My Resignation

To My Dear Church Family,  

My wife, Maya, and I love you very much. We cherish this church and thank God for these precious 10 years of ministry among you. Here I have learned much about what it means to be a pastor and a Christian. Here I have enjoyed deep friendships and experienced joy and sorrow in one of the most wonderful churches I have ever experienced. We love you dearly.  

That is why I feel such grief as I share with you my resignation as the Senior Pastor of Ridgeview Bible Church. I have accepted the call to serve as the lead pastor of Faith Baptist Fellowship in Sioux Falls, SD. My resignation, which was accepted by the elders last Monday, will become effective in August.  

There are many reasons that have led to this decision; too many to share and still be clear this morning. We believe that this is what the Lord would have for us and for this church. We are making these decisions by faith and trusting in the Lord to lead and to guide and to make straight our paths; both yours and ours.  

Please believe me when I say that there are no negative reasons prompting this at all. There are no conflicts or elder issues. We are not unhappy with the church, or with our lives here in Chadron. On the contrary, we have never been happier. This is a step we are taking by faith, believing that the Lord is leading us to another place of ministry.  

I want to share a few things about which I am confident this morning.  

First, I am confident that your faith will not be shaken. Your faith is not in a man or a pastor. Your faith is Christ and in him alone. You know that a pastor and his service to a church are a mere vapor. And you know that Christ is immutable; a rock that holds no matter what.  

Second, I am confident that Christ will continue building his church and that the gates of hell will not prevail. This is his work, and he will continue it.  

Third, I am confident that after August, the church will continue to be led by qualified and godly men who deeply love the church, and that the Lord will continue to be glorified in the fellowship and the unity and the obedience to God of this congregation.  

Please pray. Pray for the church. Pray for the elders. Pray for the search committee and the process that is beginning now. And please pray for our family, and for me. This is so difficult.  

I will close with one final point of confidence that I have this morning: I am confident that he who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.  

In Christ,

Pastor Mike Johnson