by David Price

In Matthew 16, Jesus says that He will build His Church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. For a pastor, those are extremely comforting words! Certainly the part of not being overcome by the forces of evil, but also the part about Jesus building His Church. Man can build a crowd, but he cannot build a church.

That has been my answer over and over when I’ve been asked how we have brought about such change in The Gathering. It is simply the work of Christ through fallible men to do what He wants to do among His people. That is

the way we have functioned for 10 years now, sometimes getting it right and sometimes getting it wrong, but God’s grace, His presence and His work has been clear to us.

God’s provision has been clearly seen as He has brought us through a recent transition in our Worship ministry. Last year, David Thornburg and I began to talk about God’s direction for our Worship Ministry. Through that series of conversations, it became clear to both of us that a change was coming. After almost 11 years of faithful service, my “partner in crime” is retiring from his position as Worship Pastor of The Gathering.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to God and to David for being by my side through
all of the ups and downs and seeing The Gathering grow to the point we are today. As we’ve said many times, it’s not always been easy, but it’s always been worth it! We have dreamed together, planned together, struggled together and celebrated together… and I am a better man and a better pastor for it.

The wonderful thing about the work of God is that He always provides for His Church. As He has called David to a new phase of ministry, He has provided us with capable leadership through Jared Most. Jared has served in our associate worship ministry for the past ve years, last year of cially becoming our Worship Associate Minister as David began the process of preparing for a smooth transition.

Because of their humility and desire to honor Christ, these two men have made the transition into a new era of worship ministry at The Gathering as painless as possible and I am grateful and full of admiration.

As dif cult as it is to think of the future without David’s leadership, I am hopeful for
what Christ is going to do under the leadership of Jared. It highlights something that David and I have always agreed on throughout the years: “God really doesn’t need us.” We’ve always said that if either one of us were taken out of the picture, The Gathering would carry on just ne and I’d say we still agree on that. Christ is the only One with whom you can’t do without. That keeps us humble and keeps you focused on what is important!

Praise God from whom all blessings ow!