What Brad’s sabbatical means for CrossPointe

Dear CrossPointe,

     Can you believe we’ve been a church now for nearly 14 years? Week in and week out, people come through our doors and hear the Gospel faithfully proclaimed. Many have come to faith through the ministry of our congregation, and as our membership grows we continue to see the fruit of God’s faithfulness to his church. Let’s praise the Lord together for his goodness to us!

     Matthew 16:18 reminds us that Christ alone builds his church, and he has abundantly blessed us, but we recognize that the Lord often uses human means to do that. In particular, the Lord has used Brad Evangelista to lead our church as Christ’s under-shepherd, overseeing the flock entrusted to him and, in the course of time, to us, your elders. It’s a privilege the Lord has given us to care for the people of CrossPointe.

     As CrossPointe continues to grow, it is increasingly important for the elders to share the responsibility of shepherding this church together. It’s common for church-plants to rely on their planting pastor well after the planting stage, and CrossPointe is no exception. While the church is led by a plurality of elders, much of the pastoral responsibility and vision has been on Brad’s shoulders. This has been joyful work for him, but it’s also been difficult, and the pace at which Brad has worked is simply not sustainable for the longterm. After discussing all of this, and with CrossPointe’s future in mind, Brad and the other elders agree that it would be wise for him to take a sabbatical—a time of rest—for the next two months (Nov.–Dec.).

     Brad will likely be here many Sunday mornings when he’s not out of town with his family, but he won’t be in the pulpit and he won’t be in the office during the week. For all intents and purposes, Brad will be a typical member of CrossPointe. When he returns in January, we’ll pick right back up in Romans, but in the meantime here’s what the sabbatical means for us as a church:

- The regular preaching responsibilities will be shared by the other pastors. We’re eager for them to preach the Word! Invite your friends and lean forward as these brothers lead us.

- When you see Brad, feel free to say hello—he’s not being kept under lock and key! Any requests for counseling or pastoral care should be directed to Robert Ward, who will help direct lay elders and staff pastors to care for the various needs of our congregation.

     Finally, we’re asking the members of CrossPointe to be in prayer for Brad and the other elders during this sabbatical. We need to make some changes to lighten his load and ensure the needs of the church are being met. In the end, this isn’t Brad’s church. It isn’t our church. CrossPointe is Christ’s church, and we want to glorify him together for as long as we can.

Grace & peace,

The elders of CrossPointe
Springer Cain, Doug Duncan, Brad Evangelista, Paul Fincher,
Bill Harrison, Jay Hearn, Reuben Moyana, and Robert Ward