longer, and we certainly are looking forward to spending time with you before we make our transition. You have been such a blessing to our family. Thank you for being excited for us as we take this next step in the journey to which God has called us. We look forward to hearing about your next steps as well.  You will remain in our prayers, and it is our hope that we would remain in yours. Thank you.

I know that is a bit long, but it’s all true. We are looking forward to spending time with as many people as we can before we leave. So, be sure to call (or tweet) and let us know what time you’ve got open. Hey, we’ll even let you pay for dinner (aren’t we sweet?).

Before I sign off, we’ll be sitting down and talking through this at length with our Middle School youth on Wednesday. It may be a rough time for many of them, so your prayers are greatly appreciated. More info to come. Stay tuned.

Tags: amazing grace, associate pastor, August, birth, boldman, excitement, God, guidance, men and women, mentor, middle school youth, Pastor, privilege, Rachel, School, shock, Sunday, sunday morning, visionary, volunteers, Westside, westside community church, westside family, wife rachel, worship ministries, Youth