SIDE BY SIDE
Why Are You Moving to Atlanta? Steve Krogh
“So, why are you moving to Atlanta? Do you have family there?” Lois and I have been asked these two questions often in recent months by a variety of people, from close friends, as well as from post office workers and the next-door neighbor who just moved in. Now, as we pack our earthly belongings, look out the window and see the “For Sale” sign in the front lawn, and count down our final Sundays at College Church, Lois and I look at each other and ask ourselves what in the world are we doing? Why are we moving to Atlanta? We don’t have family there. We remind ourselves of the many logical reasons we are moving there. First, we were invited by Pastor Zach Fallon to join him and his wife, Christine, in planting Christ Church, and the College Church Elders affirmed that we can serve in helpful ways--Lois in discipling and caring for women, and I as a lay elder. Second, with our daughter Susie getting married next month and moving to Alabama, and our son Luke away at the University of Richmond, we find ourselves with a window of opportunity—we are empty nesters for the first time. Our other four adult kids, three spouses and five grandsons are spread from California to Texas to Virginia, and we are so thankful that the winds of God’s grace has filled their hearts and placed them in various locations according to his providence and purposes. Third, having served in pastoral ministry for thirty years, our hearts are with the local church and with pastors. We believe Pastor Zach and Christine are gifted and graced for the church planting work to which God has called them. We are confident that they will do well. We also know that the words of William Blake (from his poem “Auguries of Innocence”) ring especially true for those in pastoral labors: “Joy and woe are woven fine, a clothing for the soul divine. Under every grief and pine, runs a joy with silken twine.”
We are moving to Atlanta so that God will be glorified as Christ is formed in the hearts of his people who will gather in a new church: Christ Church of South Metro Atlanta. There is much we don’t know. Sometimes we have more questions than answers. But we take comfort that we are in good company, the company of another planter who Jesus said didn’t have all the answers: “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29) College Church, thank you for being our church family these past seven years. Thank you for sending us to the ends of the earth as College Church missionaries, training pastors around the world through Training Leaders International. It is a work we delight to do. We look forward to seeing you again at upcoming missions festivals. Thank you for praying for us as we now scatter the seed of the kingdom in a new place. Thank you for praying for Christ Church. Why are we moving to Atlanta? For his own glory.
By God’s grace, we look forward to doubling the Fallons’ joys and halving any of their sorrows. But ultimately, there is a greater reason we are moving to Atlanta. Every “why” question has the same answer: for God’s own glory.
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