A Life Update About My Restoration Journey

The most recent update is that my restoration journey was completed on May 12, 2023. The team met in Houston for a day of work which included in depth reviews, prayer, and accountability with the team. The team made the decision to release me back into full-time ministry. Thanks be to God for the generous riches of his grace and kindness to me through my savior, Jesus!!!

The restoration process has been overwhelming good and hard at the same time. As one who usually shares learnings from the field on my blog, I have not yet prepared my thoughts and learning to share with just yet. But they are bubbling and I will trust the Lord for his guidance on the right time to do so.

A few things I will share:

1. Jimmy told me at the onset that only 3 out of 10 finish and successfully complete a journey like this. That prompted me to want to work hard towards the grace of redemption; it raised the stakes for me as one who has been blessed with the greater awareness in ministry that being an author brings.
2. I want to thank you whether you are a reader, an acquaintance, client or friend. A vast majority (well over 90%) of people in my sphere's of influence have been cheering me on. I couldn't have completed this journey without your prayers and support.
3. Time with Romy and Poema has been wonderful. The nine months off of work, followed by another nine months of part-time work while living in Chile, have enabled me a wonderful re-founding of joy and intimacy as a husband and father to my last child at home.
4. I want to thank my entire restoration team who volunteered countless hours to serving me. None of the pastors on the team were compensated for their time- what a gift. In particular I want to thank Jimmy Dodd for leading the process, Matt Carter for being my pastor and Bruce Miller for his extra investment of time and continued leadership in an ongoing accountability group made up of three people from the team. In addition Rick Pierce, as my lead counselor (one of four that I used) was extremely thoughtful to work with and gifted me with more than a few breakthroughs.
5. I am working about 3/4 time now and will be in Chile for the rest of the year. I am launching a new coaching shop in 2024. If you would love to chat for any reason, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm sharing my latest work from the field now on Instagram in a reel series "Five Linchpin Practices of Future Church Vision Framing" at @will_be_clear. I also recently started making some free downloads available on this blog.
6. My theme verse for the process was Psalm 18:19. They way this verse fills my soul is beyond comprehension: He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

To read the final letter of completion from the restoration team, click here.

ENDORSEMENT LETTER FROM DEC 5th, 2022

The link to a letter from Jimmy Dodd and Matt Carter recommending me to continue church consulting starting in 2023.

Pastor Serve Letter For Will

PRIOR UPDATE FROM JULY 25th, 2022

As I complete a 90-day leave of absence from my consulting work, I wanted to share my first update. As you probably already know, I resigned in May from a company I founded in August of 2020 – the Future Church Company.

Dear Friends and Ministry Leaders,

As I complete a 90-day leave of absence from my church consulting work, I wanted to share my first update. As you probably already know, I resigned in May from a company I founded in August of 2020 – the Future Church Company because of unfaithfulness to my wife Romina.

Let me first highlight the Lord’s abundant kindness to me through my wife Romy's forgiveness. While I’m deeply grieved over my sin, I have not known such wonderful acceptance and tender care from another human. I am grateful for Romy’s faith and reliance on Jesus. In addition, I am grateful for an amazing group of men have come around me to guide a journey of restoration. The team consists of 10 men (listed at the end of this post) under the authority of my home church, Sagemont Church, led by Matt Carter. We also have the benefit of an experienced restoration guide in Jimmy Dodd with PastorServe. For the last three months my daily focus has been on investing time in relationships for healing and growth; first with the Lord and then with family.

Currently, I am on an extended visit to Chile with Romy (and our young daughter, Poema) where she grew up in Santiago. We will return to Houston at the end of July. I am resting and exercising better than I have since college. My favorite part of each day is teaching Poema how to open the “gift of each day” in prayer; none of which is owed to anyone.

Please know that I am deeply sorry for my sin, and I apologize to you. If I have hurt you personally, feel free to contact me, and I will apologize one on one. God has extended favor to me over the years through my consulting platforms, books, processes, and tools. Church leaders have entrusted me with their deepest dreams and highest hopes, with core ministry design and critical ministry decisions. My breach of integrity reflects a serious failure to live out personally what I have led in vocationally.

What does the future hold for me? For now I’ll continue full time cultivating heart-time with Jesus and family as I work on my restoration. I am learning and reengaging the ready embrace of my Savior. As Dane Ortlund reflects, “What makes us cringe the most, makes him hug the hardest.”

Under the counsel and authority of my restoration team, I will not be church consulting for the remainder of 2022. Please look for updates in the near future.

Most importantly know that I covet your prayers and communication. Please feel free to reach out to me at will@LifeYounique.com.

The members of the restoration team listed below make up one of two teams helping me at this time. There is also a "friendship team" of close friends and pastors who have known me as far back as college and seminary. What do I appreciate most about each person?

• Jimmy Dodd – PastorServe (Chairman) - Jimmy deeply values activating the body of Christ to love and deeply care for one another at the moment one feels the most guilt and shame.
• Matt Carter – Pastor, Sagemont Church, Houston TX (Oversight Church) - I appreciate Matt's willingness to provide oversight and the way he brings a hefty dose of both grit and grace.
• Bruce Wesley – Pastor, Clear Creek Community Church, Houston TX - Bruce hired me in 1997 in the early days of Clear Creek and since then has been one of those amazing life mentors who relates as a friend.
• Bryant Lee – Pastor, Higher Expectations Church, Houston TX - Bryant is a gifted pastor in H-town who is a power user of clarity tools and comes to the team per the invitation of Jimmy.
• Steve Bezner – Pastor, Houston Northwest Church, Houston TX - Steve, like Bryant, is a leading pastor in Houston with a strong reputation in the community and joins the team through Jimmy's request.
• Brady White – Mosaic Church, Orlando FL - Brady has an enormous heart for restoration fused with a creative humility and comes to the team by way of invitation from Jimmy.
• David Loveless – Pastor of Discipleship, First Baptist Church, Orlando FL - as a former client David has become a great friend over the last seven years as one of our best master trainers with the Younique training system; most importantly I can blow steam with him like no one else on the team.
• Bruce Miller – Pastor, Christ Fellowship, McKinney TX - Bruce is great friend, excellent thinker, incredible writer and has been a client with several of my organizations over the years.
• Craig Oliver – Pastor, Elizabeth Baptist Church, Atlanta GA - Craig has become a true friend and trusted advisor over the last two years as a power user of Future Church's "funnel fusion" process and the Younique training system.
• Rick Pierce – Personal Counselor - Rick brings a remarkable depth of insight while being one of the safest human beings I have ever spent time with on the planet.