Four years ago I was extremely blessed to had been a part of the pastor search committee at my church. We met almost every week for four months. The beginning and end of each meeting was bathed in sincere prayer from each of us, as our knees were on the floor, heads were bowed, and often faces were to the ground as well. The experience in prayer alone was life changing. We could feel God’s presence each time we met. His hand was guiding us to a new pastor, and guiding our future pastor and his family as well. All I can say is…that experience was a-m-a-z-i-n-g and I’ll never forget it.
It wasn’t long after our new pastor was called that some of us could sense that this was going to be a temporary home for him. We knew that God had great plans for Pastor Lewis.
Our new pastor, Dr. Michael Lewis, was, and is, a true man of God. His example of how he lives his life is exemplary as a husband, father, and a man of God.
In today’s scripture reading it says in Matthew 9:37-38, “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” These verses are two that I’ve heard my pastor speak about and preach on often. Michael is a true evangelist. He just recently “sent” his middle daughter to a land where God’s word is not known and leprosy abounds. That is a testimony of how he and his wife, Liliana, have raised their three daughters to share God’s love.
Well, fast forward from four years ago to now and now my pastor is also being “sent”. Pastor Lewis, as he mentioned in an email, says “The Lord has set an open door before me to join the mission effort of our North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to serve as the Executive Director of Church Revitalization and Pastoral Relations.”
This did come to a surprise, but not really. I knew that God was going to send this man forth one day; I just didn’t realize that it was going to be so soon. We must remember Isaiah 55:8 when God said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
The challenge that this man of God has brought to us has been rewarding and much spiritual growth is quite evident in the many individuals of our church body and beyond. He has guided our members to confidently share their own testimony, share God’s love with others, read through the bible in a year, and deepen our prayer life and relationship with our Heavenly Father.
The next three weeks will be a bitter/sweet time for my church. I pray that you will pray for our pastor and his family as they are being sent to where God wants them to go. Please pray for our church as we are going to be in a transition phase. I am excited that we will be voting on Dr. Jim Henry to be our interim pastor. He is another true man of God that can preach the word of God with conviction and enthusiasm.
Also in today’s scripture reading in Proverbs 2:8, I read “For He guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.” He does! I believe it and am confident that God is protecting Pastor Lewis and our church and will guide us in His ways.
Blessings to Pastor Lewis and his family. Thank you for a wonderful four years. I love you!
Blessings to all.
January 13
wow, I know you will miss him & his family. Will be praying for yall in this transition time. It can be a difficult time however; it is in those difficult times that if we look to God and allow Him to work us through them and see His plan, that is when we truly get to see the Supernatural happen and we grow to a whole new level in His Glory.