On Sunday, June 5, Darrin Coon, the Chairman of our Elders and I announced a 2 ½ year plan for a baton pass to the next Pastor-Teacher at IBC. The elders have approved and Pastor Phillip Macdonald has accepted to be mentored for that role. If you would like to hear the full announcement and explanation, you can watch at https://www.ibcwv.org/2026-vision or find it below. The congregation was asked to pray and at the appropriate times to participate in voting according to our church’s constitution.

After 34 years of ministry, I am excited that the Lord has provided an excellent person, great elder unity, and a clear process to move toward the next senior leader for our church. We desire that the momentum of the church in making disciples in the neighborhoods and among the nations continue without interruption and believe that this baton pass can accomplish this.

Psalm 90 gave great perspective when considering the passing nature of our lives. “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth… even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” Moses, the author of this beautiful Psalm, then lamented the hasty passing of life in this fallen world and calls us to “number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

The Psalm ends with a prayer for God to connect our passing efforts with God’s eternal working: “Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us, yes, establish the work of or hands!” (90:16-17)

Join me in praying that God will use our efforts for His glory—that our service to Him will bear much fruit for eternity. Pray that the best days of IBC are yet ahead. I believe Pastor Phillip is a great choice, that our whole pastoral team is very gifted, and that God will be just as faithful in the future as He has in the past. The key is not the face in the pulpit but the message of the Word and the mission of making disciples.

IBC is Christ’s church and we are His servants. It will be exciting to see what God will do.