Note from the co-creator…

When Better Pastors first began, I had to explain to 98% of the pastors involved what a “zoom call” was. The idea of breaking isolation by meeting with other pastors for a monthly video chat was borderline absurd. The only reason many of you participated was the dangling carrot of an in-person retreat, and the promise I made hundreds of times… you will love it. Covid has taken many things from us, but the one thing it gave us is the ability to have a meeting with anyone, anywhere. These days, if someone messages you and asks if you can meet for coffee… the reply is usually something like, “on zoom, or in person?”

The words of the preacher have perhaps never been more true, there is a time to embrace and a time to refrain. I’ve come to realize something about myself… as a person who enjoys starting new things, I must come to terms with the fact that in order to start new things, I also have to end some things. A friend shared with me the other day his reflection on his time church planting. He said that not everything is meant to continue forever; in fact some of the most special things are made special because of the very fact that they were just for that moment. If you were there to witness it, to enjoy it, to participate in it… you know how special those moments were.

With all that being said, I have truly loved every moment with all of you, and believe whole-heartedly that we are indeed Better Pastors for the relationships we have built and the meaningful friendships that will far outlive this group. But the fact is, we don’t need someone to organize a monthly zoom call for us anymore. And when we will be able to gather with a group for an in-person retreat again, only God knows. I’ve never been very good at maintaining a website, and I always charged way to little to cover our costs for retreats. It was a labor of love, and love it, I did.

As for me, I have other things I am excited about and moving toward and I have known for many months that my days of leading Better Pastors were at a close. Thank you for the privilege it has been to be a part of your lives, and for the many “life-friends” I now have because of it.

Perhaps one day, we will need a group like this again, and on that day… please invite me to the ones you create!

-Zac Wilkinson