April 27th, 2024
by Robbey Smith
by Robbey Smith
Not Easy But Necessary
In almost 20 years of ministry at Redemption Church I have always strived to lead you with love, transparency and clarity. I share this information with you today to inform you of future changes in our church family. I hope this transparency will assist you in seeing through any untruths that are unhelpful to the testimony of our church.
Please know none of this has been easy but its necessary!
Please know none of this has been easy but its necessary!
What Happened
On Sunday (April 21st), two staff members were involved in a conflict that escalated to a level unbecoming of their position. This incident serves as a reminder that, as leaders, we are held to a higher standard. Our teachings and actions, especially in challenging moments, reflect our commitment to Christ and one another.
I defused the situation, and during that time, an accusation was made, and Pastor Will resigned from student ministry. A decision he felt necessary in the moment and would regret shortly after.
Later in the afternoon, our Elders meet for a couple of hours to discuss and discern the best course of action moving forward.
Pastor Robert was put on administrative leave for seven days to reflect on his actions and to allow us to begin an investigation. During that investigation we met with all of our ministry staff (individually), the accusation was unfounded, and Pastor Robert will be restored to ministry on April 29th. He has shown remorse and repentance and desires to apologize to Pastor Will at the appropriate time for his behavior last Sunday.
After seeking counsel from our Elders and a time of reflection, I made the difficult decision to accept Pastor Will's resignation. This decision was not easy, but necessary for the future health of our church and staff.
I believe Pastor Will has done a lot for our church in the last eight or so years he has served. We should not overlook this fact. He is a brother; I love him and will miss him. He is very much welcome to attend Redemption Church, a decision that is out of our hands.
I defused the situation, and during that time, an accusation was made, and Pastor Will resigned from student ministry. A decision he felt necessary in the moment and would regret shortly after.
Later in the afternoon, our Elders meet for a couple of hours to discuss and discern the best course of action moving forward.
Pastor Robert was put on administrative leave for seven days to reflect on his actions and to allow us to begin an investigation. During that investigation we met with all of our ministry staff (individually), the accusation was unfounded, and Pastor Robert will be restored to ministry on April 29th. He has shown remorse and repentance and desires to apologize to Pastor Will at the appropriate time for his behavior last Sunday.
After seeking counsel from our Elders and a time of reflection, I made the difficult decision to accept Pastor Will's resignation. This decision was not easy, but necessary for the future health of our church and staff.
I believe Pastor Will has done a lot for our church in the last eight or so years he has served. We should not overlook this fact. He is a brother; I love him and will miss him. He is very much welcome to attend Redemption Church, a decision that is out of our hands.
Moving Forward
- We are raising the standard that we hold ourselves accountable
- We are raising the standard by which we lead others
- We are seeking another person to lead our students
Posted in Church-wide
Recent
Archive
2024
August
2023
December
4 Comments
Thank you for sharing & the transparency. I will be praying for this situation & how it affects our church & everyone involved.
Thank you for sharing and accountability.
Things like this can happen. Unfortunately sometimes it just gets swept under the rug and/or not mentioned at all. Thank you all for being upfront about it. God bless you all for what you do and remember. We're only human.
I love you guysâ¤ï¸