Well… the time has come to let you all know what has been going on with our family… I have thought about how to do this, and the only thing that kept coming to mind was to just post my husbands letter….
Today my husband preached a sermon… as usual… and finished with this…
To: The Members of West End:
Recently it has been made very clear to me that there is a growing number of people that believe my ministry to this church is not only ineffective, but has become harmful to this body and that my character and my motives are questionable and insincere, and are therefore no longer trusted. Needless to say, I am deeply grieved by this, because as God as my witness, I have led and pastured this church with a clear conscience as Biblically as I know how since the first day we arrived. But brothers and sisters the very last thing I want is to be a hindrance and a detriment to the work that God desires to do here at WEBC.
Therefore, after a great deal of prayer and upon the request made to me by a good majority of the deacons, it is with a very heavy heart, that I, Travis, do hereby submit my resignation as your pastor to you the members of West End Baptist Church effective immediately.
I want you to know that it has been a privilege and an honor serving you. I love you and sincerely wish God’s very best for you. And I will be praying for you that God will bring the right man to you to fill this vacancy. In the mean time, I have complete confidence that Brother Tad will continue to serve you faithfully and diligently.
I also humbly ask for your prayers for me and my family. We serve an awesome and faithful God, and so we know that He will take care of us. But exactly how all of that is going to work out, or where we will end up, we’re not exactly sure right now. So, please pray for us and know that we are also praying for you.
I hope you will notice that my wife and our children aren’t here this morning, and we did that simply because they don’t really know what’s going on… and well we’re just trying to protect them. So, if anyone would like to come by and say good-bye to Andrea and the kids, you’re more than welcome to. We plan to be here for at least a couple of more weeks, and so feel free to come by, we’d love to have you.
In closing, I leave you with the words of Sacred Scripture…
Brethren, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God… and “now, brethren, I commend you to God, the Eternal King, immortal, invisible, who alone is wise… to Him be glory and majesty dominion and power both now and forever more, Amen.
Most sincerely in Christ,
Travis
Sunday, July 24th , 2011
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It breaks my heart to leave West End… We know many are heart broken as well to see us go…
I want to pour my heart out and explain just how all this makes me feel… I sadly cannot and will not at this time. What I will say is that leaving our dear friends… will be so hard. So many people here have become like family.. and to ask our children to leave their friendships and the only home they have ever known, is so difficult. They are not only asking a Pastor to step down… but uprooting an entire family… It breaks my heart for them!
We aren’t sharing with our boys WHY we are leaving… as I don’t think they could really understand… but all we have told them is that the Lord has a different plan for us right now and because of this we must go.
Caleb has asked “why“… a lot…
… and even though he hasnt said to much, the few times he does speak about it, he just says “I will miss it here… and my friends.”
We just keep trying to uplift them and make this an exciting time, rather than sad… even tho in my heart I am sad… I know the Lord is faithful… and he will provide for our family.
I will leave this post with a scripture my dear friend Laurie shared with me months ago when this struggle began… It has been an encouragement for me ever since….
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ”
-Jeremiah 29:11
I am closing comments on this post. Just pray, please.
