About Pastor David's Sabbatical

BBC

Hello New Hope Family,

As I have shared, my family and I will be spending the first three months of 2024 on the island of St. Maarten.

We are partnering with a local church on the island to plant a new church reaching the international population. There are people from over 100 nations living on the island.

For some in our church family, this news was not surprising because they know our heart for global missions. For many others, this news came as a shock and with many questions. 

Take a look at the video testimony from Pastor Carbon on this post on our blog to hear his vision and prayer for this church plant.

Strong Leadership Team Carries On

Our church has a VERY strong leadership team of many high-level volunteers, fully committed Pastors, and godly Elders. They will continue to work closely together to ensure New Hope Church is led well in my absence. Our Pastors will provide leadership for the weekend worship services with the help of a number of excellent preachers, whom we have invited to come preach.

I originally asked the Elders for an “Unpaid Leave” for my time away. However, upon further reflection, the Elders have asked me to continue having input via Zoom calls and virtual staff meetings. I will also preach one weekend each month. I will, therefore, continue to receive a partial salary during the months I am away.

The church plant is not being financed by New Hope. All funds needed for our ministry and our stay on the island have already been saved by my family so that we will not be a burden to anyone. 

It is our plan to return to Cape Coral at the beginning of April when I look forward to seeing how God has used each of you to be an active part of the ministry here.

How Can You Serve?

In the last five years as your pastor, my task has been ‭“to equip God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Eph. 4:12).  If I have done my job well, New Hope Church will thrive and grow all the more in my absence. Please pray earnestly to see where He would have you serve to build up the body. 

This is a huge opportunity for our church to grow and to trust God when things don’t look like we expected them to. Let’s let God out of the box and wait in expectation. 

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions and also words of encouragement! This is an exciting Journey for all of us! 

Praying with you,

~Pastor David