Editors Note: To hear more about “Be the Church” listen to this recent “Punching Holes in the Darkness'' podcast. https://www.bscm.org/podcast/episode/d61f7417/be-the-church-the-cohorts
HUDSONVILLE – I was sitting on the beach at Gull Lake. I was done. Hurt. Broken. I was wrestling with so many things. My life had not gone the way I expected. Ministry had not gone the way I expected. I believed deep down that I was called to the local church, but I had no idea what that was going to look like. A friend introduced me to Joel Wayne. He came and sat next to me on the beach that day. He believed that God had so much more in store for me.
Since that day, I have had the honor to step in and help other pastors see the greater call God has for their lives. The Church is desperate to see spiritual leaders step up to the plate. According to the New York Times, 46% of pastors under 45 and 34% of pastors over 45 are considering quitting.
We launched Be The Church in order to serve the local church. We help leaders clarify the vision God has for them. Sometimes that is all that it takes. We listen to the stories of pastors and help them to assess what the future looks like. We help pastors connect to other pastors through cohorts to foster healthy relationships in which they can grow, encourage, and sharpen one another. We develop a practical curriculum for leadership development. Most importantly, Be The Church lives to empower the Bride of Christ to be all that she can be.
Spiritual leaders live from a place of deep conviction. They know without a doubt what they are called to and will do whatever it takes to accomplish what God has put on their hearts. Our churches are longing for leaders who live in deep communion with God and will boldly teach His Word no matter the cost. They are willing to step into conflict and suffer the consequences. We want to lift up the Bride of Christ. We believe the best way to do that is by empowering spiritual leaders within the local church.
Has God called you to more? Maybe you are restless. You feel something stirring inside you. If you want to connect with like-minded, like-hearted people to explore the greater thing God has called them to, connect with us. Or maybe you’re just tired and you need help parsing out what next steps look like for you and your congregation.
We want to provide you with a community that can help you see the potential that you could have in the next season. Wherever you are at in your journey, come join us at one of our leadership summits. We host several throughout the state and throughout the year. Our next Leadership Summit will be on May 18. Learn more about what Be the Church (bethechurch.org) is doing throughout the nation as we serve to empower pastors and how you can go.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Luke Bilberry is the Director of Operations for Be The Church at Chapel Pointe Church, Hudsonville, MI. He and his wife, Kathryn, have 4 children.