One of my best preacher friends is starting a new ministry position this week.
Claude Kayler, who served as the founding pastor of Good Shepherd from 1991 – 1999, was recently named the Chief Ministry Officer of the Intentional Growth Center in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.
Here’s Claude. I don’t know why he’s holding a goat.
But I do know about his new position with the Intentional Growth Center. Here’s how the press release puts it:
The Intentional Growth Center (IGC) is thrilled to announce that Claude Kayler, M.Div., will be joining the organization on May 1, 2019 to serve as the Chief Ministry Officer. This newly-created position is tasked with doing needed research, building relationships with key leaders across the Southeastern Jurisdiction, and identifying programmatic options that will result in renewed ministry which meets the mission of the IGC.
Claude brings over 30 years of ministry experience to IGC and a passion for Christian leadership. He is skilled in cross-cultural relationship building and communication as well as stewardship and fundraising in the local church, assets which will be highly valuable to his role as Chief Ministry Officer. In this role, Claude plans to work with IGC’s key leadership to address the unique needs of church leaders by building relationships throughout the Southeastern Jurisdiction, conducting in-depth research to identify key areas to carry out the mission of IGC, and leading the Board in planning and execution of solutions to address these key areas.
I suppose this is how I see it. I don’t know if you know this or not, but second pastorates rarely work well. Usually, when a church has a founding pastor, whoever succeeds that person has a rough go.
That did not happen at Good Shepherd and I believe it is for one primary reason: Claude did not build church on Claude but on Christ.
That bodes well for what’s next at the IGC.