Dear Members of Metro Atlanta SDB
Church:
I will never forget that day a little
over five years ago when I received a letter from the Pastoral Search
Committee from this church. I was within sight of graduation from
seminary and through the search process felt the Lord prompting my
family to come and serve this congregation. I could not have ever
imagined the journey, emotionally and spiritually, that God would
have in store for us here. There are many reasons that I love this
church, as friends and as the people of God. I am so glad that God
led you to call me and that He led me to respond back in 2007.
But God has called once again. It is
with sadness and mixed emotions that I submit my resignation as an
elder and Lead Pastor at Metro Atlanta SDB Church, effective June 1,
2013. I am fully confident that my departure will not hinder the work
here. I also fully realize that God uses different men to move
ministries to different stages at different times and that sometimes
the man who leads from point A to point B is not the same man who
will lead from point B to point C. I believe that our sovereign God
in His divine wisdom is choosing to move me to another ministry so
that another leader will step in to continue this ministry.
After our Conference sessions this
year, I received an email from the Pastoral Search Committee from
SpringsLife Church in Colorado Springs, CO. After their committee and
church had prayed for months about who God was calling to lead them
in ministry after the resignation of Pastor Harold King, my name was
their overwhelming first choice. I did not seek out this opportunity
(and have never sought other opportunities). I was asked to consider
moving to Colorado Springs to lead the ministries there. This was
truly a struggle in faith, as other churches have contacted me in the
past and the Lord has always made clear a “no” answer. However,
the Lord could not lead me to say “no” to this opportunity. It
has always been my intention to serve this congregation for a long
term but my struggle with this issue became so preoccupying that I
sought counsel and advice on the matter. Our Board of Deacons and
Elders (and many others) recommended that I needed to accept the trip
to candidate at SpringsLife in order to discern God's will in this
matter. After preaching in view of a call at SpringsLife on October
6, 2012, their congregation voted unanimously to extend a call for me
to become their next pastor on October 20, 2012. Through these months
of prayer by myself, my family, my close friends, our Board, and the
SpringsLife Church, God has led us to accept His call to move to
Colorado Springs.
Because of our deep integration into
the lives of our church and community, we will not be able to move
until late spring. However, we know and believe (as well as you) that
God directs our steps and promises to never leave us or forsake us.
Though I will transition out of my relationship with you as a pastor,
our love for you will always remain. You have been and continue to be
a blessing in our lives!
Submitted with our deepest
love and respect,
The Pethtel Family
