Leaving With Loyalty

As soon as I posted the piece on loyalty, I had to include a brief story about the fact that you can be loyal even as you leave someplace:

Brent & Leah Phillips joined our staff almost five years ago when Brent became our Children's & Family Pastor. Last spring, he came to me and said that God was leading him and Leah to begin a new ministry to the economically disadvantaged in another part of Austin.

At the time, Brent had no team, no plan, no money, no location. Together, we had no manual for how to handle this new direction as our relationship changed and they transitioned out of our staff into a new role. We just committed to pray together, think and plan, and overcommunicate throughout the process.

I've since told Brent that he should write a book or at least a pamphlet entitled, "How to Leave a Church Staff Well" because he and Leah so honored God and protected the unity of our relationship.

And, it was still hard. I hated to lose them. Brent's wisdom, discernment, joy, and experience are not easily replaced. And, God was and continues to be in our relationship. That new church, The Well, is doing well. They are led by great, godly people and are doing great, godly things for God.

It's a great story that deserves telling and emulating.