Goodbye

In 2016 - Amy and I felt a call to plant a church in Tampa, FL. We left our jobs, our home, and our comfortable existence and began the journey to planting Grace Empire. We began sharing our dream with people and soon Ben and Rachel Goodman, Keely Fogarty, Ryan and Ivy Motl, and Rebecca Nguyen joined our team.

We made a promise to ourselves to build a church that was different. We wanted to build a place where the fed up, frustrated, and fatigued could find relief. My personal passion was to help restore people hurt by church, people that have given up on organized religion, people who were tired of traditional church and was hungry for something different.

We launched Grace Empires first service on January 21, 2018

Lets look back and revisit the recap video for that day.

play video

We made a promise to run Grace Empire as hard as it could for as long as it could as we tried to build something healthy and unique. And we did.

But just like I said, we ran GXE as long as as hard as we could, until we couldn’t. It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Grace Empire is closing it’s doors. This will the last sermon I give as the lead pastor of Grace Empire. The pandemic has sapped our church’s momentum, quarantining has diminished our church attendance, and our giving has dropped to the point that our church is no longer viable.

Make no mistake. Amy and I love Grace Empire with all our heart and we have come to this decision with much prayer, many late night conversations, and lots of tears.

It’s times like this that finding the words to express how I feel becomes exceedingly difficult. So I have decided to borrow the words of Paul the Apostle to help articulate how I feel.

Philippians 1:3–5 NIV

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

I want you to pay special attention to the word joy here. Paul prayed for the Philippians, thanked God for them, and he prayed with joy. Paul’s focus on joy sets this letter apart from his other epistles. The word joy is mentioned 14 times in this sort letter.

Philippians, Colossians & Philemon Paul’s Prayer for the Philippian Believers / 1:3–11

A standard dictionary equates joy with happiness, but in Scripture the two words are quite distinct. For example, when life is going well, we may feel happy; but when hard times come, we lose that feeling and become unhappy or sad. True joy, however, rises above the rolling waves of circumstance; true joy keeps us on an even keel no matter how happy or sad we might feel because of our situation. Happiness reflects a horizontal perspective, focusing on circumstances on one’s plane of experience. We are happy when events are going our way. Joy reflects a vertical perspective centering on God. We can feel joy in trials because we know that God is still in control (as stated in Romans 8:26–28). True joy is found only in relationship with Jesus Christ. Joy is the gladdening of the heart that comes from knowing Christ as Lord, the feeling of relief because we are released from sin; it is the inner peace and tranquility we have because we know the final outcome of our lives; and it is the assurance that God is in us and in every circumstance.

Last night, I couldn’t sleep. But it was this understanding of joy combined with the next verse that gave me enough peace to help me sleep last night.

Philippians 1:6 NIV

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Regardless of what happens with Grace Empire, whatever good began or was jumpstarted by what we do here, we know it is not us. God was behind the work. God was behind the restoration. God was behind the spiritual curiosity. God was behind it all and Paul tells us that God who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.

My joy is knowing that you have come to know Jesus here and the joy of your salvation is my crown and glory. My joy is knowing that no matter what happens to Grace Empire, God will continue to work in you and through you.

I would like to use my remaining time by addressing my closest partners in ministry: my staff.

My kids - thank you for your belief in dad. I will continue to work on becoming a dad you can be proud of.

Kelly - Moses - Moses was someone that because of lifes difficulty, felt that he was not worthy of being used by God.

Rebecca - Timothy - Every Paul needs a Timothy. Timothy was like a son to Paul and Becca, Amy and I loved you as spiritual parents. Like spiritual parents, we will always be in your corner and want the best for you always.

Seth - Joshua - Joshua was Moses number 2. Joshua was the guy that Moses could rely on and who would eventually be the next leader of Israel. Seth, you are my Joshua. Whenever I needed something you were always down to help. Whenever I needed to call someone to bounce an idea off of, you were my first to call. I took solace in your quiet perspective and wisdom and leaned on your confidence that everything will be as God intended. Well brother, I am still leaning on that today. So be strong for your family and be strong for our church.

Lexy - Elisha - Elisha was a man that lived his life and worked his job with hard work and with diligence until God called him into service. Lexy, I know your connection with the name Elijah, and I have often felt like Elijah teaching you, my Elisha, everything I know and helping cultivate the work that God was doing in you. My advice to you is don’t stop. Don’t let this derail the calling God has for your life. Pursue it and see how God uses you in the future. You are destined for a greater life than you are living now.

Jean Luc - Jonathan - Jonathan was a noble man of true character, faith, and integrity. Jonathan was known for his deep love, loyal friendship, and faith in God.

Keely - John - John was known as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Keely we have been together as a church family since 2014. And at some point, you became family much like John to Jesus. My only fear is that I hope I was worthy of being followed.

Amy - Mary and the Alabaster Jar - Don’t let disappoint and grief rob you of your most precious gift, your gift of devotion. Mary’s extravagant worship is mirrored by your act of extravagant worship, the worship of dedicating a life of service to God.

Close with Phil 1:9-11

Philippians 1:9–11 NIV

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.