Thank you, Pastor Tim

Posted by Rice on Jun 24, '07 12:35 AM

On Sunday, June 24th we as a congregation, Bethel World Outreach Center, officially sent out Pastor Tim Johnson and his family to plant a new church in Orlando, Florida. This is a copy of the tribute that was read to them on this very special day.

Thank you, Pastor Tim,

Today we as a congregation are sending out Tim and Le'Chelle Johnson to be the Senior Pastors of the brand new church, Orlando World Outreach Center, in Orlando Florida. The Johnson’s came to us 7 years ago from our sister church in Washington DC and Pastor Brett Fuller. They as a church experienced the same sense of loss 7 years ago when they sent the Johnson’s here to Nashville- yet the greater good for the kingdom of God has been clearly accomplished. Now we as a church are experiencing the sorrow of losing such great leaders in Pastor Tim and Le'Chelle and their family, yet we have confidence that again a greater good will be accomplished. So we have a mysterious mixture today of great sadness, but also great joy. In just a moment we will lay our hands on them and send them forth into God’s purposes.
Before we do we want to say thank you.

Thank you for obeying God and coming to Nashville and serving this church and community.

Thank you for your many sacrifices

Thank you for your tireless efforts to make Jesus known

Thank you for helping to birth the Youth Life Learning Centers that are making an enormous impact in the inner city of Nashville. This work will continue to grow and change lives long after you gone.

Thank you for the leaders you helped produce

Thank you for the marriages you helped save

Thank you for the endless encouragement you gave to everyone you met

Thank you for making everyone feel good about shouting and praising God they way He deserves to be praised.

Thank you for helping produce a church that reflects in a measure what heaven will look like in terms of every tribe, tongue, and nation worshipping together.

Thank you for transitioning with such dignity and honor that shows that walking together as family is more than just talk

Thank you for your exemplary marriage

For training up three young women of exellence in Krista, Kayla, and Kara, and one future super-hero in mighty Shawn.

For loving your church

As well as this city

Our loss is Orlando’s gain

We will pray for you

Support you

Rejoice in the victories

And encourage you to shake off any setbacks

You are winners and everyone around you become winners too

With all our hearts – we say thank you

p.s. The door is always open if you decide to come back.