Residency Update
This is a running commentary on my ~year of being Ministry Resident at Journey Church Tacoma.
The Final Quarter
The summer saw my DMin work shift into high gear, developing an adult ed program for me to lead based on my thesis project (Conversatio Divina: “Tell Me Your Story” as a Relational Spiritual Discipline). I just recently kicked it off with about 30 gracious people. This will help dial in the final form: all virtual for Follower of One, a marketplace mission community where I served on the leadership team and board for years.
Importantly, this quarter’s program will, by God’s grace, spur growth in the Holy Spirit in the congregation — and the data I’ll report back to the church on aggregate results in aggregate will bless all involved.
Finally, as of today I’ve haltingly emerged from my six-month sabbatical on my podcast, #ForTheHope Daily Audio Bible. Want to hear me serve somebody at Journey Church Tacoma dealing with actual Satanic warfare?
The First Nine Months
Besides a bit of preaching, I’ve been blessed by weekly, generously-lengthed 1:1 sessions with Pastor Myron Crockett. I also participate weekly in Staff meetings, monthly at Leadership Board meetings, and occasionally join the worship team.
Perhaps most educational (because it’s been the most intense) is a digital ministry that developed caring for and discipling a house church in Oregon that’s been a like a “Journey Church Tacoma South.” What a blessing to walk along side Spirit-filled on fire and leading others to eternal life in Christ. It’s been entirely a “do life together” ministry with a thousand teachable moments.
Finally, I’ve been blessed to have been given a chance to preach (I’m missing a couple, so check back):
Living Faithfully in a Shaky World (2 Peter 1:3-8), Aug 17, 2025
Job Description of the Church (Acts 1:8), June 22, 2025
Wise Up to Shore Up (James 1:13-18), Feb 16, 2025
Kicking Off
As of this writing (Christmas, 2024), I’m now a part-time “Minister in Residence.” I put that in quotation marks because the residency — a bit like a doctor doing a residency — is a time of learning and sharpening with the intentional guidance of the elder team.
The (slow) process of integration and “roll out” has begun, and we have made Journey Church Tacoma our covenantal home until the Lord calls us to a permanent assignment. My introduction to the congregation has begun with a couple preaching assignments. Most recently this was an advent message in a series about Old Testament promises (God With Us, 12/15/24).
Too, this has begun a formation-in-process mentoring relationship with the head pastor and elders that
has been coordinated with the Pacific Northwest district of Christian & Missionary Alliance to be in line with ordination (please also see this),
kicked off a season of reading/discussing books geared toward eldership/leadership,
initiated a multi-part training program including preaching, teaching, evangelism, etc.
As I said in my introduction, while I bring a lot of life experience to the table, I’m humble and eager to learn with my boots on the ground. And with my knees on the floor.
Soli Deo Gloria.
