It's not the first time he's done that. Pete is a guy who takes sincerity and honesty to a deeper place every week. His sermons are enough to touch the tear ducts in your soul.
Friends who die early cause lots of tears. Pastor Pete made me cry for a reason other than a deep sermon. He was the bearer of sad news delivered from the pulpit. A good friend of almost everyone in the church died suddenly. Dr. Mike Pelechaty was my friend and a former Board member of our ministry, Youth With A Purpose. The news was a sudden shock and I was overwhelmed.
Eventually the Service ended and I was stuck to my seat as the grief overpowered my ability to move. I managed to lift my head and saw Pete was standing in front of me. He saw my tears and offered a comfort that God knew I needed. He hugged me and felt my pain at the loss of a friend. This time he was catching my tears instead of causing them.
Pastor Pete's partner in the creation of watering eyes is Pastor Craig McLeod. He's the reason (through God's guidance) that my wife Linda and I began hanging out at Life Church. When Dr. Mike's wife Cathy died, Pastor Craig immediately dropped what he was doing and went to comfort a grieving family. That was a leadership lesson for me that I've duplicated in the YWAP Ministry. We sometimes have to comfort the families of young men who die from gang violence. Don't wait when someone is grieving, go immediately.
Pastor Craig's sermons have also left me wiping my face several times. But there's something even bigger that he did. It was another leadership lesson. Pastor Craig is taking on some new opportunities that will have a huge impact on the kingdom of God internationally. That means a greater role at Life Church for Pastor Pete. The way in which Pastor Craig passed the mantle of leadership to Pastor Pete is one of the greatest leadership lessons that I've ever witnessed.
On a Sunday morning after service, I told Pastor Craig what I saw him do. I was in tears describing it to him and a tear welled up in his eyes as well. It's hard to put into words what actually took place over a period of time. These are my words of what I saw Pastor Craig do through his actions;
"Pete, Jesus loves you and so do we. I'm passing on the mantle of leadership in this church to you. It's yours completely and I let it go. All the wisdom that I've gleaned as a Pastor, I freely give to you whenever you need it. I will serve you as the Pastor of this church. My desire is to lift you up and propel you into the purpose and glory for which God has created for you."
May we all go and do likewise. Thank you Pastor Pete and Pastor Craig for repeatedly making me cry."Here, this is yours.How may I serve you?"
Jesus loves you and so do we.
Bob & Linda Kuebler
