J.R. Briggs

I love working with this guy!

January 20, 2010

Encouragement comes in various forms, but one of the most significant areas of encouragement in my life in ministry comes from someone that I want you to know.

So, its time for a shout out…

Tracy Commons serves as the co-pastor of Renew with me. When I’m discouraged and down, Tracy is there to provide perspective and encouragement. When I’m missing something, am blinded to a specific situation or didn’t handle a situation well he is there to tell me the truth – even when its hard for me to heard – with dignity and respect. He’s quick to forgive me when I screw up (which is often!) and he’s quicker to ask for forgiveness when he’s screwed something up (but he doesn’t screw things up quite as much as I do). Ministry can be difficult at times and I am so thankful to be able to be serving and leading alongside of someone like him. He’s more loyal than the family dog!

He graduated from Biblical Seminary a few years ago (which means he’s much more educated than I am) and was working as the branch manager of a bank in the area. I’m stirred by Tracy’s faith. About a year ago he approached the elders and told us that he and his wife Jenna felt strongly about stepping out in faith to raise their own support in order to join the staff of Renew to oversee our house churches and shepherd and lead other areas of our community of faith. Ironically, we were at a point of praying that God would bring us people to step out in great faith who would be willing to join staff in order to serve the needs of those within Renew and the surrounding community. I’m grateful how God provides. Since his support hasn’t been raised entirely (yet) he’s worked a variety of jobs – making drinks as a Starbucks barista, working at a pro shop, selling Christmas trees, etc – in order to pursue this calling. I’m inspired by his commitment and faith.

We’re different in personality and I’m quite thankful for that. Tracy leads our house churches and builds into our house church shepherds in ways I never could. His skills in counseling people through difficult situations exceed mine and he has more compassion and patience with others than I’m capable of possessing.

He and Jenna are expecting their first child (a baby boy they are naming Will) next month. We’re so excited for them!

We met two weeks ago to look back on 2009 and then look forward and dream about what God might have in store in 2010 – both personally and as a church. Tracy has chosen to be very purposeful with his daily, weekly and monthly rhythms: attempting to be accessible to house church shepherds, studying the Scriptures, prayer-walking, practicing Sabbath, meeting with other pastors in the area, as well as his neighbors. We even work out early mornings together at the gym and have had some mean games of racquetball and basketball.

He said something that encouraged me greatly: “2009 was the most maturing year of my adult life.” We talked about why that was and he mentioned four elements: stepping out to trust God in a radical way (raising his own support), inviting people to speak into his life (friends and mentors), being intentional about his rhythms (spiritual disciplines) and a teachable spirit (allowing the good and bad elements of life teach him along the way). I love to hear that he’s growing in his faith – and I hope and pray it continues in 2010!

Before you think that this is some sort of a living eulogy or an “I-love-you-man” Super Bowl commercial, he will tell you (and so will I) that he’s far from perfect. But his teachable spirit, his willingness to humbly work in his calling and his patience with all my eccentricities, insecurities, weaknesses and – at times – my quirky personality, is admirable. I told him that I don’t care if he was the most “successful” pastor in the whole country – the fact that he is growing in his faith and that the gospel is becoming more real in his life encourages me more than anything else.

I think about Tracy when I read what Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica:

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. (2 Thess 1:3).

Just thought I’d share the love and tell you: I’m extremely grateful to be serving alongside of this guy!

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