Things are beginning to wind down in my ministry here at Grace
Community Church as I start the transition to become the senior pastor of Mission
Road Bible Church in July. Between now and then there will some significant
“last-time” moments. I had one of them early this morning.
For the last 14 years I have met with a group of men on Tuesday mornings at 6 AM in the basement of the “J Building.” Getting up at 4:30 AM is one thing. But seeing 40 other men do it consistently is quite another. There have been a lot of guys who have been a part of those meetings over the years and this morning provided me the opportunity to look back and thank God for this long line of godly men.
It is impossible to describe the influence of these men and those meetings on me. We have studied, prayed, laughed, and shed tears together. These meetings have been my favorite part of ministry at Grace. King
David wrote: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1) I’m not sure there is a better example of this verse than those Tuesday mornings.
We call the group of men who brave the alarm clock on Tuesdays the “A-Team.” The “A” stands for “aspiration.” First Timothy 3:1 says that “if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” The aspiration for godly qualification and spiritual leadership among these men has consistently cured my complacency and motivated my Godwardness. I’ve experienced true accountability and I hope I have provided some in return.
Today we heard from Austin Duncan who is the next Crossroads pastor. I am excited for him and all that he will inherit in these men. And I’m equally excited for what they are going to get from him.
I will miss these men, a lot. But I know they are going to have their own A-Teams soon. It has been one of the joys of my life to do gospel work with them.
