When will Gunner's last sermons be at BridgePoint?
Gunner will preach his final two sermons as Lead Pastor at BridgePoint on August 25 and September 1. Before then, we will finish our summer series on the Spiritual Disciplines (Aug 4) and hear the word from a new ministry partner Dr. Eric Zeller from Dubai (Aug 11).
When will we say goodbye and express our appreciation?
We will hold a farewell reception for Gunner and his family after the worship service on September 1.
Who will be preaching at BridgePoint in this interim period?
Our elder team is currently planning our fall preaching schedule. We believe that having a consistent voice teaching God's word to us during this interim period will be important for continuity. We are still in the prayerful process of deciding whom to ask, so please join us in your prayers.
Will our ministries be impacted by this transition?
We're glad to say that our ministry leaders provide the direction and hands-on leadership for our many groups, ministries, activities, and programs. Each ministry leader is under the ultimate oversight of a staff pastor, and we expect our ministries continuing to operate effectively.
What will BridgePoint be doing during this transition?
Thankfully, we have a number of priorities we're working on. We're excited to seek the Lord together in "Hungry Prayer," our distinctive emphasis for 2024-2025. Our elders are building a deacon ministry, which you'll hear more about soon. A special needs ministry for our children is also forming as they prepare to launch this fall. We're refining our equipping classes as we move toward the fall. Finally, all our staff and ministry directors remain in place and operating well together, and our elder team follows an annual planning cycle that gives good tracks to run on as we seek God together in this new season.
What's the process for finding a new Pastor?
We trust that God is the one who qualifies and calls any pastor for a specific church. So, we will seek him earnestly in prayer and rely on his word to guide both the kind of pastor we seek and how we go about the process. In terms of details, our elder team will establish a Pastor Search Team who will map out the process, then begin moving through it. The later stages of the process always involve significant congregational interaction, and a candidate is called to the church only with 100% elder approval and minimum 80% approval by our members. Our elder team will provide regular updates along the way so you can be informed, share questions or feedback, and pray.
When will Gunner start his new job at CCEF?
Gunner will begin his new ministry at Christian Counseling and Educational Fund (CCEF) on Monday, September 9.
Why is Gunner leaving?
Gunner shared that he sees this new opportunity with CCEF as a great fit for his gifts, passions, experiences, beliefs, and training. He communicated that he has developed a deep passion for healthy churches, Christ-like pastors, and maturing Christians while at BridgePoint. In this new role, he's looking forward to extending this deep passion from one church to many churches and pastors here and abroad by writing books that serve the church.
What will Gunner be doing?
Gunner will be the Dean of Faculty leading a 9-person team of Christian counselor-authors who publish books and resources to equip Christians, pastors, and churches for all kinds of relational ministry.
I want to know more about CCEF.
The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation seeks to "restore Christ to counseling and counseling to the church." It's part of a growing movement combatting the overwhelming secularization of counseling in our society, and putting Christ, the gospel, and scriptural teachings back at the center of how we understand human beings. More specifically, CCEF provides individual Christian counseling, a Master of Arts in Counseling, the Journal of Biblical Counseling, training events for churches and organizations, a national conference, and a host of resources to equip believers to practice relational ministry.
What should I do if I have questions or concerns?
We expect everyone to process this transition a little differently, and on different timelines. Each member has a shepherding elder who would be glad to hear from you. Our two staff pastors, Bob Stanbery and Mark Baker, are also available. Many of you also have Life Group leaders, close church friends, or ministry leaders you may feel most comfortable talking with in coming days and weeks.
How can I pray?
Thanks for asking! The first thing we want to express to the Lord is gratitude for his faithfulness to our church for 91 years. We want to worship him, confidently believing that his faithfulness will continue. Then, please pray earnestly that God would continue the good work he's begun in us (Phil 1:6); that he would preserve our unity in a time of change (Eph 4:3); and that he would bring us a Christ-like shepherd to join our elder team for our next chapter as a church (Eph 4:11-16).
