Dear RBF students,
I wanted to let you know about some things that God has been doing with Shannon and I over the past few months. We wish we could sit down with each of you, and walk through this, but in the absence of that opportunity, this letter will have to do.
In May, Shannon and I received a call from First Evangelical Free Church in Austin, TX asking if we would be open to discussing a position at their church. We felt prompted to listen. So for the last few months we have been listening, praying and seeking wise counsel from people who we love. Over that time, it has become clear to us, that God is calling us to be a part of First EV Free.
We obviously have very mixed emotions about this transition. RBF has been our home for 10 years. God has used this amazing church through many of the most defining moments of our lives. I came to know Christ as a sophomore in high school at Young Life at RBF, Shannon & I were married here, I began full time ministry here, and we had our first child here (well, not actually in the church). I have really grown up at Richland since high school and specifically over these last 10 years, with the youth group. We have been able to use our gifts, serve alongside some incredible people, and we have seen many lives changed because of God’s work. God has used the people at RBF as some of the greatest transformational tools in our lives. We will be forever grateful for all that God has done in us through RBF. We have been a part of life changing moments and memories with so many of the young people. It is very difficult for us to say goodbye, but we are looking to God for strength and to the future with hope.
For us, there is a new chapter starting in Austin and we are excited about the community of people that we are going to be a part of at First EV Free. We hear wonderful things about the church and its role in the lives of some of our friends. Rob Harrell is the Sr. Pastor at the church and we have heard only good things about him and his ministry. So it is with great anticipation that we begin this next season of our lives.
As far as what we will be doing at First EV Free… I will be the pastor of college ministries. There is already a great staff team there that I will be working with. I will also be giving leadership and teaching at ECHO, a ministry of 200-300 college students and at LINK a ministry to freshmen at the University of Texas. There are over 114,000 college students in the Austin area & only small percentage of them are involved in a church. The fields are white and we pray that the Lord will use us to expand His kingdom.
We want you to know how much we love you and are grateful to God for you. Our time at RBF and with the youth ministry has been life changing. We owe so much of who we are to who you are and how God has used you in our lives. We love you, we’ll miss you, and we’ll think of you often.
With deep love and gratitude,
Matt & Shannon Blackwell
