OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church, has asked me to serve The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters as her Chief-of-Staff. I have accepted her offer and will join the Wesleyan leadership team July 1st, 2012.
This necessitates my resignation from College Church as Executive Pastor. I received Christ in July of 1980 at CWC, and my first message was there in the mid-90s. My daughters received Christ there, and my son was baptized there by Pastor Steve. All churches are unique, but College Church is “uniquer.” I will deeply miss the community and congregation that I do life together with, including the exceptional staff team in which I have served these last five years with Steve DeNeff, the most influential mentor and spiritual guide I’ve known in what has been the ideal ministry partnership.
It is with a heavy heart that I have considered leaving this church, and the local church in general. Perhaps I will return to lead in a local church after a season serving in the global church in the Wesleyan leadership team. I hope so. I continue to believe that “the local church is where it’s at.” I pray that I can be of some assistance to local churches by serving effectively at headquarters.
We will attempt to sell our home but in the meantime the commute is just 45 minutes so I can dive in quickly into what is a crucial transition season for Wesleyan leadership. Please be in prayer for my family and I in this transition. We are following what seems to be the leading of the Lord, and are eager to see what he might be up to.
Believing in you…
-David Drury
P.S.: More reflections will be forthcoming on this transition—stay tuned here at daviddrury.com for those thoughts. I have sketched out writings on what I’ve learned about leadership and preaching in recent years, especially from Pastor Steve DeNeff, some insights on the future vision of The Wesleyan Church, my beliefs about discerning the will of God and depending on his providence, and some new perspectives on leading from the second chair.
Congrats and prayers for you and your family during this time of transition.
Hey Nicki… thanks.
Great news, David, for you and The Wesleyan Church. Congratulations!
Thanks, Kevin!
Congratulations…Our loss is the General Church’s gain. Will miss seeing out and about, but really excited for what God has in store for you in the new position! Blessings my friend! Will be lifting you and your family in the time of transition.
Thanks, Brian. Been so great to pastor along with you in Marion, my hometown and the place you are deeply working in the kingdom!
Happy…Sad…Happy…Sad…Happy
Same here… out with the staff from CWC tonight to reflect and have a good time of fellowship.
We invite you to become a part of the great new things happening at the 87-year-old Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan Church. We know you will often be “on mission” out-of-town or out-of-country, but our congregation has a rich history of “ministering to the ministers” at the International Center. Give us a shot. And if we’re not the fit for you and your family, we’re just as excited for you to find fellowship elsewhere in the great Indiana Central District!
Hey Darrin. I was ordained in the Indiana Central District… and I went to Trinity for 2 years in high school (with Jay Guptill)!
Well, I wasn’t going to assume that you WOULD come back merely because you know that you SHOULD.
You have been called to a great responsibility, and I know that God will use you and increase your influence for His Kingdom. Congratulations!!
So true, Craig. It’s beyond and above me… may I seek to serve at all times.
Congratulations. I think you’ll do quite well in that position and will be a tremendous value to the denomination.
Thanks, Matt. Miss you brother.
Excited for you and your family, David. It will be great to have you in the area!
So appreciate your work with the SoulShift videography, Dan. Will be fun to be closer to someone so skilled!
David, first met you when you were planting a church in Indy. I was working at IWU Indianapolis. Last year, I lead a 12 week discussion class at Sandy Lake (PA) Wesleyan using Ageless Faith which you wrote with your dad, Dr. Keith Drury. You have had a significant impact on my thinking about the Church broadly and Wesleyanism specifically. The denomination will be blessed by you as you serve the Kingdom of God and assist the General Superintendent. I could not be happier for you. Blessings, always.
Dann Brown
Hey Dann… great to hear from you… and so glad to hear about your Ageless Faith group (http://www.wphonline.com/product.asp?sku=2158_BKBT82)
Great to see your name again — long time no see!
You and Kathy will be sorely missed. It’s hard to imagine CWC without you. Still, I can see that God has big stuff in store for you! All the best, Dave!
Thanks, Rachel. Thanks for all your editorial work in the last year!
There is no one better for the job. Congratulations to you and to The Wesleyan Church! Can I just say that I love the Wesleyans all the more this week!?!
It’s been a truly inspiring week for us Wesleyans indeed.
Love you bro and thankful for your service to God and His Bride, The Church!
Amen.
Congratulations! How exciting!
🙂 thanks, Patty!
The Wortinger’s are so blessed to have the Drury’s as friends and neighbors. We will miss you all greatly, but are so excited to see what God has in store for the Drury family. Please remember we are here if you need anything.
You guys are such fun neighbors!
David, congratulations on this assignment. I know you’ll be a great asset to Dr. Lyon and the World Headquarters staff. Not to mention that it’ll be a lot easier to get together for lunch!
Ha!
Lunch the first thursday of July, brother?
Love to, but I’ll be out of town … I’ll hit you up offline.
dave, what a cool – and historic – opportunity!
happy for you, sad for cwc, but excited for the denomination.
i’ve never actually been to HQ, so perhaps you’ll be my first visit. 🙂
again, congrats!
You are officially invited.
Congrats Dave! You will be perfect for the job!
Thanks, Mary Beth…
You will be greatly missed and so will your wife and children. I have enjoyed getting to know all of you and seeing the children grow into wonderful people. I have more memories of Lauren and how she has come out of her shellthan I so the other two.
You have been so good for us (CWC body, CWC Staff, and for Butch and I), may God richly bless you and your family in this new adventure.
Hey Rhonda… love you guys much. Thanks for this–so meaningful
Congratulations! You and your family will be missed at CWC, but it is no surprise that your journey has led you in this direction. God is always at work, and His people go where He leads them. Blessings!
Thanks Tamara… I have so loved being in the same church with you and your awesome family!
Congratulations and may God bless you as you continue in His kingdom work! We will be praying for you and your family as you transition into this new role in ministry!
Thank you Dale.
We miss your teaching here in Spring Lake.may God bless you in your new season.
Miss being with you all at SLWC… been gone 5 years now and still think of you all often!
I can’t think of a more suitable “Leo McGarry”. So proud of you and excited for us.
🙂
Hey man. I love you, and I’m so proud of you!! This is awesome news, but I’m pretty selfishly sad about the future of our get-togethers 🙂
For real, man. Thanks for your comment.
Congratulations! What a great honor.
I have no idea what your influence will be in your new position. But, let me encourage you to consider how pastors are cared for, especially displaced pastors in the denomination. It has become apparent to me that if we want people in the pews to love and care for each other…it needs to be modeled from the top down.
So true, Di. One of the key things said at this conference was by our new head of the Education and Ministry Development Division (Russ Gunsalus)… he added to other things that have been said about ministry by saying: “Remember, Minister, God cares for you more than he cares for your ministry.”
May this be a season where we seek out the strays and care for them, as you infer.
Exe 34:16
Wow! That is awesome and sad all at the same time. So happy for you in this new step in faith. will be praying for your family.
Melissa
Hey Melissa! – thanks for your prayers!
Congratulations! And may God continue to richly bless your ministry there.
Thanks, Thom.
Praise God for what He is doing in your life my brother! I am excited for you Dave! He’ll continue to do great things through you.
Hey Drew— you rock… thanks for stopping by. Believing in you huge!
Isn’t it amazing how God opens doors that are unexpected ! Blessings on you and your family.
Thanks, Bill & June… love you both and will miss being in the same church with you. What a blessing you are!
Thanks to each of you for taking the time to stop by here and show your support. I’m eager to see Dr. Lyon and the new Executive Cabinet succeed, and can’t wait to get to work. Please pray for us this weekend in particular as we all head off for a prayer retreat together in Indiana, to seek God’s guidance and blessing in our leadership.
I must say. Dave, you are the man!!!! Congrats! Its encouraging to have someone like you in that position. Blessings on you my brother.
Congratulations to the Drury family! We wish you the best on your next endeavor and will keep you all in our prayers. You will all certainly be missed. ~Dara
Hello, Dara… Thanks so much for this!
Congratulations! God has a plan and purpose for our life. Jeremiah 29:11
Great to see you today and take your pic with Jo Ann and see your book!!!
Many good moves this week for The Wesleyan Church and this is one of them. Many blessings as you prepare to move and jump into work and relationships. Our prayers are with you. Sharon
Thanks for the prayers, Sharon! Appreciate you much and great seeing you this week.
Congratulations!! College Church is better for having known you..God bless you and your family
Tanks for posting, Liz!
Congratulations, David! You and the rest of the leadership team at Headquarters is being prayed for.
Thanks, Lani! We miss you round here for sure
Hey man, I’m a little late on the news but congrats! Although, I haven’t the faintest idea what your new job will entail. IT certainly sounds like a big deal. And other people seem to think it’s a big deal. So congratulations Dave! What a big deal! I hope we can still be friends.
Hey Keith… for sure we’ll always be friends… although I wish I heard more from you here at the “home church”… but we hear good things through Thad here on the team. Your name came up recently in a staff meeting actually–as one of the great people we got to send out this year!
It is exciting and heartening to see the Church seeking dynamic leadership as it plots a very pivotal role in the coming decades. I applaud Dr Lyons choice and I know you will bring your unique level of excellence to this new position. Congratulations!
Thanks so much… how encouraging.
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