From our President

We look back and are amazed…and there is literally nothing we can take credit for at PastorServe.

It’s all Jesus! Everything.

I was recently reminded that the history of PastorServe is a history of the kindness of Jesus. As I look back over PastorServe’s most recent five years, every key initiative came about because about because of the gracious sovereignty of God. While PastorServe operates from a strategic plan, over and over again the Lord throws our strategic plan out the window bringing incredible opportunities. Every open door was opened by the Lord Jesus. Every unexpected gift was dropped into our lap by the Holy Spirit. There is literally nothing we can take credit for at PastorServe. It is all of the Lord. Humbling, and at the same time – incredibly exciting. Here are a few of the stories…

One of PastorServe’s most strategic relationships is with a church in Kentucky. How did we begin serving such an incredible church? In 2009 I was involved in the search for a headmaster for a Kansas City school. One candidate was a dynamic woman from Kentucky. While the rest of the search team met with the candidate, I was asked to have lunch with the husband. Being an excellent host, we headed straight for a local KC BBQ establishment. During lunch, we both shared our stories. Jump ahead five years. A church in Kentucky was in the midst of a crisis. The pastor had left amidst moral failure and the church was reeling. An outside group was brought in to lead the church through the resulting minefield. The result was more pain and deeper crisis. When it seemed as if things couldn’t get worse, one man in the church remembered a conversation in Kansas City and a ministry called PastorServe. He encouraged the board to reach out to us – which they immediately did. Three years later, we continue to serve this exceptional church. We have coached the pastor and the board. On multiple occasions, we have preached in the church. We have led the counseling initiative for many who had experienced deep hurt and betrayal under the previous pastor. Recently, the new lead pastor told me that his relationship with Wesley Horne (PastorServe SE Regional Executive Director) was more significant to him than his relationship with his own father. All of this, because of a lunch? No! All of this because of the Holy Spirit.

In the Fall of 2015, David C. Cook publishers will launch the PastorServe Book Series. The purpose of the series is to create a series of grace-centered timeless books for pastors, ministry leaders and church leadership ministering in a wide variety of settings in locations around the world which will expose and address critical issues in pastoral ministry (seldom addressed by educational institutions) with instruction, encouragement and a focus upon the relentless love of Jesus. Never in my wildest imaginations did I imagine that PastorServe would brand a book series. How did this come about? Did we go in search of a partner publisher to launch the series? Quite the opposite. David C. Cook approached us. The series was 100% their idea.

I could go on and on. Jay Fowler joining our team as the Midwest Regional Director; our partnership with the Wesleyan Church and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church; our burgeoning relationship with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company and many many more.

The great encouragement is this – in spite of flawed broken leadership – the Lord is blessing this ministry. The Lord Jesus continues to bring incredible opportunities to this ministry. And we can’t take credit for one single thing! All glory to God! So, enjoy as we fill in the details.