When A Christian Should Resign From A Christian Company...

Did anyone else catch this story out of Georgia?

Faculty Refuse To Sign Lifestyle Statement, Resign From Christian University 

Dozens of faculty and staff at a Georgian Christian academic institute are resigning over a statement from school officials in which employees must pledge to refrain from activities including drug use, alcohol, adultery, and homosexuality. 

Known as the "personal lifestyle statement," around 50 members of the faculty and staff at Shorter University based in Rome, Ga., have chosen to resign rather than renew their contracts at the private school. Dr. J. Robert White, executive director of the Georgia Baptist Convention, which Shorter is a part of, told The Christian Post that the "lifestyle statement" is consistent with the convention's position. 

"We have not taken a specific position related to the 'lifestyle statement,'" said White, "but the history of our convention, which goes back to 1822, has approved many resolutions regarding homosexuality as a sin and alcohol use as ill-advised." 

Despite the outcry from some faculty and staff regarding the statement, White did not believe the measure would be overturned. "I do not believe there will be any changes in the 'lifestyle statement' due to people who are opposed to it," said White. "I think that at any educational institution the faculty and the administration are responsible for following the guidelines set by the board of trustees who provide this whole governance for the university." 

Last October, the board of trustees at Shorter adopted a "Personal Lifestyle Statement" for all its employees. According to the document, which faculty and staff were obliged to sign, an employee of Shorter could not among other things take part in drug use, premarital sex, adultery, and homosexuality. The statement also called for Shorter employees to be active members of a church and be "committed Bible believing Christians." 

During that same session, the board also approved a new motto for Shorter, "Transforming lives through Christ." 

"We love Jesus Christ, and we want people who serve here to love Jesus Christ and be willing to not just sign the document, but enthusiastically endorse that in every aspect of their lives," said Shorter President Donald Dowless in an earlier interview with CP. 

"We are an institution that wants to foster a Christian environment ... and that's done by all employees who we hire, not just the faculty but also the staff."

What's the problem? Why did those 50 people resign? Dare I suggest that those 50 individuals who resigned rather than sign that 'Lifestyle Statement' are most likely 'Christians-In-Name-Only' as opposed to the real deal? How else should we interpret such a decision?

After all, the Bible isn't filled with God's mere suggestions to us, or options for us to choose, but crystal clear commands about what a life lived for Him should look like to the rest of the world.

Personally, I think that such a story forces us to prayerfully consider the key differences between being a Disciple of Jesus Christ and being a Christian. Yes, there is a big difference, my friends.

Now that the stage has been set, let's perform a study of contrasts. James reminds us that we should not merely listen to the Word, but we should do what it says (James 1:22-25). A couple of thoughts from two men of God I respect to continue with this entry today.

"There are other people who are prepared to argue and discuss and even change their opinion, but they do not do anything about it. The evangelical, however, is a man who acts on his convictions. There would never have been Protestantism if this were not true." 

-- Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Alistair Begg recently said that the worst thing for a Christian is when they reach their 'Cruising Altitude' in life. He also spoke of God's approval on our lives and how important it is to always be mindful of that.


How will we live then to be approved by God?

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Boy, that was a word meant just for me this morning delivered straight from God's lips!


If you don't mind, please pray for me and for my family. Pray for God's peace to rest upon our hearts and minds during what will surely be a difficult time for us (at least, in the short-term). Pray for His provision so that we are not in need (I have a family of 4 to support). Pray for His guidance in leading me to the place He wants me to be (because it's all about Him!).


Last week, I made one of the hardest decisions in my young life so far. It was hard, but it was easy. Does that make any sense to you at all? What I mean by that is how it was an 'easy' decision to make because I knew it was the right one, but it was a 'hard' decision to make because I knew the personal cost involved for not just me, but for many other people, and even those outside of my own immediate family.


I'm 32-years-old. I'll be 33 in June. I've been a Christian for about 9 years, but was a 'False Convert' for probably the first 5 of those 9 years. By all accounts, I'm still a 'baby Christian' who's maturing in the faith daily.

Given those facts, the situation I found myself in recently was one I never expected to be in. And yet, there I was, smack dab in the middle of it, and needing to make a decision about how to handle it Biblically.

The decision involved my professional career and the workplace, which made this all the more complicated...though it wasn't (there's that whole "it was hard, but it was easy" thing again). The decision involved my immediate family, which includes my dear wife and two small kids, and that made this all the more complicated since I am the sole income provider...though it wasn't. The decision involved the local church community, which made this all the more complicated...though it wasn't.

I'm sharing this with all of you (as lengthy as it is) in the hopes that it will bring some much needed comfort and encouragement to others who find themselves in a similar predicament. Aside from prayer, consulting the Bible, and counsel from other Christians, one of the things I struggled with while trying to process all of this was how there's a ton of information online when it comes to helping Christians determine if and when they should leave a secular place of employment, but next to nothing to help Christians determine if and when they should leave a Christian place of employment.

What do you do when you're a Christian who works at a Non-Profit Christian Organization who believes they ought to resign due to matters of faith? Dare I suggest that it's not as easy as perhaps leaving a secular company would be?

This is why I've likened it to sort of being like figuring out if and when you should leave your local church and look for a new one. In my case, that became the guiding principle for me particularly because this wasn't just a 'Christian Company', but because it has always been known as a 'Christian Ministry' for some 67 years, and regularly presents itself to the public as such, which puts it on a similar playing field with the local church, IMHO.

So, for anyone who is looking for answers to these questions...

-- When should a Christian resign from a Christian Company? 

-- When should a Christian leave a Christian Non-Profit Organization? 

-- When should a Christian leave a Christian Ministry? 

-- Forced to resign due to faith? 

-- What to do when a Christian employer forces you to compromise your faith? 

--Where can I find a sample Christian Letter of Resignation?

...this post is for you.

I pray that it helps some.

Below is my Letter of Resignation that I formally submitted last week to my employer. Because the Non-Profit Organization I worked for not only has an Executive Director, but an actual 'Board For Ministry' made up of several Members, I had to submit a detailed response -- preserved in writing -- for the official record.

As many of you know, I have a problem with writing a bit too much at times. Not to make light of a very serious situation, but after I was done and holding a 12 page Letter of Resignation in my hands, I laughed to myself and thought how maybe I could call myself the 'Jerry Maguire' of the Christian community here in Western New York.

In any event, here's my Resignation Letter and the full explanation as to why I needed to make this decision.

May 10, 2012 

Dear NAME And Board For NAME Ministry: 

I will apologize in advance for the length of this letter, but it is demonstrative of the genuine, heartfelt passion I have about this decision as well as my sincere love and concern for one of God’s ministries, for you personally, and for everyone else I have met through NAME who I call a friend. 

It is with a heavy heart though a clear conscience that I submit to you my formal Letter of Resignation from NAME as TITLE effective May 10, 2012. After much Bible study and prayer, I have decided that I must leave the organization immediately in order to be faithful to my Lord and His Word after having been told (and expected) to compromise my faith on more than one occasion. 

Where do I start? I suppose at the very beginning. When I signed my Ministry Covenant upon acceptance of employment with NAME, I agreed that “With the help of God it is my intent to exemplify the Christian life in all that I do and say, working in concert with those around me, in order that my ministry in your midst may be a blessing to all at NAME and especially to our Lord, Jesus Christ.” In short, I have made the decision to resign immediately because I would be breaking that Ministry Covenant if I continued to work for NAME. Actually, I have already broken it (and feel awfully guilty about it!) by delaying what I knew had to be done for weeks now. 

A few weeks ago, I was asked to “shorten” the length of my contribution to NAME'S monthly Newsletter. That is no problem whatsoever and I was more than happy to do that. I even joked that I know I have a problem writing too much. However, I was also asked to “tone down” the Christian rhetoric moving forward. The specific reason given to me was because NAME leadership wants to make it more palatable, and more secular, for the few non-Christians on our Mailing List (“Not everyone on our Mailing List are Christians…” I was told) so that we do not “offend” potential NAME supporters. The intent was to compromise what NAME (and we as Christians) claim to stand for, and all for the sake of potential gain (financial or otherwise). That is a serious problem that I just could not ignore any longer no matter how I tried to rationalize it, and God will not let my conscience rest until I act and do what I know I must (as scary as that is for me and my family right now), and it’s why I am writing to you today after having come to this as the only right course of action. 

At first, being employed by a Christian Non-Profit Organization whose Vision, Mission, and Core Values are clearly stated for the public to see as being that which brings glory, honor, and praise to Jesus Christ, I have to admit that I could not believe what I was hearing, and I sincerely thought that I had misheard what I was being instructed to do as part of my job here. Ever since, I have wrestled with whether or not the message was misunderstood by me, and whether or not the point was that the Newsletter was for marketing and not sermonizing. Even if that were the case, and that was the specific reason given to me at the time instead, therein lays the bigger problem I have that has contributed to a genuine crisis in conscience for the past several weeks now. 

This job is not suitable for someone like me who is more ministry-focused as opposed to business-focused. I know there is a definite ministry component to what we do around here, but I am afraid I have not seen it (not nearly as much). 

While I prayed and searched God’s Word relentlessly all this time seeking wisdom about whether or not I was right or wrong about what my ears heard from what I was told to do that day (and prayed and searched God’s Word relentlessly all this time seeking wisdom trying to figure out the proper Biblical response by me once I arrived at the truth of the matter), the very same instruction for the very same reason was given to not just me, but to all of us, when it came up at one of our Staff Meetings (about a week after the original incident). That was when my heart broke because I instantly knew what that meant for me and my future here at NAME.  

It was no longer just a ‘slip of the tongue’ the first time around, or something that could be overlooked as ‘miscommunication’ perhaps. Like I said earlier, I have grown to get to know you and to love you like a brother (which you still are even after all of this plays out), but I simply cannot ignore something as serious as this, especially with how the Lord has been convicting my conscience over it. 

I do not think it is a stretch to say that the instruction I was given that has caused all of this is clearly the underlying philosophy that dictates how this ministry operates and that has bothered me greatly ever since. I know that this is a DESCRIPTION and not a Church. However, we are an explicitly Christian DESCRIPTION that calls itself a Ministry too. That should mean something and should be taken more seriously. The Word of God, the power of the Gospel, should be at the heart of everything we do here and should serve as our driving force always. Hebrews 4:12 says plainly, “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword". Everything else is impotent, giving merely an illusion of power. Human strategy is not more important than Scripture. Our ability to lure people in should not impress us more than the Bible’s ability to transform lives. 

I have never refrained from doing the right thing when it comes to my career, which makes this all the more difficult because I know what I have to do even though I love you like a brother and I love this job. Due to my strong convictions in response to all of this, I must resign. As mentioned earlier, because my resignation is immediate that means that I cannot follow the proper procedure and act in accordance with Section 17.10 of the Personnel Policy Manual that says I need to give my two (2) weeks working notice to the Executive Director like I would in any other case. This is due to what I believe are exceptional mitigating circumstances -- instructing me to water-down, tone down the Gospel of Jesus Christ even though we are a Christian ministry with clearly stated Christian objectives and values -- which I therefore believe warrant a breach of the Ministry Covenant I signed with NAME, making such a requirement of me in this situation null and void. 

Even so, please note that in an effort to demonstrate that I am still trying to do things properly (Biblically), I will gladly spend time completing some of the tasks under my care that are most urgent and do as much as I can over the next few days to help make this transition a smooth one, given the nature of my sudden departure. Everything in my office is organized and labeled neatly, but I will still provide you with a list of all the things I have been working on that need completion (along with important account logins/passwords too). Of course, even long after I leave, please feel free to call me if you need to know where something is. 

Simply put, I can no longer serve as a face of NAME through face-to-face interaction with guests/visitors (i.e. Retreat Groups; Tours; etc.) like this job requires me to for reasons already stated and others that I will explain in a moment, and that is why I must resign immediately. Whether or not you want me to continue doing anything in any capacity after you have prayerfully considered all of this is entirely up to you and I will respect whatever decision you make. 

Most importantly, please know that any work that I will do for NAME from this point on will be done by me without pay too since I cannot, in good conscience, submit this detailed letter to you, and then turn around and take money from NAME. That would not be right of me. 

Please understand that this is not about being ‘self-righteous’, ‘pious’, or even a ‘martyr’ of some sort either. To be blunt, I truly agonized over this decision for the past several weeks while begging God to please show me if I am right to feel convicted about this, or if I am wrong and overreacting to things. In fact, this letter has been done since Monday and I still continued to make sure I exhausted every single Biblical angle to make sure I was not missing anything. In the end, it’s always about faith and not feelings, and what kind of a faith would I have if I did not stand firm in the Lord when I know this is the right thing to do regardless of the circumstances and regardless of the personal cost? 

So, despite the fact that I am the sole income provider for my family of 4, that we are currently without Health Insurance, and have amassed some unexpected debt due to my wife’s recent stay in the hospital for several days, I still cannot let comfort and convenience (financial security) overshadow my conscience, convictions, and principles. Some might call this decision ‘stupid’ and ‘irresponsible’ on my part given those facts and in this kind of economy, but I know better. I know that the Lord is sovereign, and not only is everything I have in this life from His hand, but I also know that He will surely bless this decision, which is rooted in obedience, and He will do so in His own perfect timing and according to His own perfect will (Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 15:57-58). 

I really wish there was some way I could stay and feel good about such a decision. I cannot. I have delayed making this decision for too long already. To share the following concerns, tell you I am resigning, but then stay on through the summer (or even until you find a suitable replacement) to help make things easier for everyone else here (including myself) is tantamount to me choosing convenience, NAME, and/or all of you over God, His Word, and my conscience. I cannot compromise in this case given what it entails. 

I recall what Martin Luther said: “Here is lack of understanding, for understanding proves by the Word that such patchwork is not according to God's will, but that doctrine, faith and worship must be preserved pure and unadulterated; there must be no mingling with human nonsense, human opinions or wisdom. ‘The Scriptures give us this rule: 'We must obey God rather than men' (Acts 5:29)." 

It is interesting to speculate what the church would be like today if Martin Luther had been prone to compromise. The pressure was heavy on him to tone down his teaching, soften his message, stop poking his finger in the eye of the papacy. Even many of his friends and supporters urged Luther to come to terms with Rome for the sake of harmony in the church. 

Luther himself prayed earnestly that the effect of his teaching would not be divisive. When he nailed his 95 Theses to the door, the last thing he wanted to do was split the church. Yet, sometimes division is fitting -- even healthy. Especially in times like Luther's (and like ours), compromise is sometimes a worse evil than division (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). I have prayed about this vigorously, searched the Scriptures obsessively, experienced many sleepless nights, and sought counsel from other Christians and everything keeps telling me I need to make this decision because the Lord can do more good for this ministry through my departure, than He could ever do through me if I disobeyed Him, stayed, and compromised. 

Still, like Luther, I pray earnestly that the effect of this decision will not be divisive. Please know that like Luther, the last thing I want to do is cause chaos and division within NAME and amongst those like you who I have grown to love here. I can say that you have truly become a dear friend to me. Like all friendships, I know that there will be times when disagreements will occur between you and I. This is one of those times. Most times, the forgiveness, grace, and mercy of God toward us personally is what teaches us how to be forgiving, gracious, and merciful to others. Other times, there are offenses that require a different kind of forgiving, gracious, and merciful response with 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” as one’s guide. 

I was told that I was hired to not only fill an opening, but to bring a fresh perspective to NAME and to share the honest views of someone from the outside looking in. Consequently, the command of “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9) obligates me to be on record regarding this matter. His Word comforts me as I follow through on what I know I must do in this situation as difficult as it for me, for you, and for all of us since we are told “so whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17). I just want to be mindful to do the right thing. 

I hope it is evident that I am constantly concerned with living out an authentic faith in obedience to God (Psalm 9:10; Psalm 111:10). As Martin Luther once said, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God...", and so it is with me. So, I will try my best with help from the Holy Spirit to speak “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) here, and will pray that this is received by you in the same spirit with which it was written – a spirit of true love and concern for another as well as true love and concern for one of God’s ministries. 

Acts 5:29 is clear: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Ultimately, as much as I have grown to love you as a dear friend, I will always choose to obey my God rather than my boss, especially when I am asked to compromise His Word for the sake success at work, and must do so regardless of the personal cost. I absolutely must. Sitting with compromise is cozy. Standing with conviction is costly. It will most certainly be costly to me and my family in this case (at least in the short-term I am sure). I accept that. I know He is faithful to those who are faithful to Him. No amount of gain is worthwhile if it costs you your values, which are priceless.    

To reiterate, I have been through this every which way ever since, with Proverbs 3:5 and other passages from Scripture in my mind and the only course of action that will assuage my conscience and honor my God is to formally resign from my position effective immediately. To remain an employee of NAME under any circumstances would be to compromise my convictions of faith all for the sake of convenience – the convenience of being able to provide for my family and the convenience of making things easier on my co-workers who are gearing up for the busy season beginning this weekend. Choosing that route would be choosing myself, my family, and my co-workers over my God. 

I am truly sorry, but I can no longer perform this job the way I committed to performing it based on the Ministry Covenant I signed several months ago. The thing that breaks my heart is that I am actually fulfilling that Ministry Covenant statement not by working for NAME, but by resigning from NAME because such an action honors the Father more than me compromising would. Like I said, I can no longer perform this job the way I thought it was intended to be performed because I am having too hard a time seeing ‘NAME: The Ministry’ since all I am seeing is ‘NAME: The Business’ instead. That is not why I left my previous employer to come here to pursue this exciting opportunity to serve Him in a ministry setting, and that is not the type of ‘ministry’ environment I can work to the best of my ability in. 

Besides, you need employees who share your vision for NAME and who share your methods for seeing that vision become a reality one day. I thought I could be that type of employee, but I have since realized that I am not, and that I cannot. Of course, things finally came to a head the other day when I was asked to write my piece for this month’s Newsletter about NAME being a ‘Christ-Centered Community’. How could I do that, and agree with what I was expected to write, if I do not actually agree with any of it? What a hypocrite I would be. 

Again, I’ve gone over this about a million times during many sleepless nights and I just cannot see any other course of action for me personally than to separate myself from NAME immediately. I just could not reconcile what has happened with my conscience (1 Corinthians 4:4 “For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.”). 

Yes, it is one thing to reconcile with a friend over personal matters (as we always should), but quite another thing entirely to find yourself at odds with NAME'S collective organizational leadership over fundamental doctrinal truths as they are applied (or minimized) within the scope of the ministry’s development. I am only doing more harm than good by staying here and remaining silent even with Ephesians 6:7, Colossians 3:23, and 1 Corinthians 10:31 as my daily motivation. 

For instance, the other day, I had to give a tour for a possible wedding next year and I just could not find the same excitement and enthusiasm to sell this place to them like I have in the past because of how this has been weighing on me. I felt like a hypocrite the whole time too! That is why it is now or never. How can I give a tour tomorrow or Saturday, or interact with the NAME Retreat Group, when all I keep thinking about is how I am disobeying what God has placed on my conscience to do in response to what happened? 

To be completely transparent, unfortunately, it was not just the comments pertaining to the monthly Newsletter either that has prompted me to make this decision. They were merely the final straw, or those things that underscored my concerns and made it easier to do what I know I must regardless of the consequences. Awhile back, one department head told me to remove all explicit religious comments in the Thank You Letter I wrote for NAME on behalf of NAME for the job well done in our FACILITY. The other day, another department head bemoaned any thought of including items for sale in our FACILITY that will help fellow believers grow in their faith during their time here. I am sorry if it makes me ‘too traditional’ or ‘stuffy’, but those are things I would never have expected to hear while working at a Christian ministry with a Christian heritage of 67 years worth of history. In the end, I just do not feel right about being paid money to do a job I do not believe in, using methods that I disagree with. 

In recent months, I have also had to work to help plan a Retreat for a group that told me they needed FACILITY because they wanted to perform Meditation Exercises and Yoga on the FACILITY out in the open for everyone else to see (NAME). Thankfully, their plans for this year fell through due to some conflicts on their end. How would we have “showed the face of Jesus to them by words and actions” had they had their event here? Last week, I had to work on planning a New Age themed wedding for a couple (NAMES) who are good friends with the neighbor of ours by the FACILITIES who always tries to cause trouble for us each summer. How would we “show the face of Jesus to them by words and actions” if they have their event here? 

The fact that we, as a Christian ministry, are even open to hosting such groups makes me question the strength of our faith, ministry, and whether we are more concerned with the Almighty Dollar than the Almighty Himself. That may sound harsh to suggest, but we know how He feels about such things so why don’t we feel the same way about them?

The pragmatist who is willing to compromise will say that there is no conflict whatsoever when it comes to hosting them here because we are supposed to show grace and love to non-believers because we are all sinners. Let’s consider the whole counsel of God’s Word though. Yes, that’s true to an extent, but where do we draw the line? God’s Word does not tell us to compromise our cherished beliefs for personal gain – ever. Our willingness to serve as their host and to remove any and all overt references to the Gospel and/or Jesus Christ does not make us any more ‘Christian’ than they are. How is that ministering to those groups? How is that fulfilling Our Vision, Our Mission, Our Core Values, and Our Objectives as expressly stated? How can we even call ourselves a ‘Ministry’ under those conditions? How are we being careful not to let our tolerance for non-Christians become tacit approval of their sinful lifestyles? What are we doing in relation to ‘serving them’ by simply allowing them to have their events here that helps us fulfill this ministry’s calling? These are the questions that have plagued me, caused me to have a crisis in conscience, and that have prompted me to make this decision. I am beginning to wonder if I have always instinctively felt this way due to the one comment I would always make during committee/staff meetings you might remember me saying early on (“I’m trying to come up with ideas that with speak to a person’s spirit, and not their flesh…”). In hindsight, I believe so. 

Again, where do we draw the line? Would we agree to host a wedding ceremony and reception for a homosexual couple who wanted to come here because it is more affordable for them? Would we agree to host a Muslim Retreat Group who we knew were going to spend the weekend worshipping Allah on our sacred premises? The fact that I do not know the clear answer to those two questions is why I believe NAME has an identity crisis at the moment. Do we want to be a Christian DESCRIPTION or just a DESCRIPTION? 

Please do not misunderstand me either. I am not saying that there is nothing good about NAME, or that we do not offer Christ-centered programs for our guests. We certainly do! And that’s great! In my humble opinion, there needs to be more though. I am also not saying that you somehow do not love Christ. I know by my friendship with you and your public prayers that you certainly do. I just do not understand why I was told to water-down God’s Word. Simply put, I think the problem stems from the fact that NAME should focus on being a ministry more than it should focus on being a business. Yes, we have talked about how NAME is a ‘business-driven ministry’, but at what cost? I am not naïve to understand that we have operating expenses and that there are bills and salaries to pay. I am also not naïve to understand the temptation that exists within that reality; a temptation to cast aside the Biblical model for true and lasting success and to rely upon a worldly model for success instead. 

Sure, by all internal accounts, NAME is doing ‘great’ since we are booked solid throughout the remainder of 2012, STATISTICS are way up, and the 2012 Budget is about to be met and exceeded by my efforts to date, and we are even booking quite a bit for 2013 already. How can we be sure that it is God’s blessing though? There are mega-churches around this country that are anything but Biblical with what they preach and teach each Sunday that have thousands in attendance each and every week. Are we to conclude that it is a ‘blessing’ and that God is pleased with that church? 

I hope all of this is being received in the true spirit it has been written in – a spirit of genuine concern and love – because NAME needs to be asking these questions. NAME should not strive to be all things to all people. It is my firm belief that if we merely focused on trying to be the best Christian DESCRIPTION that we can be, complete with various Christian-themed events and programs that honor Him, without always trying to dress Him and His Word up all the time, then God would surely bless us, and if He did not, then it must be His will for NAME.    

If we call NAME a ministry, then why do we judge ‘success’ by worldly standards though – things like attendance and dollars generated? Is that how a ministry is supposed to function and view things? This notion that we have to draw people to us using the latest gimmicks, forms of entertainment, and new products does nothing to help fulfill NAME'S Vision and Mission for Christ. I am not saying that they are all inherently ‘bad’ in and of themselves, but are they being used the right way for the right reasons? Even with success for a season, are we really creating true disciples of Jesus Christ, or just contributing to the modern day problem of ‘Easy Believism’ and a shallow faith? 

Speaking of finances and money, it did not seem to be like this when I first started, but now it is like there is a growing over-reliance on the individual self and worldly models to achieve success here rather than placing the emphasis on the Lord and what He can do for us through obedience and prayer (let alone an acceptance that if He doesn’t answer prayer the way we wanted Him to then that is His will too). I am not suggesting that we treat God like a ‘Genie In A Bottle’ and prayer like the ‘key’ that releases Him, but we should not make Him/it our last resort, or turn to Him/it only when we are getting desperate, should we? 

Despite the fact that NAME'S Vision is “To show the face of Jesus to all – by words and actions – amidst the splendor of God’s creation” and that NAME'S Mission is “To offer a safe, joy-filled outdoor experience where lives are renewed and strengthened in Christ”, I am seeing more and more examples of NAME leadership and staff ignoring those stated beliefs for the sake of compromising with others while making serious concessions with the materialistic secular society all because we have bills to pay and projects to fund, or are looking to see what NAME can get out of it long-term. 

This compromising pragmatism -- which says the end justifies the means and if we get results, then it isn't important if we deny/ignore the inerrant Scriptures to get them -- only leads us to sin. In short, it seems as though NAME is attempting to build the kingdom without the King. 

NAME and Board For NAME Ministry…I am truly sorry it has come to this. I had very high expectations when I first came here in November. I thought I would end my career here. I am also truly sorry because I know the predicament this will put you and everyone else in, but I can no longer perform the duties required of me with a clear conscience, or to the best of my abilities any more, which means that if I were to remain with NAME in any way (especially as a paid employee), then I would not only be disobeying God, but would be being a bad steward of God’s resources provided to NAME. My salary is better spent elsewhere where it’s sorely needed (i.e. a salary for NAME; PROJECT A debt; PROJECT B debt; Program funding etc.). It is not right for me to stay. To share these concerns, tell you I am resigning, but then stay on at all over the next few days/weeks, let alone through the summer, just to help make things easier for everyone else (including myself) is tantamount to me choosing convenience, NAME, and/or all of you over God, His Word, and my conscience. 

The bottom line for me with all of this is that watering down God’s Word to make it less offensive and more relevant to anyone -- particularly non-believers -- for the sake of increasing business is something that directly contradicts the fundamental tenets of my Christian faith, and it is not something I wish to be a part of, much less anything I can reconcile with my conscience no matter which way I prayerfully consider it, which is why I see no other option except to formally submit my Resignation to you today. 

I fully recognize how such a decision will negatively impact NAME and the NAME Staff in the short-term, especially given the unfortunate timing as everyone is gearing up for the summer beginning tomorrow with the NAME Spring Retreat. I know that my decision could be met with anger and animosity by some who might feel like I am ‘abandoning’ them when they (and NAME) need me the most. I pray I am wrong about that. I pray that my fellow Christian brothers and sisters in Christ believe what they say they believe, and that they can understand that there was really only one choice to be made given the circumstances as they unfolded and involved me personally. If not, then for those individuals, I would hope that you would share this letter with them so that they know where I am coming from and understand the whole truth of the matter. 

Either way, all I can say to you and to them is that I am sorry that it came to this, but this is a case where I must be more concerned with what God thinks of me rather than what others think of me including my family and friends. Family and friends – even Christian family and friends – may not understand and support my decision even though it is born out of my commitment to Christ, and that’s ok. 

Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”    

I have no idea what the future holds for me, but I know He holds it. I had absolutely no idea that I would be here in this moment when I began serving NAME a full six months ago (sadly, only six months ago) when I felt like I ‘arrived home’, but I know He has orchestrated it. I have no idea what kind of response I will receive from you and many others (including family members and friends outside of work) due to this decision, but I know His approval is the only approval I need. His Word will serve as my constant guide in the weeks and months ahead. 

Martin Luther reminds us that, “God will still support us if we deal uprightly and faithfully in these requirements, if we further and honor the Word of God, and be not unthankful nor seek things that counterfeit God's Word.” Amen! Yes, the timing is the worst, and that’s probably why I delayed and took more time to pray, search the Scriptures, and seek counsel in order to be sure about my decision when I instinctively knew I should have reacted instantly. Lord, forgive me for that. Still, these circumstances are not within my control. All I can do is control how I respond to them. For whatever reason, God allowed for these circumstances to happen, and He allowed for them to happen in the precise manner they did, and at this precise moment in time. All I can do is control how I personally respond to them based upon what His Word tells me, and based upon my conscience, convictions, and principles. Perhaps as part of His perfect providence this is why he is giving us NAME as the POSITION TITLE at this very moment – to serve in my role left vacant while NAME seeks a suitable replacement. 

I’ll defer to Martin Luther one last time: “Your Imperial Majesty and Your Lordships demand a simple answer. Here it is, plain and unvarnished. Unless I am convicted of error by the testimony of Scripture or (since I put no trust in the unsupported authority of pope or of councils, since it is plain that they have often erred and often contradicted themselves) by manifest reasoning I stand convicted by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by God’s word. I cannot and will not recant anything. For to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us. On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.” We would not despise Luther or make apologies for him so I hope that the same can be said one day about me and my decision here today because it was done carefully and with the best intentions in mind. 

It is my firm belief that sound Biblical doctrine should not only be taught, but it should also be adhered to by believers with deep conviction, especially by Christians within an explicitly Christian organization like NAME who know the truth (Luke 12:48). I pursued employment with NAME with great expectations and hope for the future. But now because of NAME'S openly stated belief in non-offensive evangelism (on more than one occasion by more than one individual in both words and actions), I cannot in good conscience continue to serve Him here without feeling as though I were a hypocrite. 

My Bible tells me Jesus Christ and the Gospel are an offense (Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:8). Do I then be careful what I write for the sake of our ministry’s financial security and image with certain people in the community on our Mailing List? Do I refrain from speaking of Jesus Christ or the Gospel around certain secular groups while serving their explicitly non-Christian events here at NAME? No. I would never compromise my beliefs in my private life and I cannot compromise them in my professional life either. Why? Because my Bible also tells me that when I compromise with error, then the offense of the cross ceases (Galatians 5:11). I will not compromise God's truth to obey man (or woman). I simply cannot. 

As difficult as this is, I pray earnestly you understand my position. I am today separating myself from NAME in obedience to the Word of God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because I believe to continue to remain in my position -- especially after I have outlined my genuine, heartfelt concerns above -- would make me a hypocrite of the worst kind, and guilty of the very same things I am trying to call attention to. 

I have never questioned the love for NAME that has been regularly exhibited by my dear fellow co-workers throughout this organization. I have never questioned the love for NAME'S guests that has been regularly exhibited by my dear fellow co-workers throughout this organization. At the end of the day, however, this love for the NAME ministry and for others is flirting with exceeding the love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His Word, and that's something I cannot be a part of any longer. We are too busy doing all we can to build the kingdom, but we are building it without the King. In my humble opinion, it is time to crucify the ministry before it becomes an idol. That is why it is my unshakable conviction that the proclamation of Jesus Christ and God’s Word should always be the heart and the focus of any ministry serving the world in His name (2 Timothy 4:2). 

So, if we are going to be more and more concerned with non-believers than believers, doing all sorts of things to draw them here, we should make sure it is because we want to preach the Gospel to those non-believers, and not because we want them to bring us their money as an alternate source of revenue to help fund our various projects and to help pay our bills. 

I am truly sorry that it came to this. Thank you for the exciting opportunity to serve my God here. Thank you for your friendship. I will rest in Him and upon His Word in my departure. 

2 Timothy 4:16-18 “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." 

In Christ, 

Jeffrey K. Radt

So, there you have it. Was I right? Was I wrong? Am I being too 'rigid' in my faith? Would you have made the same decision? Have you made a similar decision in your life, or ever chosen God over everything else?

To reiterate, my decision to share this was to bring further glory, honor, and praise to our Lord while also trying to help others who might be going through a similar situation right now.

I have to tell you that the Lord's Word has been such a tremendous comfort to me these past few weeks, and especially during the past week since making this decision.

It's fascinating though how it was about a little over a month ago when I was feeling convicted about not making any concrete progress whatsoever toward the pursuit of ministry (in the form of formal education). I looked back at the last 2 years since God put that desire in my heart as a time of pure self-examination and spiritual preparation, but also as a time of great failure. I was a 'failure' because I didn't actually take any steps forward in pursuit of that purpose other than to simply sit here and mull on it over, and over, and over again.

Now, I'm not saying that anyone contemplating ministry shouldn't do that. They most certainly should! Yet, at some point, there needs to be action with full trust that if you are wrong about ministry being in your future, then God will surely close some doors. He may not, for reasons only He can know (Deuteronomy 29:29), but He might just open some doors too.

What's fascinating about this sudden turn of events in my life is how it was probably a little over a month ago when I aggressively pursued Him and His Word like never before in my life to try and determine -- once and for all -- if this desire to pursue ministry was His doing, or my own. I had determined that it was His will, but that I would still be open to His direction for my life.

The solution? Re-enroll in college, finish the last 1-2 semesters I have left to earn my Bachelor's Degree while still working Full-Time, and then, if that desire is still there after all of that (most likely a 1-2 year period), and if such was 'confirmed' by others within my life and local church community as they continue to get to know me during that time, then I would continue to pursue it faithfully by enrolling in Seminary.

Well, low and behold, just a few weeks after I formally inquired about re-enrolling in school to finish my degree requirements is when all of this happened out of nowhere! Is it God's way of 'closing a door' to prevent me from pursuing ministry? I mean, how in the world could I possibly afford to go back to school now that I am unemployed with mounting bills to pay!?! Or is it God's way of 'opening a door' by seeing how I handled a very serious situation in one of His ministries on earth? After all, how could I ever think of becoming a Pastor one day with the privilege of speaking for God if I wasn't willing to stand firm and speak for Him in this case as difficult as it would be?

At the end of the day, the jury's still out on this one, even though I'm clearly leaning toward it being an 'open door' though I can't quite understand it all just yet. No matter. I will continue to trust Him just like I always do. He knows what He's doing (Proverbs 16:9).

There was still one final chapter to all of this though. My conversation with my boss following the submission of my Letter of Resignation. Without getting into all the details, I will say that I was mightily blessed even by his response and reaction to me and my decision.

Despite his error in being willing to compromise on serious matters of faith all to avoid conflict, his true humility and willingness to admit that he was wrong sent a powerful message to me. It demonstrated what true Christian leadership is all about.

Sure, the cynic might suggest that he was merely telling me what he thought I wanted to hear so as to prevent himself and the organization from being put in a predicament. I don't think so. 

Anyway, what's done is done. For me, it all comes down to legacy.

If you died today, what kind of legacy would you leave behind? What kind of account would your life testify to if you had to give one to God at this very moment? To put it another way, when you have to give an account to God one day about how you glorified and honored Him with the life and time He gave you, what will you be able to say to Him? What kind of legacy will you leave behind?

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Again, what kind of legacy will you leave behind? Hopefully, it's one that communicates clearly to everyone else who's watching that you were concerned with God's approval above anything and everything else.

You want God's approval?

Then determine to live your life so as to be missed for the best things.

You want God's approval?

Then do not underestimate the impact of a solitary life lived unto God (Romans 12:2).

You want God's approval?

Then be remembered as one of the crowd, but make sure it's part of the right crowd.

You want God's approval?

Then determine that with God's help you will seize the day because you never know when you've just made the final deposit in the legacy you're leaving.

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