After a unanimous appointment by our elders, on Sunday, June 5th, 2011 the Randolph Street Church family unanimously affirmed the call of Rev. Tim Valentine to serve as our next staff elder as Pastor of Care & Church Multiplication. We are thrilled to have Tim and his wife Becky join us in this ministry!
Pastor Tim's installation service was Sunday, July 31st during the morning worship gathering. Everyone enjoyed a celebration cookout for Tim and Becky in the courtyard immediately following the installation service.
Earlier in the spring, Pastor Jason introduced the proposal of bringing Tim Valentine onto our pastoral team as the first step toward fulfilling our 321 Project vision.
- Watch the sermon here, as Tim's arrival relates to the launching of the Academy of Biblical & Theological Studies at Randolph Street.
- Listen to the sermon here.
- Learn more about the big vision of the 321 Project here.
This was a major step for our Church family, and our elders were pleased to see our people move forward with unity for the sake of the gospel. Below you will find helpful answers to several questions that may come to mind.
Why have we added another staff pastor now? As we grow, our elders have had many discussions about how to handle this growth. The clear passion of our elders is multiplying instead of building an empire, launching a movement instead of erecting a monument. Adding Tim Valentine to our staff now will help us prepare for the time when we do multiply through multi-campus and/or Church planting.
Why Tim Valentine? Tim and his sweet wife Becky have a passion to finish their ministry training the next generation for a gospel movement in our region. Tim and Becky have planted Churches, and have sent teams out to plant Churches. All of their children are faithfully involved in Church planting and/or some aspect of Church leadership. His experience of over 30 years of pastoral ministry will greatly benefit this multiplying gospel movement.
What roles does Tim serve? Tim serves as the Pastor of Care & Church Multiplication.
1) Care: Tim oversees the shepherding ministry of our elders and the care ministry of our deacons. This oversight includes organization, training and assistance.
2) Church Multiplication: This role includes three primary responsibilities
Training/Mentoring: Tim is partnering with Randy to develop and mentor leadership for a multi-campus and Church planting movement.
Networking: It is our desire to develop strategic partnerships with other like-minded Churches throughout this region for the sake of gospel advancement. This includes freeing Tim to be in other Churches 12-18 weeks a year developing relationships and building partnerships for a multiplying gospel movement.
Oversight: Tim provides hands-on oversight for multi-campus & Church planting efforts.
3) Preaching Team: While Jason continues to carry the primary role and responsibility of preaching, Tim has joined Jason and Matt to form a preaching team. This is necessary if we move toward a multi-campus effort with two services in two locations on Sundays.
How does Tim fit with our current staff pastors? Tim has joined the team of our current staff pastors and, under Jason's leadership, he seeks to advance the cause of Christ in this region through our local Church. During our meetings with Tim he has made it clear that he is excited about working with Jason and Matt. Below are the job descriptions of our current staff pastors:
- Jason McClanahan (Lead Pastor): Jason has three primary responsibilities: preaching/teaching, leadership and vision.
- Matt Friend (Executive Pastor): Matt’s primary responsibilities include directing the day-to-day operation of our ministry and ensuring that all of our ministry efforts align with our mission.
How are we funding this pastoral position? Adding another staff member to our budget now will push us beyond our capabilities. Obviously, as we continue to grow, this becomes less of an issue. However, in the short-term, our elders proposed that we offset the first couple of years of Tim’s salary through the 321 Project. Therefore, we set a goal of raising $50,000 in the 321 Project before bringing Tim on staff. This is an ambitious goal, but the long-term fruit will be worth the short-term sacrifice.
Thankfully, the Randolph Street Church family is rising to the challenge! As of Sunday, July 31st, $45,389 has already been given with an additional $11,455 still pledged. Pray with us as our people continue to fulfill their commitments to this exciting project.
You may give online to this project by clicking here, through the weekly offering, or through other strategic giving.