Leadership Challenges

I have been avoiding writing this email, in fact, I have put it off for days. However, I need to let you know about a situation has a serious impact on our church community. Also, I need to ask you to pray with me, my team leader Joshua and for our church.

Last week one of my fellow church pastors was confronted and confessed to inappropriate behaviour with one of our interns. The Pastor has stepped down and is now under the direct care and mentoring of an experienced pastor from another church. This affects so many people and I've just been shocked, hurt and angry as I feel betrayed by a fellow leader.

* Note, there will be an official announcement from my team leader in the coming days and I may send it all my prayer partners.

This all means for me that I will now have to take the bulk of the church responsibilities on my shoulders. Joshua has been helping and has really made a big difference by leading, but his direct role is temporary. Your probably saying, "How on earth is Brett going to manage being a full time student and carrying a church?" Well that's just what I am asking myself and, to be perfectly honest, I am nervous. I was already working really hard to manage school and church, it will mean even more work.

So, I am considering reducing my classes next semester, but I will wait on God and listen for Him. I feel a lot like Moses right now, when God told him to go back to Egypt. I really want to make excuses and ask God to send someone else, but for me the point of the story is that its not about Moses, it's about what God is going to do.

It feels like we have been through so much already, but God has provided and guided us through. One thing I have learned in the Philippines is that, the prerequisite to blessing is hardship and suffering, so if you ask me, God has something big in store!

Please pray with us now:

Pray for healing for our entire team and church as this effects so many people.

Pray that God will take this terrible situation and turn it around for His glory.

• Pray that my fellow pastor will be fully restored.
  
• Pray that God will flood me with His wisdom and I can be a great leader in our church.
  
Pray that Joshua will have the strength to persevere through all this and continue leading the church as long as he can.

• Finally please pray that God raises up more strong men and women for God to become the next leaders of this church.

Thank you all for your love and support! It is comforting to know that when I am in a dark time, I can make a call to prayer and have so many people care and respond!

Brett