A Bittersweet Farewell
As Jessica and I are closing in on 7 weeks since we left Washington and moved to Florida, I wanted to share a few thoughts. First and foremost, thank you to everyone that attended our Bible study or Sunday church meetings in Washington. I can’t express how grateful I am for the fellowship, the mutual edification, and the experience of the last two and a half years.
We are told in Ephesians 3 that the message of God’s abundant grace through the gospel of Christ to form His Body was not only hidden prior to Paul, but is the message we preach:
“[1] For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, [2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: [3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; [6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: [7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. [8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; [9] And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” – Ephesians 3:1-9
God’s will for us today is to see souls saved and saints edified (1Ti 2:4). Part of the way we do this as Christians is to meet together in fellowship.
The proper function of fellowship together as the Body is to speak the truth in love so that we “may grow up into him in all things, which the head even Christ” (Eph 4:15). More specifically, as mentioned above in Ephesians 3:9, it is to “make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery.” The goal in starting our Bible study and church in Washington was to do those things faithfully.
Even though we covered lots of doctrinal ground, at the minimum, I hope you were able to learn and establish the gospel of grace that saves your soul (1Cor 15:1-4, Rom 3:19-26, Eph 2:8-9), then your position as an eternally secure saint with a heavenly vocation and purpose (Eph 1:3, 2:6, 4:1, 2Co 5:18-21, Php 3:14), and finally how to grow by studying the Bible for yourself through rightly dividing the word of truth (2Ti 2:15, 2Ti 3:16-17).
While I am continually seeking to be more well-versed in and better at teaching God’s word, I appreciate all of your willingness to put up with whatever flesh of mine was there. I hope and pray that despite my own shortcomings, you were able to grow while attending. I know on my end the privilege to meet with you all brought immense growth to me.
Even though I’m saddened by moving away from a whole host of amazing brothers and sisters in Christ, I am extremely hopeful and excited to continue ministry in Florida alongside my amazing wife Jessica. The Bible studies won’t stop, the email articles won’t stop, and by God’s grace we’re going to keep pressing toward “the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Php 3:14).
We love you and most importantly, Christ loves you (Rom 5:18, 8:38-39).
