New Book Instead of New Chapter

As of September 20, 2018, I am officially retired fro pastoring.  While the reasons are personal and medical in the root cause, I am, as millions of others who have found labor in the world that of fulfilling a kingdom calling.  Pastoring has been our life for nearly forty years.   Back problems that involved the surgical removal of tumors from my spinal cord and becoming a neurosurgical patient expedited my retirement date.   A lot of nerve damage has been done.  I wish my issues were only orthopedic in nature.  My Jacob’s limp has included my spinal cord.  I am today a living example of God’s grace and progressive healing.  God’s grace is extremely efficient.

I have had dozens of people give me advice which I have tucked into my memory war chest.  I am appreciative to all who have shown us concern and care for our future.  My future will be different.  It will different not waking up every morning with over 500 people we have weekly contact with – rest on my shoulders.  It will be different that my disability has not and will not go away without divine intervention.  It will be different in that the hundreds of people we have pastored in over 35 years and four congregations will become more distant if we don’t intentionally work to keep distance as short as we can.  It will become different in that our income level will change drastically.  It will be different in that my daily prayer focus will shift.  It will different…well, let’s just say that this list could become endless in nature.  Life for “pastortimteague” has already taken on many changes.

I have attempted with every fiber of my being to fulfill my calling to be a shepherd.  I will always be a kingdom minded shepherd.  Retirement will not change that. Nothing can change nor can God take back His calling on my life.  By divine calling I am a shepherd.  I will continue to view my future from the watchman’s post of a shepherd.  My blog will be updated much more often.  I will continue to do my very best to impact pastors, church planters and those attempting to revitalize their congregations, via the internet.  I hear much today about the positions and offices of the kingdom.  I am never impressed with titles when I meet others who labor in the kingdom.  I am more interested in the ability they have to tell me about their calling.  I am not impressed with statistics and academic achievements although both have a place in the kingdom.  I am more interested with how one has fulfilled their calling.  I will be writing on the subject of divine calling in the near future.

There are at least two more books I will attempt to write.  Any goal I have in the books being “successful” will be to assist others in the kingdom to become all they can be for the King and His kingdom.   I often find the word successful being a deceptive trap.  God didn’t call us to success. He called us to be fruitful.  Much more will said about this also.  I am going to attempt to edit an elders internship program I wrote for Victory Hill.  We have four young men sitting on our elders council that came through this one year intern program.  More on that later.

I will have much more time to enjoy coffee with Kim.  No more diners by herself as I tend to the sheep we have been entrusted with.  Ministry staff’s spouses pay a price for their spouses calling.  Unless you have been on “this side of the fence” you will never understand nor accept that the spouses role in her husbands calling is challenging and personally dangerous at the same time.  No more will she be compared to others, judged and second guessed as a leader in the kingdom.  She will be free from the constant presence of criticism and often times torn emotions of attacks on her husband and or children.  She will forever be the Proverbs 31 woman to me and to my son’s and their families.  She is a anointed woman of God and I could’ve never done what I have had the privilege of doing without her by my side.  She is a caring person.  I have referred to her many times as the only Pentecostal Mother Teresa there is.  She is a one of a kind.  She is the light of my life.  She has paid a price over the last several years to stand with me during seven surgeries.   God knew what He was doing when He placed her at my side.  She has complimented my ministry in ways that time nor space would allow me share with you.  She is an incredible servant of God and a Proverbs 31 wife and mother.

I have to commend my two son’s for their supportive role in my ministry.  I could not ask for two son’s to be more than they are in life.  They are first of all followers of Jesus Christ.  Second, they love their spouses with deep and sensitive love.  Third, they are two of the hardest workers you will find anywhere.  They are providers and protectors of their family.  Their support for Kim and I in ministry has been incredible.  While “PK’s” are judged unreasonably in most cases, Brad and Josh have always been able to show more spiritual maturity than those who would judge, mock, tease and joke about their being pastor’s kids.  They have grown to be leaders in the kingdom by serving the churches they attend in ways that make Kim and I deeply proud of them.  They have grown to become spiritual models for other husbands and fathers.  These two sons of mine couldn’t do more to make me any more proud of their accomplishments in the vocational world and in the kingdom of God.  I stand amazed at how God blesses and uses them to increase His kingdom.

I love shepherding.  I have a passion to lead God’s people.  When I said “yes” to my calling it wasn’t contingent on any circumstance out of or in my control.  I look forward to posting more blogs in the future as Kim and I discover new kingdom adventure He has planned for us.

While praying about all the changes in my life and how those changes will effect Kim and our extended family, I heard the Holy Spirit very clearly speak this to my heart:  “I am not writing a new chapter for your life. I am writing a new book.”  I anticipate as the days and weeks unfold ahead of us He will reveal more about the “life book” He will write through our efforts to glorify Him as King.   The book of my life for what it was n the past – ended September 30, 2018.  He began writing a new life book for me on October 1, 2018.  He may only be in the preamble stage but from everything I am sensing the future is going to be quite a book.  I await His direction and to once again be as obedient as I possibly can to His voice.

Thanks to everyone who has allowed us to be a part of your life.  It has been an incredible journey that has left spiritual tattoo’s in our hearts that will never diminish over time.  May all of you be blessed, prospered and favored in life.

May you forever find yourselves in forward motion faith!