Jeff Kersey Retirement
On behalf of Mt. Horeb Church’s Staff Parish Relations Committee and Administrative Council we would like to share our full support about plans from our Senior Pastor as we look to an exciting future for Mt Horeb. Over the past several years, Pastor Jeff has been discussing with church leadership a plan for Mt. Horeb’s future, even as he also contemplates his retirement. The succession plan below is one we feel will position Mt. Horeb to continue our strong history of making, maturing, and mobilizing disciples who magnify Jesus.
We cannot say a big enough thank you to Jeff and Lynn for all the sacrifices they have made to shepherd and lead Mt. Horeb over nearly 30 years now. God has used the two of them to impact countless lives with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus and advance God’s kingdom. God has also given Pastor Jeff the wisdom, vision, and foresight to prepare for what is next in the life for Mt. Horeb Church. We can’t wait to see all the great things we will accomplish together over the next years.
William Floyd
Administrative Council Chairperson
Marty Wilson
Staff Parish Relations Committee Chairperson
Keith Hudson
Lay Leader
From Pastor Jeff:
Almost 50 years ago God gave me a verse of scripture that has guided me throughout my ministry. Hebrews 11:6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith.”
As I reflect over 29.5 years of ministry at Mt. Horeb, it is truly amazing to see what God has done. I’ve been humbled and blessed to have been part of the tremendous blessings God has poured out on this church. Mt. Horeb, in the Bible, is the location of the burning bush where God called Moses to lead His people out of slavery. I can honestly say the “burning bush” is still on fire and God is continuing to call this church to lead people out of the slavery of sin and into the freedom of grace and deliverance.
Over my tenure here God has built Mt. Horeb on the solid rock of His Holy Word as found in the Old and New Testaments. We believe truth is essential and the authority of God’s Word is our true rule and guide for faith and practice. God has led us to be a prayer driven church. He gave me a vision and a passion that prayer would be the catalyst for the growth and fruitfulness of this great church. God clearly laid out the mission of Mt. Horeb to Make, Mature, and Mobilize disciples who Magnify Jesus Christ in worship. With God’s help we continue to live into this mission and uphold the biblical core values of this church.
God spoke through a “burning bush” experience that the time would come for Mt. Horeb to leave the United Methodist Church. I believe that call was confirmed in 2016 at the first gathering of the Wesleyan Covenant Association gathering in Chicago, Illinois. Since that time, I and many others have worked tirelessly to lead Mt. Horeb Church out of the United Methodist Church and into the Global Methodist Church.
God has made it possible for Mt. Horeb to be in a place where the church has no indebtedness and now owns all its property and assets. The future is incredibly bright as this church follows God’s preferred future to make an impact for the Kingdom of God locally and globally.
God has blessed Mt. Horeb with a very gifted and committed team of staff and lay leadership. I am completely confident in their gifts and graces to lead Mt. Horeb into greater things.
I began discussing with the SPRC and key staff 2-3 years ago the need to develop a succession plan for when my time as Senior Pastor would eventually wind down. Robert Colemans book, The Master Plan of Evangelism impacted my life greatly as a student at Asbury Theological Seminary. Coleman described how Jesus discipled and prepared His disciples to carry out the Great Commission. He wrote how Jesus, “worked Himself out of a job.” Jesus words in John 14:12 have always inspired and guided me in ministry. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” I’m not ready to “return to the Father yet.” But I am looking forward to all the “greater things” God has in store for Mt. Horeb!
I am very confident God has led Michael Turner to Mt. Horeb to lead this great church into even “greater things.” The Lord led me to Michael Turner over 15 years ago. He had me keep an eye on Michael, to encourage Michael any way I could, to mentor Michael because I believed 15 years ago Michael could be the person to replace me at Mt. Horeb. Michael is fully committed to the Holy Scriptures. He understands the power of prayer. He understands and believes in the Wesleyan Way of Salvation. He is a gifted leader whose confidence comes from the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe God is using Michael to do even “greater things” as he leads Mt. Horeb. John Maxwell writes: “A leader who produces other leaders multiplies his influence — true success comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation.”
One of my greatest blessings has been to watch God build a great staff. He has surrounded me with committed people who have made me a better leader. I believe the continued unity of our staff will be one of the keys to the continuity and continued health and growth of Mt. Horeb. I’ve been blessed to watch the staff and Michael grow in their mutual respect and trust. This is crucial for the success of this succession plan to be effective.
After much prayer, thought, conversation with Lynn, key lay leaders, staff, and Michael, I believe God is now leading me to officially launch our succession plan. I believe it is time for Michael to become our Lead Pastor and begin to assume many of my responsibilities, including oversight of staff and to work closely with lay leadership as he follows God’s call to lead this church into even “greater things.” With God’s blessing and help I will remain Senior Pastor through 2024 to assist and support Michael in any way I can.
I believe God is calling us to begin this transition January 1, 2024. I believe God wants me to work with Michael during the next year as Senior Pastor to personally introduce him to the congregation and build relationships with leadership and committed members. I believe I can offer him wisdom and insight from my almost 30 years of leading this great church. I believe it is important to walk with Michael during this next year through the “seasons of the church calendar.” How we do things well and what we’ve learned we don’t do well. I want to do everything I can to set Michael and Heather up for success. Lynn and I would plan to retire in December 2024 and on January 1, 2025 Rev. Michael Turner would become the Senior Pastor of Mt. Horeb Church.
This leadership quote really jumped out recently: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” (Harvard Business School definition of leadership)
Lynn and I are excited about our future. By faith we want to continue to please God. With the Lord’s blessing we certainly want to spend more time with our family and friends. We are excited about the opportunity to be part of the birthing of this great new Methodist movement locally and globally. We want to identify those churches across South Carolina who might be where Mt. Horeb was 30 years ago and need some coaching, consulting, and capital to do “even greater things” for the Kingdom of God in their locale and setting. We want to see new Global Methodist Churches launched in South Carolina and around the world.
The past several years has been challenging, exhilarating, and exhausting for Lynn and I yet we remain confident that, “the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”