To the Officers and Members of Gethsemane:
There comes a time in the life of an organization when change is needed in order to continue moving forward. Too often in churches, in general, and the Black church in particular, Pastors stay long beyond their effective usefulness in ministry. They hold on to the pastoral mantle, even though their hands tremble and their spiritual eyes grow dim. Some fail to accept the fact that Father Time is still an undefeatable foe, and instead of embracing the reality of aging and its effect on all aspect of effective ministry, the Black Pastor continues.
When we look at the Bible, notwithstanding, Paul’s love for the people at Ephesus,
Corinth and other churches where he served as Pastor, the beloved apostle knew when it was his time to pass the mantle of leadership to other capable ministers like Timothy and Titus. When Moses reached the border of the promised land, he knew his appointed time had come and graciously passed the mantle of leadership to Joshua. When the prophet Elijah had completed the season of ministry God had given to him, he too graciously passed the mantle to Elisha. Similarly, the Lord has revealed to me that the time for passing the mantle of pastoral leadership as the 6th Senior Pastor of the Gethsemane Baptist Church is upon us. I am not resigning neither am I retiring, I’m following the guidance of God and doing my part in leading our church in passing the mantle of pastoral leadership into the hands of the person whom God will choose as the 7th Senior Pastor of our beloved Gethsemane Baptist Church.
If the Lord allows me to live until 5eptember of 2022, it will mark 30 years of service as a Pastor of two congregations and if I make it to April 2023, 1 will have served 20 years as the Pastor of Gethsemane. Lastly, in November of that same year, if the Lord says so, I will turn seventy years (70) old.
For almost 30 years, I have been tasked to write a weekly 2000-word manuscript to preach on Sunday morning. For over 25 of those years, (when we had two services) I would write two manuscripts and preach two different sermons. As a parish priest for almost 30 years, I have visited hospitals where babies were born and have been at the bedsides of members when they died. Far too many times to remember, I have been at gravesides carrying out my sacred duties of officiating committal services for those who transitioned from labor to reward. I have also traveled by airplane and by car to be with members when their loved ones transitioned to glory.
I have preached from every book of the Bible and have shared my insights of every book in
the New Tesatament and almost the entirety of the Old Testament in my “Pastor’s
Bible Study. I have managed the administration of the church and have provided leadership to every financial decision at our church, inc1uding the multi-million-dollar renovafion of the church under the auspices of the Nehemiah Project. I have provided leadership and oversight in transforming our church into a spiritual organization with state-of-the art technology. I have engaged community and helped build a reputation for our church in the community as a
mission-focused church that meets the needs of people.
I have been tremendously blessed and considered it a great privilege to serve as your pastor. You have allowed me to lead you even when you didn’t completely understand or see the vision that God had given me. It hasn’t always been easy, and know I have probably ruffled a few feathers along the way. But I thank God for the things He has allowed me to accomplish in the 18½ years of ministry. There have been many difficult decisions. Yet, the “best interest of the church” has always been the supreme and determinative factor in every decision that I have made. It has never been about a person, a family or a particular ministry. I have never placed the interest of an individual or entity above the church, including the one who serves as the Senior Pastor.
Thus, while I still have my health, strength and the favor of God, I believe it is in the best interest of the church for me to be used by God in shepherding our congregation and providing spiritual guidance to a Pastoral Search Committee that will be assigned to seek God’s will in selecting the next pastor. Suffice it to say, I know this will be painful for some, but be mindful that it is equally painful for me and my family. The pain that I am experiencing is reminiscent of the pain I felt 18 years ago when the Lord separated me from a loving congregation in Philadelphia where I served for 10 years; a church I thought I would serve for the entirety of my pastoral ministry. It was painful then and it is painful now, but it is in the best interest of our church.
Indeed, while God works in mysterious ways, I am confident that He is always working all things together for good of those who love Him and called by his purpose. By God’s providence and grace, I am in a unique position to do what none of our previous pastors have been able to do. If the church accepts my proposed plan, I will be able continue to serve as Senior Pastor while the church seeks my successor. Pastor James T. Harvey’s death in office prevented him being involved in succession planning. Pastor G.R. Yancey selected a pulpit search committee after informing the church about his declining health, but his illness kept him from being involved succession guidance. Pastors Carl Q Hickerson, L. Charles Bennett and Kenneth Lee each left under circumstances that prevented them from providing guidance in the succession process. However, I believe that the Lord has divinely orchestrated a situation, like the Elijah-Elisha narrative, where there can be a smooth transition in pastoral leadership. There will be no need for an interim pastor and the congregation will continue have the spiritual guidance of a pastor until the mantle is passed to the 7th Pastor. If the pastoral transition plan that I am proposing is executed effectively and sanctioned by God, there will not be a Sunday when our church is without a Senior Pastor.
The Kingdom of God and the work of Christian ministry has never been dependent on one person. And while egotistical delusion might cause some to believe that the church can’t go on without them, the reality is that the church that Jesus died for has never been dependent upon any human being. Notwithstanding the gifts, talents and abilities God may give to a leader of the church, the church rests upon the one and only foundation, who is Jesus Christ.
I thank God for the things He has allowed me to accomplish thus far in 18½ years of ministry, yet I am content in knowing that just like God allowed this church to prosper and flourish before I came, He is more than able to keep it flourishing and spiritually prospering long after my season of pastor leadership has come to an end.
Before I go any further, let me say that while all glory and praise go to our Heavenly Father, my wife and our First Lady, Deborah, has been an indispensable partner throughout the entirety of my pastoral ministry. For the past 30 years, she has sacrificed her own career multiple times to share in my pastoral ministry. For over 18 years at Gethsemane, she has work in this vineyard. As Director of Family Ministries, Lady D has poured her heart and soul into the Married Couples, Singles’ Ministry; Youth Ministry, Young Adult Ministry; Parents in Partnership and the Seniors’ Ministry. She has served as Spiritual Advisor to the Women’s Ministry and given tenacious support to our Missions’ Ministry. First Lady has prayed with me and for me as your Pastor, and both of us have prayed for all of our Gethsemane Baptist Church family. Just like the church at Corinth benefited from the pastoral ministry of Aquila and his wife Priscilla, Gethsemane has been tremendously blessed to have our First Lady as my partner in ministry.
Finally, while I will preach the gospel until I take my last breath, I have no desire to pastor another church. First Lady Drummer and I had a house built three years ago and have no desire to relocate. Until the church calls my successor as pastor, I will continue to faithfully serve this congregation with all of the vigor and vitality that the sacred office of the pastor demands. I will continue to preach, teach and make myself available for spiritual counseling as I always have. For me this season of transition is not a time to slack up, but rather to work even harder to ensure that the flock is fed and our beloved church is still moving forward in faith, forever leaning and depending of God.
I love each and every member of our church, I will forever pray for you and when the times comes that God sends my successor, I will stand back and give the new pastor time and space to love, learn and to lead you—yet I will remain spiritually close enough for you to know that I have not left you nor forsaken you.
Keep the Drummers in your prayer as we will do the same for you.
Shalom and Agape
Pastor Khalfani Drummer.