Taking the Pain Out of Pastoral Transitions
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, May 24, 2005
- Viewed 261
- (24) comments so far
One week after Pastor Pete left, the church board met to try to figure out what to do next. No one had a clue where to find a person to provide temporary pastoral services, so they ended up hiring a retired minister just to fill the pulpit during the search process. Three weeks later, the board continued to try to understand the process for finding a new minister and learned that it would take about 18 months. Eight weeks later, the board received the resignation of the youth minister. Ten weeks later, the board received the resignation letter of the associate pastor, who was afraid that she would not fit in with a new pastor. Eight months later, the board heard that the search committee had a candidate ready to meet with the board. Nine months later, the board was informed that the candidate had changed his mind and wanted a larger church. Ten months later, board members started receiving angry phone calls from members that the process was taking too long.
Finally, a year and a half after Pastor Pete left, Pastor John began at the church. The board gave a collective sigh of relief. But when the new pastor arrived, he wanted to do things his own way. So he changed Sunday worship times and added a guitar. No one told him that the top three givers in the church didn't believe in pledging so when he preached a stewardship sermon about the evils of uncommitted members who refuse to pledge, he promptly lost about $60,000 of income in the church. The church started to get phone calls from members wondering why the new pastor was so out of touch with his members.
Does any of this church?s story sound painfully familiar? It?s a chain of events that happens over and over again in churches across America. There has to be a better way.
The announcement: "I'm leaving."
The announcement that a pastor or staff member is leaving is the start of this journey. The manner and timing of how you announce that a pastor is leaving is important and it must be handled with much care.
First, communicate with the church leadership confidentially. It is best to share with them as a group rather than leaking your decision to one or two key players. Your entire leadership team will appreciate hearing the decision directly from the pastor.
After the leadership team has heard the news, then communicate the announcement to the church. While there will be temptation to tell people individually, try to keep the decision confidential until shared with the entire congregation. People will have many different reactions; some will have a sense of disbelief, some may cry, there may even be a few subdued cheers. But one thing you want to avoid is having an entire group of people who knew of the decision before it was made public. This will just make people who weren't in the know angry--and they will find out.
Finally, set the departure date sooner rather than later. Tim Stevens, in his book "Simply Strategic Stuff ," writes, "Even in the best of situations, it?s very tough to end a staff relationship. We've developed friendships and experienced life together for years and years. But for some reason, God has taken our paths in two separate directions. It is always a temptation to draw out the goodbye process." A good plan would be to try to keep the timeframe from resignation to departure to between three to five weeks.
Before the search begins: define your plan
"We have to find a new pastor right away." That?s usually the first thing the leadership of a church thinks when their pastor resigns But before you even begin your search, there are a few things that you should consider as a board or search committee. First, if you have no one person (like an associate pastor, for example) that can help lead your church through this transition, you may want to consider hiring an "intentional interim" pastor. According to Paul Strahan, a pastoral ministry specialist with Lifeway Christian Resources, "Many churches without pastors need transitional pastors with experience, training and ministry gifts that assure high-quality transitional leadership. Transitional pastors are prepared to lead churches through smooth transitions, rough transitions and crisis transitions. They may serve effectively as a preacher, pastor and consultant."
There are online resources to help determine if an intentional interim pastor would benefit your church. Visit www.healthychurch.org, www.interimpastorsearch.org and www.lifeway.com (search for the transitional pastors program).
Second, consider some type of congregational evaluation tool to be sure that the pastor you look for is the pastor your church needs and expects. There are a few surveys that will help you find what your church needs in its next pastor. Visit www.covenantseminary.edu/PhilDouglass/ChurchPersonalityReport2.asp and www.churchcentral.com/nw/s/template/ChurchHealthSurvey.html.
The search: stick to your plan
Before you start your search, put in writing the exact things you are looking for in your next pastor. Much of this profile can be written from the findings of your congregational evaluation survey. The profile should be a clear and attainable description of the qualities and leadership style of your next pastor.
Make it your goal to get to know as much about each candidate as possible. Find out about their theological and church background. Meet their families. Get to know their personality. And most of all, measure them against your completed profile.
Check references thoroughly. Conduct a pre-employment background check. There is no excuse for not fully investigating your candidate?s past.
Don?t introduce your congregation to two or three choices and have them vote. A much better approach is to find the candidate your leadership thinks is the best choice and present that one person for approval. If that person doesn't work out, you can start the process over with another candidate.
Whatever you do, don't make a quick decision. Many times, tired search committees make a hire more to end the process than to hire a good pastor. Ask yourself, "Would we have hired this person six months ago?" If the answer is no, then you should probably keep looking.
As webmaster of Churchstaffing.com in Bryan, Ohio, Todd Rhoades has helped thousands of churches and individuals with their ministry employment search.
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Recommended Resources
"The Elephant in the Boardroom: Speaking the Unspoken about Pastoral Transitions" by Carolyn Weese and J. Russell Crabtree,
"Church Staff Handbook" by Harold J. Westing,
"The Big Book of Job Descriptions for Ministry" by Larry Gilbert and Cindy Spear
This article can be seen in full at The Church Report Magazine. (Check out all the other GREAT content while you're there!)
FOR DISCUSSION: How has your church done in this area? Are transitions smooth or are they a mess. Would having a pre-set plan helped in any areas in your opinion? Please share...
Have you ever been part of a church that been rocked by a devastating change of pastors? It can shake a church's foundation to the core. Here's a typical example adapted from “The Elephant in the Boardroom: Speaking the Unspoken about Pastoral Transitions” by Carolyn Weese and J. Russell Crabtree. Can you relate to this fictional scenario?
Comments
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Jack on Tue, May 24, 2005
First of all, a pastor who says God is calling him away and doesn’t provide with a trained replacement, isn’t following Biblical example. The job of a Pastor is to care for the flock, Jesus said to Peter, “feed my sheep”. So, if in fact a pastor is feeling the call to go elsewhere, my question is, have you trained up someone to fill your place here? If not, then I would question that call in the first place. Are you just moving about different churches committed to destroying the congregations? Pastors, do the will of God and not your own will. the will of God is that His sheep are fed, not your pride, or your name as a pastor. If you are leaving a church that has no replacement, you are condemning that body to a term of suffering, and malnourishment if not starvation for the word of God. How then shall God then work in you when you will deny the work He has set before you?
I suggest to those of you who are suffering from this type of loss, find someone within your congregation who is able to teach and convey what the Bible teaches, and ask them to take his place. It will provide for smoother transitions, and it will keep the pulpit familiar to those who are involved.
That’s all from me for now
G. Laine Robinson on Tue, May 24, 2005
Our founding pastor passed away in October of 03. The church was 28 years old and he had grown the church from 200 to over five thousand. He was a world renown preacher and respected all accross the country for his work with developing preachers and racial reconciliation. When he was battling cancer we (Elders Council) with his approval selected an assistant Pastor and also named him the successor in the event that the Lord called him home. Upon the death of our pastor our assisstant pastor auomatically took the helm and the church has continued to grow with nearly 1000 new members since October 03. I believe the key is stable leadership and a succession plan.
Julius Olutokun (Pst) on Tue, May 24, 2005
I have experienced this type of situation before when the Senior Pastor of our church announced that he was going to leave in 2 weeks time for Apostolic Ministry and he has appointed me (a part-time minister) to head the church.
There was a lot of uproar from the church leadership to the membership and things were really in disarray. I was initially moved by these noise for about 2 weeks but later-on I went to God in prayer and sought for His face, He told me two things (1) He said that I should concentrate all my attention on Prayers and Evangelism/Visitation and (2) He told me that none of these people called me and so I shouldn’t mind whatever anyone of them feel, perceived or said.
After one month of concentrating on the things that God said, the church began to grow and brethren began to share testimonies of God’s mercies upon them.
My encouragement to anyone passing through this is that they should listen to what God have to say and not what men feel about the situation, nonetheless we should be sensitive to the needs and the yearnings of our followers and exhibit uncommon love because there is no wound that love cannot heal.
S. Presch on Tue, May 24, 2005
No offense to the pastors here but this is the problem of a church not following the Biblical example of church leadership. Elders is plural. If a church is rallying around one person, they are in error and it would be expected that there would be major upheaval upon this person’s departure. Again, the word “pastor” is used once in the New Testament in the context of spiritual gifts. You can find nowhere where it is listed as an official “office.” Local churches are setting themselves up to have their lampstand removed if they give all the glory to one who happens to possess just one of the spiritual gifts—in this case teaching—and not to the Lord.
Where in the Word of God is it written that there is one church leader called pastor? Of course that scenario would be doomed for failure because it is not God’s will.
Post 1 and 2 are both correct but they miss the subtlety here…God calls for elders, not “a pastor.”
Rich Viel on Tue, May 24, 2005
“No offense to the pastors here but this is the problem of a church not following the Biblical example of church leadership.” As a pastor, I do not take offense but I think it is also a problem of pastors not following the biblical example. As “the pastor” of the church where I serve, I believe it is my responsibility to prepare people for works of service, and this includes the Elders. Whether I leave for another ministry or step off the curb tomorrow and get killed by a truck, it is one of my responsibility train the gifted and called leaders of our church to be prepared to lead when I’m gone.
BeHim on Tue, May 24, 2005
A pastor is an elder and ALL elders should be “able to teach”. The “Interim” pastor should come from your board of elders. If they are not capable, why are they elders?
Today, the church has a tendency to choose elders based on status and recognition rather than ability to serve in the capacity of a “pastor”.
The Great Commission commands us to make disciples… meaning, we as elders should be training up “new” elders to take our place or move on into other churches.
Here is a prime example of what is wrong in the church (taken from the article above):
Make it your goal to get to know as much about each candidate as possible. Find out about their theological and church background. Meet their families. Get to know their personality. And most of all, measure them against your completed profile.
Would this candidate fit the “completed profile”:
RE: Letter of application for employment
Dear Sirs:
I understand that a position as pastor is open in your church and I would like to apply for it. I have some qualifications for the work, and this letter is an honest review of my past service in the ministry.
I am almost 60 years of age and have been in the ministry for about 25 years. I’ve never lasted very long in any one place, but once I did stay in one church three years. People say my health is not good, but I ignore these kinds of irritants and press on anyway, believing my ill health is actually an advantage to keep my big ego in check.
I’m a strong leader and have usually wound up in charge of everything I’ve ever done. I’ll be frank with you, I’m not always popular, and have been expelled from a number of cities where I ministered. But in every case it was because of a trouble-making opposition I seem to get everywhere I go. I just preach the truth and some people get angry when they hear it.
You may hear about the time when I confronted the highest leader in my denomination to his face—in front of an entire church body. But he was clearly in the wrong and he backed down. It is that simple: I was right, and he was wrong. I spoke the truth, as I always do. And my truth won the day.
I have seldom been able to work full-time in the ministry, so I have usually had employment outside of my ministry to help support me. In some churches I received no salary at all, and occasionally my job even provided for paying the staff too, though that was not the average situation. Don’t the idea though that I worked only with large churches. Most of the churches I’ve worked with were small, and all of them were able to meet in a house or small hall.
I am a good preacher and well-trained in Bible truths though I often preach longer than people think I should—sometimes for several hours. And you might hear that I have even preached all night at times.
I have had some success at church planting, though some believe my methods are wrong. What I do is enter a new city and find the local religious gathering. I attend there until I get an opportunity to teach or speak, then I show them how their doctrine is wrong and the doctrine I teach is correct. This usually causes a lot of division, and those who side with me generally split off the original group and with that core group I start a new church.
In case you follow up on my references you may discover some questionable events. So I need to give my side on these stories. Yes, it is true that I am guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. But that was before I accepted Christ. And it is true that because of several problems since becoming a Christian, I have been put in jail. But most of these were short stays, though I have just been released from a four-year stint—two years in Caesarea and the last two here in Rome. But I’ve never given up on my faith—even as a convict. Yes, I have been accused as a trouble-maker but these are false accusations, the real trouble-makers are the Jews who keep following me everywhere I go stirring up trouble against me.
Spiritually I have had an incredible journey. Early in my ministry I had “another world” experience—which I do not even talk about. I heard inexpressible things. And you need not worry about a charismatic influence, for I am a hard-liner on that issue, always limiting speaking in tongues to a few at a time, and though I speak with tongues myself more than most everybody else, I never do so in public meetings.
I have always worked in a staff ministry, and usually expect a staff as normal. If your church can’t pay them, I will figure out a way to have them work directly for me. My staff is generally loyal to me, in fact I demand it. In my first staff relationship, the senior member of the staff quickly recognized that I was more competent than he was, and he stepped down to the associate role so I could assume the leadership of our staff. Later that year the third member of our staff left abruptly walked out, but I thought at that time he was too soft for the ministry anyway. Eventually I lost my associate too when he tried to persuade me to bring that young fellow back on staff. I refused. He left and started another ministry, though we are still friends. I have been used to working with a large staff, but I admit that I’ve had a lot of staff turnover—few of them stay very long. That’s what multiplication is all about, though isn’t it? As to my wife, I do not give any details other than I will be accompanied wherever I go not by her but by a physician, a faithful layman who has been with me for quite a while. He will be moving with me to wherever I go next.
There may be other rumors and accusations about me that you hear when following up my references Strong leaders have strong opposition. So, I wish to address these other rumors and reports directly to you as follows:
I can get along with church leaders, so long as they are not narrow-minded and legalistic.
I am not a church splitter. The only division I ever cause is where falsehood is being preached.
I am not a liberal on issues of behavior and keeping church traditions—though the Jerusalem headquarters ruled gentiles can’t eat meat offered to idols, I have adapted that rule in the gentile churches—face it, the headquarters is often in the business of protecting the old wineskins. I allow the gentiles in my churches to eat idol-meat, unless it would cause another to stumble.
As for legalism, it is true that I am an avid opponent of it and will do everything in my power to defeat these evil people who are enemies of the true gospel.
The single woman we stayed in that first week in Europe was a new convert and she had said, “If you consider me a believer, come home and stay with me.” Besides, there were several of us anyway, and she had servants there too.
I did not use a new-age seeker-approach to reach the academic community. I merely started where they were—in a belief in an unknown God.
It is true that I stayed several years with one married couple never getting my own house, but that was on their invitation.
My involvement in casting out demons is not the primary focus of my ministry.
I do not have a “death-wish,” and the only reason I refused to listen to the Christians about my plans to go back to the city where I was most opposed was because they were wrong in discerning the Lord’s will and I was right.
I am not personally benefiting from my ministry and not making tons of money off of it—I do not even break even.
I did not even touch the big offering I have been raising for the last 20 years. I never transport the money myself and always have several witnesses hold it and take the cash to the project—I do not handle offering monies whatever you have heard from one of my former churches.
I hope you will consider my application.
Would your church hire this guy? Seriously, would they?
Yet, he wrote the majority of the New Testament in his own pen, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Your church would turn down the Apostle Paul in favor of your “completed profile”.
Why? Because elders don’t make spiritual decisions, they make business decisions and those decisions cost married couples their relationships, children their innocence and sin increases IN the church. Having an appearance of godliness but lovers of self.
Alan Ray on Tue, May 24, 2005
S. Presch,
Bible examples would be Timothy, Titus, Silas etc. People Paul appointed to lead the church. Paul wrote to some of these people about how to lead the church. Sorry Presh, you have not standing ground with claiming there is no need for a pastor.
Indeed the elders and the pastor of the church is to lead, however there is a need for a shepherd. Look closer at your Bible and you will see examples.
I would bet you are not a Pastor yourself. Got a few ideas that your Pastor will not listen to huh? Think you should lead. Am I getting close?
S. Presch on Tue, May 24, 2005
Amen, Rich & BeHim!
Alan, it’s best to go straight to the first appointed shepherd of the NT for our discussion and an accurate understanding of “shepherd.” By direct, personal invitation recorded fortunately for all eternity at the end of the Gospel of John, Peter was asked by Our Lord to feed His flock if he loved Him. Here is our perfect example of Our Lord’s idea of a true shepherd.
Peter then in 1 Peter 5 et al speaks of himself not as a “pastor” but an elder—one of several.
If you wish to engage in further dialogue, it would be important for you to be more specific in your Scripture references for us to trace this notion of a single pastor in charge of a local assembly so that our debate may be grounded and more meaningful.
Vince on Tue, May 24, 2005
I just want to point out that there is much confusion about “Elders” in the church. That’s because we don’t often read our Bible with a Hebrew & Greek perspective, but rather an “American” perspective. But the Bible was not written in American nor in English (we must remember that).
There are actually several words in the New Test. translated “elder” in English. They do not all apply to the same people.
One Word “Elder” (as used in James 5) means “Older or spiritually mature”. Thus, when James said to “call the Elders of the church to anoint them with oil and pray for them”, he was not talking about the leaders of the church but rather people who are spiritually mature (hopefully that would include our leaders, but it is not limited to them).
In 1 Timothy 3 the word “Elder” is episkopos = “derived from a word that means one who sees ahead or sees the big picture; translated overseer. It was a word used in the Greek culture to refer to a head or chief shepherd who would oversee the feeding and leading of the flock.”
Most people think we are to have a plurality of elders in the local church because the Apostle Paul (in the book of Acts) called for the “Elders” (plural) of the church of Ephesus.
However, you must remember that the Church of Ephesus had thousands of members. In that day they could not meet in a big building like we often do today, but they had to meet in houses. Not too many people had a house big enough to fit thousands of people, thus the church was divided into house churches. Each house church had an Overseer, thus comes the phrase “Call for the Elders (plural) of Ephesus.”
At other times, the word “Elder” in the New Test. comes from a greek word that means “Leader”, this word could apply to anyone who is leading any type of ministry (which should include our modern board members).
Deacons on the other hand are just “Ministers or servants” according to the greek definition. Anyone serving in a ministry position to assist the leaders is truly a “Deacon” in the true sense of the word.
Now, the Bible does not say that a “Pastor” has to be the Bishop (lead elder). That’s why Paul refers to that person as an Overseer or Bishop. However, the Bishop should be a member of the 5 Fold Ministry Gifts as shown in Ephesians 4:11-12. As a matter of fact, it would be most preferable if there was more than one 5 Fold Ministry Elders in the local church working together (but that is not always an option in many churches today).
BeHim on Tue, May 24, 2005
Vince thank you for the greek translation. It is most beneficial.
The point I’m most concerned with in relationship to this article is this ovewhelming movement to search for a “shephard” as the world would search for a CEO. This “should” be bothersome, shouldn’t it?
AND
Having to search for an interim minister.
There should be men “ready to teach”. These episkopos (ie - Episcopalians) are those called, trained and ready. This is what an Elder board should be comprised of. I guess I’m shocked that so many churches have a problem. Are they not discipling? Are they not training people who are interested in ministry?
I’ve seen the movement towards getting people “plugged in” but if this were truly discipleship, wouldn’t some of those “plugged in” be ready to teach? Should they be? What are they plugged in to and to what end?
I understand not all are called to be bishops but we are all called to be ready.
Vince on Tue, May 24, 2005
Excuse me, I could not finish my last comment because I had to leave and pick my daughter up from school.
To continue…...
There is not only confusion about Elders in the modern church but also about the 5 Fold Ministry leaders of Ephesians 4:11-12.
In the last 30 years it has been very popular to use the title “Pastor” as a generic title to apply to all 5 Fold gifts. I have had several times that guest ministers come into our church and people call them “Pastor” so & so when actually they are Teachers, Prophets or Evangelists.
Likewise, people usually refer to the Bishop/Overseer of a local church as “Pastor” when they are often not a pastor but rather an apostle, prophet, evangelist or teacher.
That would be like a plumber coming into town and the people there start calling him a mechanic. So, not to confuse them, he goes along with it and calls himself “Mechanic Joe”. That might be ok for a while, but eventually people are going to come to him asking him to fix their cars. He will be frustrated because he is not equipped in fixing cars he’s equipped for fixing toilets and sinks. Also, they will be confused and frustrated. Not only that, he will also be frustrated by people not calling on him to fix their toilets or sinks (because he is not given the opportunity to use his true gifts).
I see in Scripture that a church is usually to be led by a 5 Fold Ministry team with a leader who is Apostolic leading the team.
A true Apostle should be one who lays the foundation and casts vision and appoints leaders. I am convinced that most successful “Senior Pastors” are actually Apostles. That leader should surround himself with other anointed “elders” - prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher” These individuals could help the apostle develop ministries, train team members (deacons) and oversee those departments
Prophet - Assist with preaching and develop other believers in the body who have a gift of prophecy.
Evangelist- Recruit people in the body anointed for soul winning and lead an Outreach/Evangelism Team. He/she could also train all the members in the church for evangelism and soul winning (since we should all be doing the “work of an evangelist” ie- sharing the gospel with the lost).
Pastor- Could raise up and oversee a team in the church with providing pastoral care to the members (visitation, hospital calls, follow up, counseling, etc)
Teacher- Share in the expository preaching/teaching. Also raise up and oversee a team of Small Group leaders or Sunday School Teachers.
The problem is this: We have a lot of erroneous tradition to deal with as leaders. I have been at my current church for 5 years and have found it to be a great challenge getting the “Elders” to change their concept of leadership. They think their job is just to show up at a board meeting once a month to vote on new members or review a finance report. They do not always take their new leadership roles very seriously because they don’t get “paid” thus it always takes a back burner to their “real jobs”. Since I and my Associate do get paid, we often end up taking up the slack for the Elders who are not doing their jobs. I also find people in the congregation who continue to expect me to “Do” the work of ministry rather than “Equip them to do it” (Eph. 4:12).
But you examine any successful church with more than 300 people and you will find a church that is following the guidelines on Ephesians 4:11-16.
The key verse is vs 16 “In (Christ) we are fitly joined together by what EVERY joint supplies according to the EFFECTIVE working in which EVERY part does it’s share, which causes GROWTH to the body for the edifying (building up and empowering) of itself (the church) in love”
Thus, when the leaders learn how to submit to one another in the fear of the Lord and make room for the others gifts; and when the congregation learns to submit to their leaders and follow the apostolic vision and the leadership of the elder who is overseeing their area of giftedness, then (and only then) will the church grow the way God intended!
Vince on Tue, May 24, 2005
BeHim,
Thank you for your complement & also for your input!
I agree that we should not treat finding a new bishop (sr pastor) like a business finding a new CEO.
But I think the problem is, too many Americans think of the church the same way they do their business and thus try to operate it the same way (of course there are others who want to treat the church as a Sunday social club and as a result it becomes very ineffective)!
I believe the only true cure for these problems is to re-teach the modern church about the 5 Fold Ministry Elders and start our leadership from scratch!
I won’t be holding my breath for that to happen though (l.o.l.)
S. Presch on Tue, May 24, 2005
Vince, you are right about this worldly concept of CEO - it is a grotesque distortion of true leadership, is the reason why “corporations” fail, and ignores Matthew 23:8-11 and Matthew 20:25-28.
So why wouldn’t you hold your breath? That is Our Lord’s command so will have His blessing! The next Martin Luther to go down in history will be the one to lead the reformation of the ubiquitous, popular, yet unbiblical current church leadership models.
Each one of us needs to see which of the 7 churches we embody. Not one of us is immune from our fate in Rev 1-3. He’s got great advice for every one of us.
Reformation starts with Godly disciples totally immersed in His Word, abiding in Him.
Vince on Tue, May 24, 2005
S. Presh,
Thank you for the input! You are right when you asked, “So why wouldn’t you hold your breath?”
I guess I am just a little skeptical and frustrated right now because of my experience as a “Pastor” this past 19 years.
I believe many churches are in the “Lukewarm” catagory! Or like the Apostle Paul described to Timothy, “Having a form of godliness but denying the Power (dunamis - Acts 1:8) thereof.”
Many Christians just want to “play” church (thus resulting in a shallow Sunday social event or concert with a pep talk). Then there are numerous others who want to create a great church “business” but do not want or at least do not understand the need for the Gifts of the Spirit.
Isn’t it interesting that the Apostle Paul showed us that God put the church in a particular order: “First Apostles, second Prophets, third Teachers” (and then the other gifts following)?
I believe that many Christians have the right intentions, but are just ignorant of what the Bible truly says. But then there are others who are just spiritually lazy (including leaders).
If we were to truly follow the Ephesians 4:7-16 guidelines for the church it would require a level of commitment and accountability that most people are not willing to submit to today!
However, I am convinced that the “Glorious” church that Jesus is returning for is going to have to arise by dropping man made traditions & hiarchy and worldly principles and hype and yield ourselves completely to the Grace of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit.
But that will require something most people don’t want “WORK” & true FELLOWSHIP (koinonia - “partnership & mutual participation and contributory help”)!
Please pray for me, because that is the kind of church I am praying to be a leader in. I am tired of playing church with the lukewarm!! SO, will the TRUE church please stand up?!
Colossians 2:8-10 “Let no one cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the traditions of men and the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ (the Anointed One & His anointing. For IN HIM dwells all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete IN HIM”
BeHim on Tue, May 24, 2005
Standing!
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