No Longer Nazarene

No Longer Nazarene

I have surrendered my credential as an Elder in the Church of the Nazarene.

I would guess this news comes as a shock to many who know me. No, this is not a joke, nor is it clickbait. I am no longer a Nazarene Pastor. I am writing this to get ahead of any news and cut off any rumors.

Let me dispel potential myths. There is no moral failure - Miriam and I are doing awesome. The Florida DS is an incredible leader. In fact, Dale Schaeffer has been loving, kind and gracious in walking this journey with me. I am in harmony with the Articles of Faith. I am in harmony with what I personally understand to be our strongly held, biblical beliefs.

So, if I didn’t leave for those reasons, why leave? While there may come a time when I will be able to better share via this medium, today is not the day. My departure is not founded in anger but it is rooted in, what is to me, a foundational difference with the denomination that was magnified at General Assembly. I know that is vague but that will have to do for today.

What now? I am filled with optimism and hope! Those who formally composed the Network will join me in launching a new church as well as a community development nonprofit to increase our Kingdom impact locally. I am personally filled with gratitude for their prayerful support in these decisions. We have a big vision for the future and are excited to see what God has in mind through our growing MicroChurch network. I will go through our new Network process to be an Elder in this new church. I will continue to advocate for our Network core values. I will continue to love and serve my students at HMSHS as a teacher and coach.

I simply ask you to pray for Miriam and me as we work to advance the Kingdom of God here in Nassau County, Florida. This decision has been hard and the process to make it has been an emotional roller coaster ride. I held my ordination certificate and said, “Looks like we are going different directions.” My wife and I hugged and cried together.

The majority of our friendships exist because of the Church of the Nazarene. You have been a vital part of the story of God’s grace in our lives and we are thankful for you. It is our hope to continue our friendship as members, not of a denomination, but as part of the Kingdom and Family of God.

Miriam and I were watching the Hobbit together and at the end, Gandalf tells Bilbo, “You are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all.” Shortly after, Bilbo opens the front door to his home and sees it empty, longing to be filled with new memories.

What Bilbo could have felt is how I feel. I am a little fellow in a wide world. My influence is small but it matters to those around me. My metaphorical house feels kind of empty right now. While I have no presumptions about what the future holds for our Network, Miriam and I walk the next steps holding the Father’s hand. In His strength and guidance, we find peace.