We would love to introduce you to this unique ministry of hospitality and encouragement that God has placed on our hearts. Come on in and catch a glimpse of the heart of God for you and all His servants. Linger a while over the words and pictures on these pages and ask yourself if this is a ministry that could benefit you or someone you care about.
You may be wondering why Peggy and I chose to step down from a 20-year pastorate of a congregation we love? The answer is, for us to step up to the call of God for us to form TeamMates in Ministry.
That’s exactly what we did early in 2004. Our mission then is our mission still: To lavish the love of God on the servants of God so they can be refreshed to better fulfill the call of God on their lives
Maybe it’s because I (David) grew up as a pastor’s son, or because I was a pastor myself for nearly 30 years, or because we are now parents of a pastor, but Peggy and I are passionate about teaming together and teaming with others to shepherd God’s shepherds.
We loved our years as missionaries with Campus Crusade and serving as part of the pastoral team in a large church prior to planting and leading our own church. However, we learned from experience that ministry, like marriage, does not always take place on a romantic balcony but on a spiritual battlefield. There were times and seasons when I felt I was “a wounded warrior” desperately needing to be refreshed. I was a reluctant leader, prone to listen to the lies of the enemy, constantly comparing myself to the more “successful”, periodically questioning my call, wondering if I was being faithful or foolish to continue.
Like most in the marathon of ministry, more than once we “hit the wall” of weariness and discouragement. Here’s how Peggy describes what God did for us at one of those times.
Ten years into our 20-year pastorate, David’s sister Joanne, a pastor’s wife herself, gave me a call, knowing that we were hurting and struggling. She sensed our need. She said, “Peggy, I have a plane ticket for you to come to my home for a week. I’m going to laugh with you, and cry with you, and pray with you, and feed you and even shop with you if you like. It’s all set, just come.” Through tears of joy I said “OK, I’ll be there”. That was a wonderful week of new perspective, refreshment, and renewal. I told David upon returning home “If could ever do that for another ministry wife I would be so honored.” Later we both realized that God literally breathed 10 more years of church ministry into our lives, largely as a result of Joanne’s sensitivity, hospitality, and service.
Like most in the marathon of ministry, more than once we “hit the wall” of weariness and discouragement.
That experience is what we look back on as the inspiration for eventually launching TeamMates in Ministry.
That experience is why we look forward to seeing God breathe many more years of ministry into others.
