Thanking God for Three New Friends

While praying today, I thanked God for three men. A year ago, I did not know any one of them. On Sunday, they each became very special to me. Sunday Calvary Community Church hosted an Installation Service for me in the afternoon. With my input, the leadership asked three pastors from the area to each give me a brief challenge.

The three men were: Larry DeWitt (founding pastor of Calvary), Doug Posey (Senior Pastor of Living Oaks Community Church in Thousand Oaks), and Francis Chan (Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley). 

Lesli and I met Larry and Becky DeWitt on one of our early trips to Calvary. Larry served as the Senior Pastor of Calvary until about five years ago. He "retired" from the ministry here after almost three decades of service to Christ. I purposely put the word "retired" (I did it again) in quotes because if you know Larry, he will never "retire." What a blessing and encouragement he has been to me. He exudes a genuine, infectious passion for Christ I do not think I have ever experienced this kind of passion in one person (and I doubt I will ever experience this passion from one person again in my lifetime). 

His charge to me was to "make much of Jesus." I heard this phrase from him when we first met and instantly connected to it and to him and Becky. They are such great cheerleaders of Calvary and of Lesli and me. As I thanked God for Larry this morning, I asked God to never let me lose the passion Larry brought to Calvary in "making much of Jesus!"

Doug Posey, Curtis Johnson (Executive Pastor at Calvary), and I had lunch a couple of weeks ago. Doug and his wife, Wendy, were a part of the calvary family for a decade and a half. Doug served on staff as a pastor for the vast majority of that time. Four years ago, the Elders of Calvary supported Doug in launching a new church at the other end of the Conejo Valley. 

Before I arrived here, many of the leaders and members of Calvary bragged (properly so) about Doug, Living Oaks Community Church and what he has meant to this church family over the years. Doug is so tall he has to duck as he comes through the doorway of most rooms. As we had lunch together, I found him to be a gentle giant. A man committed to God's truth and living it out in grace. His charge to me at the installation service was from Second Timothy chapter 4: "Preach the Word." From what I have learned by chatting with Doug and what I know of his reputation as a pastor, He embodies this thrust personally and professionally. So, today, I thanked God for Doug and the authentic challenge he shared to stick to the Word when it is popular and when it is not popular. 

Francis Chan and I met the first Sunday the Thorntons lived in California. It was September 14th and we had arrived two days earlier. Calvary was saying good-bye to interim teaching pastor Gordon Kirk that Sunday so we did not want to disrupt that special time. We visited Cornerstone Community Church where Francis serves as Pastor. Prior to the service, I introduced myself to him and thanked him for the input he had given the leadership at Calvary regarding their search for a Senior Pastor. Calvary's leadership has great respect for Francis and Cornerstone. They are also proud of Francis' wife, Lisa, who grew up as a part of the Calvary family. 

The elders had shared with me how Francis had met with them this summer and encouraged them to look first and foremost for a godly man to lead Calvary - not just someone with a certain skill-set. His words to them and prayer with them had been referenced often in my discussions with the Board about coming here as Senior Pastor. While Francis and I have not yet had an opportunity to sit down and chat, he was a perfect fit for me and Calvary in terms of challenging me Sunday afternoon about maintaining my walk with the Lord and pursuing His holiness. His challenge was simply: "Be a godly man." Just after having been in one worship service at Cornerstone, I know Frances is an unwavering preacher of the Word. He is clearly one who makes much of Jesus. So, to hear this man (who is younger than I) tell me to be first and foremost a godly man was truly a challenge and a blessing. I thanked God, today, for this new friend and the focus he has already stirred afresh in my life and ministry.

I thank God for these three new friends and co-workers. May God help me to be a godly man, to preach the Word, and to make much of Jesus!