Lead Pastor Transition 2023

July 2, 2023

After tallying the votes, it's official that River Oaks has affirmed Sean Myers as our new Lead Pastor - we're so excited for what is in store for the future of River Oaks! Join us on Sunday, July 16th, for Sean's first service with us as Lead Pastor to give him and his family a warm welcome!


June 26, 2023 | Voting Closed


Our voting closed after the second service yesterday, June 25th. We have tallied the votes and will be announcing the outcome shortly! Stay tuned to your email and our social media platforms for the final update!


June 19, 2023 | Online Voting


As a congregation, we were able to hear Sean Myers deliver a powerful message on Sunday, June 18th. If you weren't able to view it live, you can view it on our website by clicking here. Our online voting ballot is open starting on June 19th, 2023 at 9am CST and ends on Sunday June 25th, 2023 at our annual business meeting.

The voting ballot is for two items of interest, 1) Sean Myers serving River Oaks as our Lead Pastor. And 2) Our upcoming six-month budget.

To understand a bit more about why we are voting on these things, you can watch the service linked above. Our church constitution states that if you are a member of the church you are eligible to vote.

How do you know if you're a member at River Oaks? 1) You've attended our Grow Track Step One Class. And 2) You've completed our membership form.

To vote online, please click the button below and enter your choices on the ballot along with your information. If you are a member and are unable to vote online, please join us on Sunday, June 25th after our second service to attend our annual business meeting and vote with a paper ballot. Our ballot results will be immediately tallied after the business meeting and we will work to update our church body as soon as possible.

Voting is closed. Thank you for voting!


Letter from Lead Pastor
John Shepherd 


Dear ROCC Family and Friends,


On January 8, I announced that we were going to formally begin the search process for the next
Lead Pastor of ROCC. I will continue serving as Lead Pastor until God has brought my successor
to us. At that point, I will begin serving as a “shepherd to shepherds” with Standing Stone
Ministry (standingstoneministry.org).
 
First, it is important to understand that this decision is my decision and mine alone. Not one
person in church leadership or the congregation has suggested or put any pressure on me
whatsoever to make this decision. Joy and I both love this church deeply and are making this
decision because we believe this is God’s will for ROCC and for us.
 
Second, I am excited about the opportunity and privilege to be able to invest more time into
the health and wellbeing of pastors and ministry leaders across the country. I truly believe that
God has been preparing me for more than 3 decades of vocational ministry to be able to serve
as a trusted guide and mentor to ministry leaders in a variety of settings.
 
Finally, please pray for the elders, search team, our ministry staff, and me as we are all
navigating this transition. At this point, we have no idea who the next lead pastor is or how long
the process will take. But God does, and we believe that as we continue to pursue Him and His
will, then He will lead us to His choice to lead our church into the future.
 
I am excited to see where God leads our church, our team, and me into the future! I truly
believe the best is yet to come!


Update: March 29, 2023

The Lead Pastor Search Team has received interest from 153 candidates. That pool was then narrowed down to 25 candidates, and then to 5. We are now conducting first and second interviews.

Please continue to pray for our Search Team as we move forward. We are confident that our process is going to lead us to our next Pastor and will share more in the coming weeks.


Update: June 5, 2023

We’re excited to share some news with you regarding our Lead Pastor search. 

Let us first say thank you to our Pastor Search Team. In spite of their busy family and work schedules, they have dedicated hours researching, discussing, and praying over a pool of more than 160 applicants. They, along with the Elders, are pleased to present a final candidate to the ROCC family, one we unanimously believe God is leading to us. Please take a moment to hear a brief word from one of our elders, Barry Blackwell, and the Search Team Leader, Brian George.

As Barry and Brian mention, we will be voting soon to bring Sean Myers in as our Lead Pastor. Sean is 37 years old and has been in ministry for 15 years. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he received his bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries from Indiana Wesleyan University. He and his wife Cassie currently live in Georgia with their four children Ella, Beckett, Saylor, and Leo. 

We are hosting a meet-and-greet at ROCC on June 17, from 2 to 4pm, where you can say hello to Sean and his family. This is a come-and-go event; please feel free to stay as short or as long as you’d like.

Sean will be speaking in both services Sunday, June 18. Voting will open June 19 at 9am online; the link will be available on therocc.com and voting will be open until June 25 at noon. Per the ROCC Constitution, voting is open to church members only. There will also be an in-person business meeting following services June 25 where you may submit a paper ballot at that time.

If you have any further questions at this time, please feel free to email  . We appreciate your continued prayers!

ROCC Elders


The Search Process

After serving as Lead Pastor for 12 years, John believes God is leading him out of this
role. This decision was made solely by John and in consultation with the elders and
ministry team leaders.

According to the church constitution, the elders select a search team to recommend the
next Lead Pastor. This team is made up of committed members who represent a wide
cross-section of our ROCC family.

The search team will recommend one candidate to the elders, who will review the
recommendation and decide whether to approve and recommend the candidate to the
church membership for their consideration.


Frequently Asked Questions

 

Who is our Lead Pastor now?

John Shepherd is our Lead Pastor until his successor is in place.

Was this a sudden decision?

No. This decision came after many months of prayer and listening to God regarding John’s
ministry future. He has been working closely with the elders through this process.

Where is John Shepherd going?

John is excited about serving pastors and ministry leaders with Standing Stone Ministry
(standingstoneministry.org). Standing Stone provides free pastoral care to pastors and ministry
leaders. If you want more info about partnering with John in his new ministry, please contact
him at .

Who is serving on the Lead Pastor Search Team?

The elders have selected these church members to serve on the team, representing a diversity
of leadership roles and perspectives:
 
Brian George (chair)
Angi Morgan
Rich Allen
Rebecca Lowry
Jeremy Duke

How does the search process work?

According to the ROCC Constitution: “When the Lead Pastor’s position is vacated, the Elders will
appoint a Pastor Search Committee. The Pastor Search Committee will make recommendations
to the Elders. The Elders in turn will make recommendations to the congregation. A three-
fourths affirmative vote by the membership in a special called meeting of the church is required
to elect a new Lead Pastor.”

How do I know what to pray for? Pray for:

1. The elders and the search team to be filled with wisdom and discernment.

2. Pastor John: Thank God for the 12 years of faithful leadership that he has given our
church body. Pray for God’s favor to continue to rest on John as he enters a new calling
to “shepherd” pastors and ministry leaders.
 
3. Our next Lead Pastor: Pray for God to protect him and his family and for him to clearly
sense God’s call to be the next leader of our flock. Pray for their transition to us and
their future ministry with us.
 
4. Our church family: Pray that we will be open to this new chapter in our church’s history.
Pray that people will pray for, engage with, and embrace God’s will for our future.

How do I stay updated on the progress of the search or contact the search team?

Text SEARCH to 615-789-8755 to be notified when this page is updated with new information.
You can contact the search team directly by emailing
 

What is the timeline for the search? How can I vote?

There is no definite timeline for the search. With John committed to remain as Lead Pastor until
the search concludes, there is no pressure to make a rushed decision. We believe it is more
important to make a right decision than a fast one. That said, we feel confident that the search
will be completed in 2023.

When the elders are ready to present the recommended candidate to the church, we will notify
church members at least one week prior to the upcoming vote. Remember that only church
members can vote per our constitution. If you are not a member, register for our Step 1 class to
learn more about church membership.