“I recommend to you Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea, that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.” ~ Rom. 16:1-2
We are so excited about what God is doing in our midst. There is a renewed sense of excitement and joy as we enter into this new time in the life of FBC Ramsey. We are thrilled that God has brought to us Matt, Jenn, Olivia, Owen, and Oakley. I know the youth are excited to be working directly with them and I am personally excited God has brought them to us to be a partner with us in the ministry He has called us here in Ramsey.
I do, however, want to caution everyone, especially myself, to remember one person does not make a ministry succeed. They are not the fix to our issues, whatever they may be. Only God can do that! It is still going to take all of us being obedient to God and stepping out in faith in order to accomplish what He has in store for us.
So, I believe it would be wise for us to not look upon the Philbricks as a solution, but rather as co-laborers with us. Matt will be leading some important ministries in the church, but he cannot do them on his own. Make it a point to support him and Jenn as they work with you. Pray for them consistently. This is a big move for the whole family, and they need your prayers in working out all the details. Welcome them into our family. They are going fit right in and we need to embrace that. Get to know them. They are an incredible family and you will enjoy spending time with them. Let them be themselves. They are not the Shouses. That is a good thing. They have their own quirks and perspectives. That is a good thing. Even though change at times can be difficult, it is often the best thing for us.
I for one am very excited about this next phase of ministry as we continue to obey God and faithfully serve Him.
Following Him,
Pastor Jeff