Dear Congregation,
On behalf of the Briarwood Session, I have been asked to provide a brief update on our transition process.
In November, just before Thanksgiving, we announced that the Session had called Dr. Dan Doriani to be our Intentional Interim Senior Pastor. Since that time Dan has been serving in this role while also fulfilling his prior teaching commitment to Covenant Theological Seminary. Since December we have benefited from Dan’s pulpit ministry and he has been significantly engaged even during the week when he is in St Louis. In May his teaching commitment will be fulfilled and Dr. Doriani will be focused full time as our Interim Pastor.
One thing we learned as we talked with several advisors last year was the importance of not being in a hurry. We were encouraged to take the time necessary to make a thorough assessment of our current situation at Briarwood before beginning a search for a new Senior Pastor. Therefore, under Dan’s leadership, Randy Pope has been and continues to work with the Elders and Staff to gather information and assess our current organizational effectiveness. Also under Dan’s leadership, Sandy Willson has been giving guidance and insight into ministry effectiveness and relationships at Briarwood. The Session is working through this process to make sure that we exercise both our human due diligence and, more importantly, are sensitive to the Lord’s leading in this transitional time. Having these men working with us in their areas of particular giftedness will allow us to be better prepared when the time comes to formally begin our pastoral search.
While much of the current work may not be visible to most, we want to assure you that steady progress is being made. Once the Session has completed these assessments they will decide our next steps.
I am personally very encouraged by the deliberate, thoughtful work that is underway and planned for the months ahead. I have been asked by several members “when will we be ready to call our next Senior Pastor?†The truthful answer is that we don’t know a specific date yet. What we do know is that God is in control and we are making good progress as He leads.
As we have done at the end of each update we want to encourage you to pray. We just had a very exciting Global Missions Conference and we need to give thanks to the Lord for it! We need to be praying for Dr Doriani and the Briarwood Staff. We also need to pray for the Lord’s blessing and leading through this transition, and for the man the Lord will call to be our next Senior Pastor. Finally, please pray that we all stay committed to equipping Christians to worship God and reach Birmingham to reach the world for Christ.
– Billy Ball
In November, just before Thanksgiving, we announced that the Session had called Dr. Dan Doriani to be our Intentional Interim Senior Pastor. Since that time Dan has been serving in this role while also fulfilling his prior teaching commitment to Covenant Theological Seminary. Since December we have benefited from Dan’s pulpit ministry and he has been significantly engaged even during the week when he is in St Louis. In May his teaching commitment will be fulfilled and Dr. Doriani will be focused full time as our Interim Pastor.
One thing we learned as we talked with several advisors last year was the importance of not being in a hurry. We were encouraged to take the time necessary to make a thorough assessment of our current situation at Briarwood before beginning a search for a new Senior Pastor. Therefore, under Dan’s leadership, Randy Pope has been and continues to work with the Elders and Staff to gather information and assess our current organizational effectiveness. Also under Dan’s leadership, Sandy Willson has been giving guidance and insight into ministry effectiveness and relationships at Briarwood. The Session is working through this process to make sure that we exercise both our human due diligence and, more importantly, are sensitive to the Lord’s leading in this transitional time. Having these men working with us in their areas of particular giftedness will allow us to be better prepared when the time comes to formally begin our pastoral search.
While much of the current work may not be visible to most, we want to assure you that steady progress is being made. Once the Session has completed these assessments they will decide our next steps.
I am personally very encouraged by the deliberate, thoughtful work that is underway and planned for the months ahead. I have been asked by several members “when will we be ready to call our next Senior Pastor?†The truthful answer is that we don’t know a specific date yet. What we do know is that God is in control and we are making good progress as He leads.
As we have done at the end of each update we want to encourage you to pray. We just had a very exciting Global Missions Conference and we need to give thanks to the Lord for it! We need to be praying for Dr Doriani and the Briarwood Staff. We also need to pray for the Lord’s blessing and leading through this transition, and for the man the Lord will call to be our next Senior Pastor. Finally, please pray that we all stay committed to equipping Christians to worship God and reach Birmingham to reach the world for Christ.
– Billy Ball
For God's glory, Briarwood is committed to equipping Christians
to worship God and to reach Birmingham to reach the world for Christ.