We want to express our deep gratitude for your patience, unwavering dedication, and steadfast support during this season of growth and transition at TVBC. Your prayers, encouragement, and commitment to the work of God continue to be a testament to His faithfulness. We are incredibly blessed to have such a great church family. 

(Note for potential candidates: Thank you for your interest! We are not accepting resumes at this time. Once we post the position, we will utilize usual pastoral job posting sites (SBC.net, MBTS, TGC, association, etc.). Please do not send in your information until that time. Thank you--and we are praying for you.)

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May 2024

• Dr. Gary Mathews of the Clay-Platte Baptist Association shared about the benefits of a transitional pastor.

• Generic timeline shared: 
• Summer 2024: 1. Vote on pastor search team members ; 2. Vote on transitional pastor recommendation.
• Fall 2024: Develop pastor job description, work on plan to find new pastor
• Early 2025: Pastor search formally starts.

1. Pray for the Search Team. Here are six areas to pray for on behalf of our search:

•  Pray for patience. Pray that our church would wait for God’s timing.

•  Pray the search team will have the mind of Christ and agree.

•  Pray for wisdom to choose the right person.

•  Pray that the pastoral search team will renew their minds in the Bible so that they can have Word- centered wisdom (Romans 12: 1–2).

•  Pray for discipline for the search team and other church leaders. The search process requires a great deal of follow-through and communication.

•  Pray for unity and agreement between your elders and the pastoral search committee.

2. Pray for our next Pastor. Here are six ways you can pray for the future pastor during the search:

•  Pray God would increase his passion for preaching the Word of God.

•  Pray God would give him a love for our church and the strength to leave his current position (if the candidate senses that is God’s direction).

•  Pray our next pastor would begin new relationships at our church in the right way, even during the search.

•  Pray God would prepare our future pastor to shepherd the flock more effectively through the trials and blessings he has faced or currently faces.

•  Pray for our next pastor’s family. Of course, he may be single or married. He may have children or not.

•  Pray God, who knows each detail about each member of our pastor’s household, would give the members of his family strength as they consider leaving their current setting and going to a different church, or beginning pastoral ministry for the first time.

3. Pray for the people in our church. Here are four ways you can pray for our church family during the upcoming search:

•  Pray for patience. The search process can go on longer than expected. It is hard doing the work of searching.

•  Pray our people would trust the leadership and uphold them in prayer during the whole process.

•  Pray our people would learn to place a high priority on biblical preaching over personality, programs, or any other ideals.

•  Pray, above all, our congregation would call a pastor who will proclaim the Word without apology.

(This resource was developed from Chris Brauns, When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search: Biblical Principles and Practices to Guide Your Search (pp. 29-31). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.)