Hi,

It's been a few weeks since I've posted anything.  I apologize for not keeping up with this.  The past couple weeks have been a whirlwind of activity.  Our church called a new senior pastor, Dr. Derek Coleman.  I don’t know much about him yet, but if first impressions count, Derek is going to be a wonderful pastor, shepherd and leader for EBC.  My first couple meetings with Brother Derek have been positive and productive.  He seems as if he’s going to be a loving caring shepherd to the flock (that’s you and me) and when a tough decision needs to be made, he’s not going to shy away from it.

I’ve been in business for 27 years and I can, with a great deal of experience under my belt, say the ability to love and care for people and at the same time being able to make the priority calls is a rare combination.

For anyone reading my blog, I would like to encourage you to spread the positives among your friends, family, and fellow EBC members (and non-members).  I’ve heard the word “honeymoon” mentioned.  Please (PLEASE) do not look at it this way.  Brother Derek is our Senior Pastor.  We all need to lock arms and support him.  Not just for the short term, or until he does something that makes you angry or says something with which you disagree.  No, we need so support him through good and difficult times.  I believe God has chosen him to come to EBC and it’s in God’s will that Derek is here.  As long as it is within God’s will for Derek to be our Sr. Pastor, and as long as he is in God’s will, we need to support him.  My personal prayer is that it is God’s will for him to be here for a very long time.  We need strong leadership, we need stability, we need love and shepherding, we need care and feeding, and we need a man in the pulpit who will share the good news of Jesus Christ and who will preach the Gospel of our Lord.

I also believe it is within God’s will for our church to be a bright beacon of light for the Northern Kentucky / Greater Cincinnati community.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be preached from the pulpit, lived out in the lives of His followers.  If we’re too busy picking apart every detail and endlessly debating “a” vs. “b”, we’re not focusing on the most important thing which is Jesus Christ.

People outside of the doors of our church look at us, they watch us, and, quite frankly, more than a few are waiting for us to fail.  We HAVE to be known by how we love each other and how we love our community.  That also means by how we resolve the occasional conflict.  Conflicts will happen, we’re Christ followers, we are not Christ which means we’re all sinners, and none of us is perfect.  Do we handle conflict maturely, in accordance with Scripture and with love, or do we let the fight spill out into the streets (gossip, talking about it in public, etc.)?

If we’re going to get people to come through the doors of our church, we have to be known and seen as different, genuine and loving.  In other words, we have to do what “they” expect us not to do but to be what I believe God wants to be.

Let’s support Derek.  If he wants to make some changes let’s be encouraging and celebrate new possibilities.  If he wants to keep things just as they are, let’s celebrate and do the work of the Lord with excellence.

Brother Derek, if you’re reading this, welcome to EBC.  Leslie, Daniel, Ernie, Judy, and I are thrilled that you’re with us.  My family is looking forward to many, many years of serving alongside of you and your family.

Jeff