Changes

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This post will be a bit longer than normal. But it's VERY IMPORTANT so we wanted to share with our friends and family so you could be praying for us. Sorry for any inconvenience.
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Life is full of changes. Otherwise it would get boring I guess. But this was one change we hadn't really counted on nor were looking for! We are excited (and sad at the same time) to announce that we believe Jesus is calling us to step out of the boat and to walk on the water to Him. What that means practically is that we will be HANDING OVER THE CHURCH! Bet you never saw that one coming, did ya?! We didn't really either. After being in Europe for 12 years, almost 8 of those as head pastor here, God is moving us on. (Or 7 years according to the calculations of some - see comment left by Anonymous on Sat Mar 08, 10:43:00 PM CET and the comments that follow that). ;-)

It started about a year ago, when (I believe) the Lord popped a thought into my mind - 'David, your task here is finished'. At first I didn't believe this, nor want to believe it. So I just kinda ignored it. But then again in Spring 2007, the thought came again. Now, just a bit of background - there were no major problems in the church, no personal conflicts with people, no sin, no family problems, nothing that we would be trying to 'run away' from. In fact, we were just about to start some new and exciting ministries! And there was even a growing enthusiasm in the fellowship. So there was no cause for this thought. But it kept coming back.

So in late Spring 2007, I talked with Becks and we agreed not to say anything to anyone and just to pray and seek the Lord. But inside, I still couldn't believe it nor want it. It wasn't until around Summer of 2007 that I finally came to the point where I had to say - 'Lord, if this is from You, You have to make it absolutely clear. To us and those around us. We will not make any moves based on thoughts, ideas, feelings.' I came to the point where I was beginning to accept that this could be from God and was open to whatever He wanted.

And it was around that time that God began really speaking - through Bible verses, other people (no one knew except Becks and I at this point) and circumstantial confirmations. Now I am normally a very cautious person and want to clearly and loudly hear from the Lord before I make any moves. So the Lord had to really pound it through my thick head. So here are the confirmations we got, over a 6-9 month period.

Biblical confirmation:
1. God gave us a verse when I first took over as head pastor at CC Freiburg. Paul writes to Titus in Titus 1.5 - 'for this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.' That was what we were to do here. Now, this verse came back to my mind at the same time as the thought to leave. And the Lord spoke through this and said - 'David, what I sent you to do is finished'.

And as I honestly thought about it, He was right. A lot of the things that were lacking are now set in order. There is stability, maturity, unity and most important of all - real trust and openness towards one another. Plus, people have grown tremendously in their relationship with Jesus and others. And when I took over, there were no elders. They were 'let go' or 'sat down' (or however you call it) before I returned to Freiburg. But now we have several awesome elders (and I mean that - no better elders have I seen anywhere, in any other church). They love the sheep and truly have carried the burden with me over the last 8 years. So our task seems to be finished.

2. In 2Sam 7 and 1 Chron 22 King David had such a heart to build God a house, to build the Temple. But God basically told David - 'no, not you, you are not going to build the Temple, but your son Solomon will.' And that spoke deeply to me. It humbled me - I didn't really want to hear this! 'What do you mean, Lord? Why not me? What did I do wrong?' - all these thoughts ran through my mind.

3. Last fall I was preaching on Rom 15.20 (and 2Cor 10.16) about preaching the Gospel where the name of Jesus has not been named before. This was our vision for planting a network of home churches (not home bible studies) in the neighborhood where we currently live. But in studying, Rom 15.23 was the verse that struck home. Paul writes 'but now no longer having a place in these parts...' Again, I didn't want to accept this, but hmmm, it was there in black and white. Could it be that God was saying that we don't have a place in these parts any longer?

4. Our missions Pastor visited the church here last December and preached on Acts 8 on one of the Sundays. In this chapter, Philip was preaching in Samaria and people were getting saved (v4-8). But in v26 the angel of the Lord told him to 'arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is desert.' As I was sitting there, the whole message and especially this verse hit me like a load of bricks. We were to arise and go. Whereto? South, into the desert. And immediately Murrieta came to my mind -it's in SOUTHERN Cali and it's desert, geographically.

And just like Philip who didn't know why he was supposed to leave the revival in Samaria to go into the desert, that was what God was calling us to do. To leave the new and exciting things going on at CCF and go into the desert. The next part I reeeaaaalllyyy didn't want to hear. But it seemed like it was going to be a spiritual desert for us as well as a physical one. That He was going to take us into a time of dryness, but we won't know why right now. We just need to step out in faith like Philip did - 'so he arose and went' (v27). And when he went, God then revealed the next step. So that is our challenge - arise and go, without knowing why or what the next step would be.

There are several more passages that the Lord brought to us, but I won't go into them except to list them now - Heb 11.8; Gen 31.3.

Circumstantial confirmation - not only did the Lord speak through His word, but also through others and the circumstances around us.

1. Last summer, a friend of ours had the same dream about us - twice. It involved us handing the church over and leaving. Little background - the Lord speaks very often to this person in dreams, so we don't think this was just a 'fluke or coincidence'. And for him to have the same dream twice! And this was 6 months before we told anyone about our thoughts! Hmmm.

2. In December of 2007, we got a call from the real estate agent who handles the apartment we are renting. He informed us that the owner wants to sell the apartment. We met with the agent the next morning and he said he hopes the transaction will be completed by summer 2008. So it seems like God is trying to boot us out the door (or is it the boat?), literally!

3. We came back from furlough at the end of January 2008 and I had a talk with our youth pastor. Both Becks and I believe he is the one to take over. But as I told him all this (for the first time), and after getting over the shock, he grinned and started laughing in disbelief. Without us saying anything, he already felt led to hand over the youth ministry to one of his assistants and was taking steps in that direction! Amazing how the Lord prepares both sides!

4. The day after we told the elders, one of their wives was having a hard time with the idea of us leaving. She then just randomly opened her Bible up and it opened up exactly to one of the passages above that confirmed it for us. Later that day she did it again - randomly opened her Bible and it came to another one of the verses above. So it was clear to her - this is God's leading.

Another elder's wife read in her devotional a few days after we told the elders. The devo was on Eph 4.11-12, and how the gifted people were given to equip the saints. And when that was done, the 'gifted men' are to move on. In fact, they are supposed to 'work themselves out of a job', in the shortest time possible. Paul did - he started churches, taught, equipped, raised up leaders and handed the church over. She saw that was what God was doing here. So she also had peace about this.

5. While on furlough, Becks had a vision, a picture during worship time at CC Murrieta. She saw clearly a cardboard moving box that she folded out and put together herself. But there was no lid yet. And she couldn't do the lid herself. Then she saw God fold a lid together and place it on the box and put the box aside, as if it were finished, packed, done. Pretty clear, eh?

So there we are. I don't know how much more the Lord would have spoken to us. But this was enough, we had to obey, no matter what we felt, thought or feared. Our part was to simply trust God and obediently and with whatever faith we could muster up, step out of the boat and onto the water. We have told the elders, then the general leadership and now also the whole church. And it seems like most were shocked at first, but then also admitted that they can see God in this.

Our plan is to hand over the church by Fall this year, then head back to SoCal for a season. And after that we believe the Lord will take us back out on our 3rd (my 4th) missions adventure!

So our youth pastor and his wife have prayed about this and have said yes, they'll take up the baton now and pastor this flock next. For them it is also stepping out of their boat. And really, the whole church is stepping out of the boat and looking to Jesus, as we all begin to walk on the water.

Pray for us. It is not easy for us - this has been home for the last 12 years for me, 11 for Becks. The kids have all grown up here, never having lived anywhere else. It will be a HUGE adjustment going back to SoCal, but we know God will give us everything we need. Thanks to all for your prayers, support and just by standing by us. We love you all!