My resignation from LIFE Pacific College

Dear Friends,

In my fifth year serving as the Dean of Students at LIFE Pacific College, I can honestly say that being a part of the College has been great. While there I have been able to fulfill a long held dream to inspire Christ-focused students by serving in a college that equips them for ministry. It gave me great joy to partner alongside the wonderful staff and faculty at LPC. Giving my energy towards furthering God’s purposes in LPC students will, I think, turn out to be one of the defining assignments of my life.

However, as I spent the last season attempting to split my life between being an effective Dean of Students and faithfully serving as a lead pastor, the Lord began to draw my heart back towards giving my undivided focus to ministry in the local Church. Though I was convinced that was where the Lord would eventually lead me, I was prepared to continue serving at LPC until at least the end of this academic year (June 2010). In the face of current organizational circumstances, though, I was compelled to address my future with a greater sense of urgency.

LPC has recently been working through a positive but challenging strategic redesign that, coupled with current enrollment realities, created a significant and immediate impact on our budget. The executive team I serve on is making some very difficult decisions about what that will mean for the programs and personnel at the College. Because I knew my calling was to return to fully-focused local church leadership, it seemed right for me to consider stepping out of my role here now in order to open up options for strategic and structural change. This determination was voluntary, based on my own calling and what I thought was best for the College. Though President Flores and the executive team were initially surprised by my suggestion, they ultimately confirmed and supported this transition. So, with a little sadness, but with great faith that the Holy Spirit had already been leading me towards my next season of fruitful Kingdom service, I offered my resignation from LPC, effective October 23.

You might wonder, “What is the plan for Tim and Deborah Clark?” Well, we are quite excited about the prospect of being able to pour all our energy back into leading a local church. As many of you know, we currently serve as the lead pastors at Lifehouse, the growing Foursquare church that meets on the LPC campus. I’m looking forward to supporting the College from my role as a local pastor.

We also think it is wise during any transition to remain sensitive and listen carefully for whatever the Lord may be saying about a new season. Though we are almost certain that we are called to continue to serve as Foursquare lead pastors, we are also keenly aware that our lives are not our own, and that God may chose to surprise us at any time by assigning us to any purpose that He might have in mind for us—We always and only serve at His pleasure.

John 3 records Jesus as saying “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Deborah and I really believe that this change we are engaging is motivated by the Spirit, and so, though we don’t know exactly where this wind will eventually lead us, we can’t wait to find out!

Grace,

Tim (and Deborah) Clark
Dean of Students/Campus Pastor
LIFE Pacific College

Lead Pastors
Lifehouse, a Foursquare Church