Briarwood family, I have been asked to provide an update on our transition process. First, I want to thank you for your commitment to Briarwood Presbyterian Church! God is continuing to use Briarwood to reach Birmingham to reach the world for Christ.

As Dr. Doriani shared a couple of weeks ago, he has wrapped up his seminary teaching commitments and is now able to primarily focus on his role as Interim Senior Pastor. In the Lord’s sweet timing, Dr. Doriani’s enhanced availability has lined up well with the overall transition process.

As I shared with you back in March, the Session has engaged in a number of meetings with key advisors to talk through issues to help prepare us for the transition to our next Senior Pastor. Briarwood, by God’s blessing, is fairly unique in the PCA with only having had two Senior Pastors in its over 60 year life. We are also unique when you consider the breadth and depth of ministries that are a part of or impacted by the church. Therefore, it has been and continues to be very important to take time to assess ourselves before formally starting a search for the next Senior Pastor. I am personally very encouraged by the deliberate, thoughtful work that is taking place.

Because of the progress that has been made over the past months, the Session has agreed that it is time to begin thinking through what an appropriate Senior Pastor Search process would look like. Therefore, this summer the Session will be gathering data, having conversations and discussing options to determine our process to search for and identify our next Senior Pastor. This will include reviewing the process used at Briarwood 25 years ago, reviewing processes used more recently by other churches, taking advice from outside resources, and of course reviewing requirements in the PCA Book of Church Order.

I hope that this next step is an encouragement to you. We are moving forward as the Lord provides and guides. As I always do, I want to ask that you continue to pray for Briarwood Church. Be thankful for God’s faithfulness and His kind blessings. Also, keep praying for our wonderful church staff! They are doing a fantastic job!

Pray for the Dorianis as they spend more time in Birmingham and at Briarwood. We are blessed to have this faithful couple with us, guiding and walking along side us through this transition process.

And finally, please pray for the Session as we continue our discussions and begin thinking through not only how to effectively structure a search process but what we need to do to even better prepare ourselves for the future to remain On Mission, On Message and In Ministry.

– Billy Ball