Elder Statement on Leadership Transition
February 2024
To Our Big House Church Family,
On February 18, 2024 at an evening church family meeting, our founding pastor, Adam Cates, announced his resignation from his role as lead pastor and also from the board of elders of Big House Church. As he shared during that meeting, Adam has been facing personal struggles that made his decision to step down very clear. Through hours of discussion, prayer and tears, we accepted Adam’s resignation with the understanding that this is not a sabbatical and there is nothing promised on the other end.
We want you to know that we are committed to, and have taken practical steps in, supporting Adam in this time of healing and transition.
This is also an important time of transition for our church. So we want to let you know what steps we are taking to ensure that we have a smooth transition while building an excellent foundation for what the Lord is doing and will do among us in the years to come.
First, Big House is an elder-governed church. For more than a decade, a team of four — Adam, Adam’s dad, Jerry Cates, Frank, and Steve Elliott — served together as elders. We made every decision with consensus. “Behold how good and pleasant it is for us to dwell in unity.” (Psalm 133). We lived these words out in a very tangible way.
For the past few years, we had been processing expanding our elder team to better serve the needs of our growing community. We had been actively engaged in this process over the past three months. So, as one of the first steps in this transition, in the very near future, we will present elder candidates to the church. You will be hearing more from us about this soon.
Second, we have asked Joe Umidi, a member of this church, Executive Vice President for Student Life at Regent University. and one of the leaders of the One Focus Network, to serve as Transition Advisor for us. One Focus is the affiliation of churches to which Big House belongs. Throughout our church’s history, this Network and its leaders have provided invaluable advice, counsel, and support to our leadership, even in recent days. Joe has helped a number of churches navigate these types of transitions. It is an enormous blessing that Joe is in our church, has these particular skills, and has agreed to help.
Third, we have asked Matt Ruckel, our Executive Pastor, to serve as Interim Lead Pastor. Matt is amazing. He has already been serving as the primary day-to-day lead for our staff. Matt works with excellence every day with our team on all aspects of our church. Matt has also been leading the efforts of our building campaign team. He and Kristi have a wonderful family, they love to pastor God’s people, and they love Big House Church. Matt has our full confidence for this season of Big House. Matt will also be working closely with Joe and the elders during this transition.
This is a very important time for our community and we are asking you to join with us in three ways.
First, pray. Yes, pray for Big House Church but even more specifically, pray for the people in our community. Lift the needs of those you know before the throne of grace so we may receive mercy and find grace to help in these times (Hebrews 4:16).
Second, be patient. During times of transition, it is easy to lose patience and grasp for security and closure. Let’s be patient with each other and with what Holy Spirit is doing among us.
Third, dwell with each other through this transition. Psalm 133 speaks of how “good and pleasant” it is for brothers and sisters to “dwell in unity.” Dwelling requires at least two things. First, your physical presence is required. Gather together on Sundays, in your homes, at coffee shops. Be present with others in our community. Second, to dwell takes time. Over days and weeks and months and even years, in this space of dwelling and unity, the Lord commands His blessing.
You are in our prayers daily. We love you Big House Church family!
Blessings,
Frank Meadows and Steve Elliott
Current Big House Church Elders