Why Are You Leaving?
Over the last couple of months, I've undergone a massive change; I stepped down from my position as Teaching Pastor at a thriving church and stepped into a brand new venture filled with many unknowns.
I guess if you think about it, it's really two big changes: stepping out and stepping in. Stepping out of the known and into the unknown (cue Elsa).
Along with these changes come two common questions:
Why did you leave ministry?
What are you going to do now?
I'd love to share my journey with you, so let's start here.
I don't have a 'formal' personal mission statement, but here's a rough draft:
To love God with all my heart, soul, and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself.
To be on the same team as my husband, Wes, and foster a thriving marriage
To raise kids who love Jesus and actually like spending time with Wes and me when they're grown and don't have to anymore.
To make the teachings of Jesus accessible and applicable.
It's important to start with this because the purpose and mission God has given me are the catalysts for the shift in my life and fully inform my answers to these questions.
So, let's tackle the first question: Why did you leave ministry?
The answer is simple; I didn't leave ministry; I left my job.
As followers of Jesus we are all called to use our gifts and talents to serve God and one another. This is true no matter your job, age, height, weight, place of birth, level of influence, or if you're someone who puts the toilet paper roll with the tail over or under.
There's no varsity or junior varsity when it comes to loving God and others.
Now, I wish I could say I had this resolve throughout the journey, but if I'm being really honest, this was one of my biggest mental hang-ups as I prepared to step out. Am I leaving ministry?
Am I throwing everything away? Am I saying goodbye to making a difference? Does leaving my role make me a failure? Does quitting mean I don't have what it takes? Does this mean I'm not enough?
Questions like these have plagued each of us in one situation or another. Second-guessing ourselves and what God has for us is a very human response.
Fortunately, God has graciously surrounded me with people who helped me see these anxieties for what they are: lies. (By the way, if you don't have people like this in your life—go out and find them! They're the ones who love Jesus and have zero patience for your nonsense. The ones who'll pray for you and then give you a good-natured kick in the pants.)
It's incredibly easy to put our purposes in a box, but God was leading me out of the box I had put myself in.
Perhaps the true essence of the question I've been asked so many times is this:
Why did you leave your job?
And the answer is simple.
I could no longer live out my unique purpose under the demands of full-time ministry within a church.
If you weren't aware, full-time ministry extends far beyond the 'front-facing' roles you see. If you want a really fun exercise, go ask someone working in your church to list off what they've done that week. The diversity of tasks is comical and stretches as far as a pharmacy receipt or the opening crawl of a Star Wars film. They work evenings, weekends, and holidays, and they genuinely love doing it. (But also, go run a coffee and a cupcake to your favorite church employee because they are TIRED!)
Over the last few years, Wes and I have wanted a different rhythm of life for our family that better facilitated our future legacy and would allow me to live out my unique purpose in a more focused way.
Simply put, this is why I left my job, which leads to the next question:
What are you going to do now?
I'm going to be an author and fulfill the purpose God has put on my heart for a very long time. I think my job description would look something like this:
Follower of Jesus.
Wife.
Mom.
Writer.
In the immediate term, this looks like spending time with God and diligently seeking what He has for me. Working more closely with my husband to steward our relationship, our relationship with our children, and the legacy God has set before us as a couple. Mom-ing so hard (did you know summer break is a whole three months?!) and writing.
Currently, I'm refining my first book called #SameTeam. This project has been near and dear to my heart for a long time, but I haven't had the capacity to complete it. I cannot express how excited I am to share this with all of you!
In the immediate future, I will be blogging and building platforms to meet people where they are and help them apply the teachings of Jesus to their lives, no matter where they are in their journeys. I'll also return to teaching and preaching in a limited capacity as opportunities present themselves.
Stepping out and stepping in has been one of the most difficult steps of my life, and I am SO EXCITED for this new chapter.
I am beyond grateful for the support of my husband Wes, my friends, and my family. To my church family, those of you who have watched me grow, encouraged me, and allowed me the honor to minister to you—there are no words to express the incredible impact you have had on my life.
As I begin this new journey, I invite you to join me. Whether that's simply following @the_sherri_richard on Instagram, subscribing to this blog, praying for me, or just keeping an eye out for upcoming projects!
Thank you so much for letting me share my heart with you.
—Sherri
