After nine years I have taken the step to pass on the leadership of Authentic (our student & young adult group at City on a Hill). I’ve been filled with mixed emotions, I am sad to spend less time with some FANTASTIC people, but also I’m excited for taking on more responsibility within the church leadership as executive pastor and I’m believing God for great things ahead for us at City on a Hill.

2012 seems like a very long time ago since I began leading Authentic. It was the same year that the London Olympics happened as well when the first Avengers movie dropped and I was working the checkouts at a Tesco Metro.

A lot has changed.

And so much has changed for all of us in the past 18 months. Was there even a time we didn’t have to wear masks?!?!

Life is constantly changing right now from keeping up with latest COVID restrictions to starting a new academic year. As we journey through life nothing seems to stay the same. We gain new friends or grow distant from others, families expand or decrease (Recently our nephew, Aidan, turned 1!!). We change. I am not the person I was 5 years ago.

However, some things never change.

In the letter that James writes in the New Testament He references God’s unchangeableness like this:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

A beautiful image of consistency.

God hasn’t changed, He isn’t changing, and He won’t change. He is consistent and faithful to us all day and every day.

Christians throughout the centuries have found that God is good for His promises that He’s made through the Bible!

Christians throughout the centuries have found that God is good for His promises that He’s made through the Bible!

God is my foundation for my whole life, so I navigate the changes all around me both the positive and negative ones with the knowledge that I can count on Him in every single moment.

This is my reassurance that regardless of any present circumstances that I find myself in that the best is ahead.

God is my foundation for my whole life, so I navigate the changes all around me both the positive and negative ones with the knowledge that I can count on Him in every single moment.

As a church family we’re entering into a new season with a new name and meeting in new places and the student group that I’ve been leading is entering into a new chapter, and I’m entering into a new job role.

Change may sometimes cause us to step out of our comfort zones or there is a flutter of nervous anticipation in our chests of what’s next but one key truth I’m holding onto is that God never changes.

God is faithful! God is kind! God is our good shepherd caring for us and wanting to lead us one step at a time.

At the beginning of my leadership of Authentic, nine years ago, I wrote a statement that I shared with the group as I handed over to Pascal to lead. It was a statement that helped me focus on what I believed was most important to communicate to students throughout my time leading, and I wanted to write it down here as there have been many, many changes over the past nine years but the truths I wanted to communicate haven’t changed:

“There is nothing that comes close to knowing Jesus. Don’t settle for less than He’s planned for you because He has great plans for your life. There will be good times and there will be hard times, persevere through it all. Bring it all to Him in an open and honest way. You wouldn’t believe the things that He’s going to do use you for and the people you’re going to reach. Take some risks, it’s worth it and you will never live with regret. God is always good and the gospel is so true.”

My desire for you as you read this is that you are encouraged to keep going and keep trusting God in the good times and the hard times. He can be 100% counted on.

Reflect

Take a moment to ponder these verses written by the prophet Jeremiah in a very difficult season for the people of God, what does encouragement about God’s consistency and faithfulness does it bring you?

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Thanks for reading, when there is change going on, what do you remind yourself of to keep yourself grounded? I’d love to hear from you, please share in the comments your reflections or any questions that you might have, Dan 🙂

Further reading

The knowledge of the holy by AW Tozer – a great book reminding us of who God is!