Finishing at My Favorite Church

Yes, once again I overestimated my ability to get done with a major event and still have something in the tank to try to post. I'm sorry if you've been hanging out by your computer waiting. My bad.

Sunday morning was both surreal and sublime. After another great worship set, the message was something I hope encouraged and challenged my favorite church to step together with confidence into the future that Jesus has planned for them. It has been tough to think about the future of FBC Poky without thinking of myself being a part of it, but I have seen what my announcement and pending departure has done in the lives of some people. If all the folks who have told me that they are planning to step up and find their place to serve and move the church forward all follow through (and I will pray for all of them to do so), there's nothing that can or will stop this church family from victory for the Kingdom.

Afterward, there were so many warm wishes and personal remembrances, I was overwhelmed more than once.

Then there was lunch with some staff and friends. Rachel got to pick, and in a huge upset, Wingers won over Red Lobster. As with everything else in this process, one word comes to mind: unpredictable. :) A tradition of the Rude family joining the McCreadys for lunch was joined by Pastor MO, Un Boblito and the Pettits, which made a special 'last meal' extra special. Thanks to all of you, I love you so much.

We had to load up the cars and walk away from our house for the last time. That brought a few more tears, especially from Mac as he said goodbye to his room for the last time.

Then it was back to church for the farewell event. Half roast, half comedy show, half worship service, half eulogy - yes, I see that the math adds up to two events, and it was. After four hours, there were laughs, tears, moments of real surprise and a sense of how amazing God has been to all of us over the past four years. No disrespect to anyone, the whole event was amazing, heartfelt, and truly appreciated by my entire family and me, but there were some moments that stood out above the rest:

• Jessica Rude gave a fantastic recap of Beth's 9.5 years of leading the youth ministry with a tremendous mix of the serious and the funny. No, Beth does not really think she has all the spiritual gifts, nor is Santa just Satan spelled backwards, but the impact of Beth's ministry continues to be felt in the lives of the students she led, and in the church family as a whole. That was great work, Jessa.
• The look of shock on my face was real when Gene Martin walked onto the platform to share about the missions work over the years, including the trip he and I got to be a part of to New Orleans. To say Gene is a little uncomfortable in front of groups is like saying Canada is a little proud of their hockey team. But he was up there letting the world know what God had led this church to do for people outside our local community. I am so proud of him. Again.
  
• Auctioning off a tie in my honor was genius. And I'm buying a steak, just so you know.
• Pastor Mike Harris from Arco stole the show in my opinion. A Top Ten list, a giant cookie, a statement that will live forever in... my heart (and no, I can't share it on the web, sorry), and fried pickles. I may never be able to wipe the smile off my face. Sign that boy up for a comedy night, someone!!
• I thought I had cried all my tears for the week (or year...) until I heard the statistic that we had baptized over 175 people in 14 years. I didn't realize that it had been that many, and it shocked me to hear it. That's 100 more people than were in the church in 1996. All that tells me is that God was very busy changing lives over the last 14 years.
• Kathy Nelson is not the public speaker on the staff, but her explanation of the reach-out history, from Concert In The Park to Recovery Fest left me in awe. If there's one thing I'm the most proud of is that we listened to what God said to us and went out to love others in Jesus name.
  

All the rest of the evening was equally amazing. I'm not going to recap all of it, but suffice it to say that I was blown away, blessed, completely honored and humbled by the whole thing. The gifts, the kind words, the memories, the whole enchilada was a perfect mix of remembering what God has done and blessing my family. I could not have been more pleased. To all who played a part, both up front and behind the scenes: THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!! I love you, too.

Let me end with this thought: I called FBC Pocatello my favorite church during the message Sunday morning. I meant it with all my heart. I mean that with no disrespect to the other churches I've served and been a part of in my life, and certainly none toward my new church. But the growth in my life, the experiences, and especially the privilege of being on the front row when God resurrected a dying church, are all unmatched in my life. While I look forward with excitement and a deep sense of call and purpose to the adventure of leading LifePoint Church, I will always have a special place in my heart for the friends and family I have in Pocatello. May God bless you all in every way as you stand as one man and fight to build the Kingdom of Jesus in that city. I carry you all in my heart.

I'm going to go dark here for a time, check back in a week or so. There are boxes to unpack, staffers to meet with, kids to register for school, a wife to love, and a new chapter to begin.

As always, thank you for your prayers. Talk soon!