Today, marks the first Sunday, in 8 years, that I was not the Lead Pastor of The Movement Church in Oakland, California. The full explanation for my transition out of this role can be viewed here.

Since my last Sunday, last week, I have had a myriad of mixed emotions. Sadness. Excitement. Confusion. Fulfillment. Doubt. Anticipation. Anxiety. Joy. So many feelings surrounding a life transition, away from the community of faith that I thought I was going to invest my whole life with, that I didn’t see coming.

But the feeling that has been strongest over the last week, without a doubt, has been gratitude.

Gratitude for 8 years of ministry. Gratitude for fruit. Gratitude for impact. Gratitude for memories. Gratitude for multiplication. Gratitude for opportunity. Gratitude for dreams being fulfilled.

But what I find myself most grateful for are…the people.

To every person who has given me the privilege of pastoring them at The Movement Church over the last 8 years, THANK YOU.

The love that I’ve experienced through your lives has left an indelible mark that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. THANK YOU FOR LOVING ME.

Thank you for receiving me as your pastor. Thank you for caring for me. Thank you for allowing me to be an extension of the voice of the Lord in your life. Thank you for showing your love for me by loving, respecting, cherishing, and praying for my wife. Thank you for honoring me. Thank you for appreciating me. Thank you for following my lead. Thank you for forgiving me when I sinned against you. Thank you for trusting me with your stories, your struggles, and your sins. Thank you for inviting me into your homes. Thank you for allowing me to be me. (In all my foolishness and unprofessionalism!) Thank you for your thoughtful gifts, texts, and encouraging emails along the way. Thank you for enduring my confrontational nature. Thank you for persevering through our many tough conversations, both individually and corporately. And even as I told you I was leaving, thank you for your grace, kindness, and understanding. Through all of these experiences listed, I have felt your love for me. Thank you.

So many pastors have been discouraged and berated by the congregations God has called them to lead. This is not the case for me. Because of your Godly, heart-felt, consistent love for me, I move on to my next assignment full of love and anticipating how God may use another congregation of people to be an extension of His love for me. Thank you Movement Church family for loving me. I honor you for loving me.

**2. THANK YOU FOR LOVING JESUS.**

Today, I love, magnify, trust, and worship Jesus more because I have had a front row seat to your love for Jesus! You have obeyed Jesus. You have worshipped Jesus. You have sang to Jesus. You have sacrificed for Jesus. You have been honest before Jesus. You have given to Jesus. You have repented before Jesus. You have repented before Jesus again. You have received Jesus forgiveness for you. You have forgiven others in response to Christ’s forgiveness for you. You have read God’s word. You have journaled prayers to Jesus. You have come to prayer meetings and cried out to Jesus. You have done hard things Jesus has required of you out of your love for Jesus. You have persevered for Jesus. You have followed Jesus wherever He has led you.

Your love for me wouldn’t have been as easy to celebrate if I hadn’t been sure that your love for Jesus was so much stronger than your love for me! Jesus is honored and glorified by your love for him! Thank you Movement Church family for loving Jesus. I honor you for loving Jesus.

**3. THANK YOU FOR LOVING THE CITY OF OAKLAND.**

From day one, our mission was to overwhelm Oakland with love. I wanted our church to be in the city for the city. I wanted our presence in the city of Oakland to make a positive difference. I desired that the non-believers in our city would be positively impacted and thankful for our love. Because of your love for Oakland, this dream came true.

Thank you for your sacrificial love. Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for giving to the Be Generous generosity initiative each year. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for volunteering. For cleaning streets. For supporting teachers. For buying supplies. For meeting needs. For praying for the city. Thank you. Thank you for not being satisfied with being consumers of the Word of God. Thank you for taking the love you’ve experienced from God and extending that love to others when given the opportunity. Thank you for the service and sacrifice for our city that was never noticed or appreciated. Thank you for making commitments and following through with them. Thank you for all the ways you’ve loved the city of Oakland in ways that weren’t formally connected to the church. Thank you for the times you put yourself in a position to have less so that others could have more.

Over the last 8 years, the city of Oakland has felt more of the love of God because of your commitment to love Oakland. Thank you for loving the city of Oakland. I honor you for loving the city we’ve been called to love.

Movement Church Family…your love has been a most precious gift to me these last 8 years. I was not entitled to it, but I receive what I’ve experienced through you as a gift from my Heavenly Father. Thank you. May our paths cross again soon!

* For those of you who I didn’t get to take a picture with over the last couple of weeks, I’m so sorry. If we do end up taking one together before my wife and I depart, I’ll be sure to add it!