Reflections >> After One Month

Reflections >> After One Month

After six years of having the privilege of serving some of the most friendly, kind, and encouraging people I have ever known, on July 21, 2013 I preached my final message (Where Is Your Hope?) at New Hope. My family was overwhelmed by the expressions of God’s love through the thoughtful words, generous gifts and tearful goodbyes to friendships that I am confident will last forever.

What We’ve Been Up To For The Past Month

After celebrating Blake’s 11^th birthday and closing escrow of  our Portland house, we packed-up all of our earthly belongings and by faith set our sights south to what the Lord was preparing for our family in the Central Valley of California. Moving into our new ‘rental’ house has almost immediately begun to feel like a home that we could have lived in for years. Paige’s journal entry says it beautifully.

Life in Fresno has provided the blessing and opportunity to see, celebrate life, and even worship with our Deffenbacher & DeGroot families. Amy’s role at Fresno Christian Schools has shifted from Elementary to teaching High School Honors English, Yearbook and Bible where she is thriving. Blake and Paige love their teachers and going to school with cousins at Fresno Christian.

In addition to jumping head first into my Doctoral studies, I have been given the opportunity to join the Adjunct Staff of the FresnoPacific University Biblical Seminary as a ‘Preaching’ Professor. That’s right, beginning next week the Lord will be entrusting me with a classroom of Graduate students with impressionable hearts and minds to equip and guide toward discerning future ministry placement.

I’ve loved re-connecting with my Fresno friends and am excited to continue partnering with churches and ministries through teaching / preaching / equipping / consulting / and encouraging.

In a vulnerable moment of insecurity this past week I was reminded of 3 important truths that I’d like to leave you with.

1. God loves you.
2. God is in control.
3. If you ever feel overwhelmed, refer to numbers 1 & 2.

It doesn’t get anymore straight forward than that. There are still many unknowns, but what I do know for certain is that God is Good and has a Wonderful Plan for our Life. Thank you for your ongoing friendship, words of encouragement and prayers for our family during this new season of life.

Grace & Peace,

Brent

My Transition from New Hope

Because many have asked to hear more about the what, how, why, when of our transition from New Hope, I have decided to use my blog to share my personal thoughts and perspectives. 

Dear New Hope Session, Staff & Congregation,

Hard to believe, but it was six years ago this July that the Deffenbacher family said ‘yes’ to joining the pastoral staff at New Hope. It has been a distinct honor and privilege to serve with such a gifted staff and incredible congregation. Our family has been blessed by the opportunity to serve as your pastors.

After almost 20 years of full-time vocational church ministry, I am feeling led to take a step of faith into a next season of life and ministry. Not knowing exactly what this means, but after a significant season of concerted prayer, Amy and I believe that we have accomplished what the Lord had in store for our time in Portland. We are both confident that the Lord is currently preparing the way and details for this next chapter.

For the past 16 years Amy has graciously and faithfully made good on her vow to ‘go where I go’ and has been an incredibly supportive partner in ministry. Looking into the future I am excited to support the opportunity Amy has been given to join the teaching faculty at Fresno Christian school. Blake and Paige are thrilled to be attending Fresno Christian with their cousins and living in the same city as their grandparents, extended family and Fresno friends.

What’s next for Brent? Great question. J What I do know for certain is that the Lord has both ‘called and gifted me’ for ministry, whether I receive a paycheck or not. Through this process of evaluating and discerning it is my current plan to begin Doctoral Studies in Transformational Leadership which I believe will further equip me for what the Lord has in store for the next 20 years of ministry. God is Faithful, so this truly is a next step of faith and an opportunity for personal spiritual growth.

Amy and I are at peace with this decision, and are not leaving angry or hurt. We love the New Hope community and have considered it an incredible honor to have served and blessed by you for the past six years. Because I am absolutely committed to leaving well and not immediately transitioning into a new ministry role, it is my heartfelt desire to continue to serve on the New Hope staff in whatever capacity leadership would deme most helpful.

What’s next for New Hope? Great things! Having just celebrated our 40^th Anniversary I am confident that the Lord will continue to be faithful during this next season of ministry and into the next 40 years. As leadership makes plans for the future I am praying for both the wisdom to discern and courage to embrace God’s plan for the future.

Grace & Peace,

Brent Deffenbacher