PSC Blog # 1 – A New Journey
Dear Church,
It’s been quite some time since this forum was used to communicate what was transpiring behind
the scenes with respect to the Pastor Search Committee (PSC). The last communication (PSC
Blog #11) was entitled Final Steps, and it highlighted the fact that we were in the process of
scheduling our candidate (Dr. Jesse Payne) to come in view of a call.
As was stated in PSC Blog #11, “a lot has transpired since our last entry so we will do our best to
catch everyone up.” In this entry, we will endeavor to do the same. It has truly been an amazing 3
1⁄2 years with Dr. Jesse Payne as our pastor and it is most certainly difficult to say goodbye. We as
the Former PSC are extremely grateful to Jesse Payne for his service as our pastor and know
without a doubt that he was truly God’s Man in God’s Time. He led us extremely well and we
pray that Jesse, Marissa and their family continue to thrive in their service at West Conroe
Baptist Church!
The end of Jesse’s time as our Senior Pastor marks the beginning of our new journey to identify
God’s Man. It is with a great sense of optimism and confidence that we begin this journey;
optimism and confidence drawn from a deep and unshakeable belief in the Sovereignty of God.
The great Charles Spurgeon once wrote that, “The sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which
the child of God rests his head at night, giving perfect peace.” God is in control, and we have no
doubt that He has already started preparing both us (as a church family) and the man He has
identified as our next Senior Pastor for the next chapter in the life of First Burk.
The new PSC began our training this past Sunday afternoon and met as a group for the first time.
The next several weeks will be extremely important as we meet regularly to begin laying the
groundwork necessary to move through this process. As we enter into the formal process of
identifying our next Senior Pastor, we would like to take a moment to exhort you to commit to
praying daily about the journey on which we are about to embark. Additionally, we would like
those who can to join us for the first portion of our meeting to be held on Sunday, June 2nd at 2
pm in Room 109 as the PSC prays for this process.
Each of us on the PSC fully understands the great responsibility that you all have entrusted us
with; we do not take that responsibility lightly. It will only be through God’s grace and wisdom
that we will be successful in this endeavor. We covet your prayers. Our motto throughout this
entire process will be (as it was last time): God’s Man, God’s Time, No Exceptions. Those
principles will guide us throughout this journey, and we ask each of you to embrace that motto as
well. I have no doubt that a time will come when it may seem to many of you, maybe even to us,
that things aren’t moving fast enough or even at all, but in those times, we once again exhort you
to pray. As mentioned to us in our initial PSC training, “it’s better to have nobody than to have
the wrong body.” God’s timing is perfect, and He is undoubtedly guiding us through this process.
The following is a list of specific items we would like you to commit to prayer:
1. That we select God’s Man, in God’s Time, No Exceptions.
2. That we remain unified as a body of believers.
3. That our personal desires or preferences give way to God’s plan.
4. For the man God is preparing to become our next pastor.
5. That our church is ready for the man God is preparing.
6. For the PSC individually and collectively
We are truly excited to see what God has planned for the future of First Baptist Church
Burkburnett.
In Him,
Pastor Search Committee
Tony Dimarzio Fran Potts Jan Holtzen Rusty Midgett
Anita Owen Mike Harpole Danny Taylor Jimmy Beeson