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After more than three decades in service to Brentwood Baptist Church, Pastor Mike Glenn has come to the conclusion that God has something more for him and his family.
In a statement released on the church’s website, Glenn explains his reasons for leaving the congregation he has pastored of since 1991.
“Knowing that this day would come doesn’t make it any easier now that it has arrived,” Glenn wrote. “Today, I want to announce to you that 2023 will be my last year as the senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church. Thirty-two years—by any standard—is an amazing run, and I’m grateful for every minute. But the time has come for someone else to lead BBC into the future that I’m convinced God has for our church.”
Having been a key figure in growing Brentwood Baptist into a megachurch of 11,000 with eight campuses in total, Glenn could easily have lived out his days as pastor in relative comfort and ease. But that is often not the path God has for His children.
It was obedience to the Lord’s calling and time spent in prayer that has seen him step down and take up a new mantle.
In a time when the church has witnessed many pastors vacate their positions due to a stumbling or controversy affecting their ministry, it is encouraging to see one leave a place of familiarity and comfort to embark on another journey God has for them.
“First, I want you to understand that this is my decision and my decision alone. No one, either in the congregation or among our leadership, has suggested or exerted any force to make me step down. This decision comes after months of prayer and a deep love for you. No one loves this church more than I do,” the statement continued.
Glenn is looking forward to beginning a new call to church planting in the middle Tennessee area starting in 2024 after he finishes his final year of pastoring Brentwood Baptist.
“I need to spend more time working with pastors, church planters and leaders in Middle Tennessee,” he wrote. “I want to work with churches to plant new churches and re-purpose churches in changing communities. The most fun I have right now is working with our campus pastors. I want to do more of this.”
Glenn and the trustees of Brentwood Baptist have set a Christian example of transition that many churches over the decades have failed in. By staying in open and truthful communication with one another and ensuring this move is what God wants first and foremost, they have coordinated a seamless and uplifting transition that will see both sides move on to the new season God has for them.
“We have had the special opportunity to come alongside Mike as he has sought God’s guidance in understanding what’s next. Through prayer, discussion and unity of spirit, we share in Mike’s excitement and confidence about what God has in store for him and our church,” the board wrote in their own statement.
“We are grateful that Mike will take on a new role centered around guiding and developing the Engage Church Network. He is a valuable resource for our church and will continue to offer his wisdom, experience and vision. One thing has been clear in our work surrounding this transition, Mike loves you and our church, and there is much work God is calling us to do.”
In a time when division and secrets abound in society, the unity and love that is being displayed by the leadership of Brentwood Baptist Church should stand apart as an example of godly transition that all believers should strive to attain. {eoa}
James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
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