TAKING THE NEXT STEP

Greg Langman, Leadership Transformation Coach

Let me get something out of the way right at the beginning. My last day on staff with RockPointe was May 29, but Linda and I are not moving away. We will continue to live in Cochrane and attend Bearspaw, however, we have discerned with others that it is time to take the next step Jesus has for us. Before I explain what is next, join me in looking back on where we have been.

I was 16 years old, living in King City Ontario, and focused on making money and being successful. I wanted to go to Wilfred Laurier University, get my MBA, and work alongside powerful CEOs. During this time, the church I attended with my family went through a very difficult season. Our pastor left and so did my parents and many other people. For some reason I felt like I was supposed to keep attending. It was a very difficult season in the life of our church and for me personally. Why would I stay in this struggling church? Maybe I should leave and go to another church that was healthier and seemed to be more successful. As I prayed, it just seemed like I was supposed to stay. So that is what I did.

A few months later, a preacher was sent by Jesus to our church with a message specifically for me. I don’t remember the passage the preacher spoke from that day, but I do remember his invitation: “Come and surrender everything to Jesus. Let go of your dreams, your desires, your life, and entrust everything to him.” My heart was beating so hard it felt like it was going to come out of my chest. I gripped the edge of the old wooden pew, determined to stay seated. I would not let go! I had my plans and my dreams; I just had to wait this out a little longer. Then the preacher said these words: “If your heart is pounding so hard it feels like it is going to come out of your chest, I think you need to come up here now.” Before I knew it, my hands released their grip, I stood up, walked to the front of that little old church, and said these words to Jesus that forever changed my life: “Whoever you want me to be, wherever you want me to go, whatever you want me to do, I’m in!”

Around the same time I had this experience, Linda, the person who would become my life partner in 1991, also surrendered her life to Jesus in Morden, Manitoba. God was doing a new thing in both of us. We had no idea where things would go, but we knew one thing: We had to say “Yes” to the next step Jesus was asking us to take! That first step of surrender to Jesus began a lifetime of next steps that led us into pastoring, church planting, denominational leadership, and starting several new organizations in four provinces across our beautiful country.

Almost three years ago, Linda and I said “Yes” to what seemed like an invitation of the Spirit to come to RockPointe Church. We had no idea what God was going to do, but we took the next step and we are so glad we did. It has not been an easy journey, but during our time here God has deepened our faith, brought healing to places we didn’t know were broken, and used us in ways that we didn’t expect with the beautiful people of this church.

As Linda and I have sought to stay open to the ongoing leading of the Spirit, we have discerned with a few leaders at our church that it is time for us to step out and follow what we believe is the Lord’s leading. We want to coach, equip, encourage, and support pastors, church leaders, church planters, and missionaries to dig deeper into life and leadership. We are passionate about helping people discover the deeper things about who God created them to be and to courageously live into what they were created to do. As we move forward, we see Linda contributing to this shared passion as a certified Spiritual Director and I will do this as a certified Transformational Coach and experienced church leader. This work will be done partially through the coaching business I co-own called Lead From Transformation with our coach training services offered under Transformational Coaching.

We are also excited to let you know that we are also being sent out as part-time RockPointe missionaries in partnership with MSC Canada. We will be providing spiritual direction and coaching services for pastors, church leaders and missionaries in Canada and around the world who are doing amazing work, but lack the finances to access the resources we offer. We will be raising support for this ministry starting later in June. (Please email [email protected] if you would like to be on our mailing list or be part of our prayer and financial support team.)

It has been an honor to serve on the pastoral team here at RockPointe.

Peace and blessings,

Greg and Linda Langman

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:18-20