Kristi and I are absolutely heartbroken that Resonate Church is closing down. When Amanda and I launched out eight years ago with a vision and a dream to build a life-giving church in Indianapolis, we certainly did not think that eight years into the journey Resonate would no longer be in existence. As the leader of Resonate for the past eight years, I take responsibility for the organization not being in a place where it could continue forward beyond our departure. If I was given the opportunity to start the church all over again there are many leadership decisions I would make differently. The past three years since Amanda’s death have proven difficult to navigate with demands on our family, leadership of the church, and serving in other ministries. While we have much to learn and room for growth in leadership, we have striven to conduct our lives with the utmost integrity and with a heart to help people meet Jesus and grow in their walk with Him.
As Kristi and I were in conversations with our Board of Overseers and the transition team about our transition, our desire was – and still is – to do whatever we can to help Resonate Church as a body of believers move into their next season well. The reality that Resonate Church would not be able to move forward in ministry was discussed by this team and everyone agreed we would labor to finish well the good work that was started. This meant making relational, pastoral, and financial decisions to (1) take care of any of Resonate’s outstanding balances, (2) take care of the remaining staff families – the Berry’s and the Shilts specifically – by providing a generous severance so that these families can transition into their next season of life and ministry, and (3) take care of the people of Resonate by pointing them to other congregations they can worship with, serve in, give to, and join in small groups. We are thankful that Resonate Church will have the means to do all of these things in addition to giving the remaining funds and assets to other churches and nonprofits it has shared relationship with over the years.
I know the buttoning up process of any organization is not easy and I’m thankful to the Berry’s and Shilts for leaning into these arduous details. Both John Berry and Emily Shilts are very capable of carrying out the remainder of the process well. Kristi and I are grateful that this new season of ministry allows our family to remain in Indianapolis and continue doing ministry with many of the folks who once called Resonate church their home.
Over the next several weeks and months as we sit and reflect on the impact Resonate Church has made in Indianapolis and in the world, countless faces, names, and stories will fill our thoughts – stories of healing, life-change, freedom, and salvation. We will be forever grateful for the volunteers and staff who labored tirelessly to see the Gospel spread in Indianapolis and in the world around it. We will be forever grateful for the churches and people in our city who rallied around us when tragedy hit in 2015 and Amanda was taken from us. We will be forever grateful for those who prayed with us as a church, believed in us as a church, and invested in us as a church. We will be forever grateful for those who served alongside of us and finished well with us. I’m so proud of each and every person in our congregation who worshiped with us and faithfully served the people coming into our doors each week. I’m confident that as you step into the next season of ministry, God will guide you to a new church community that will help you grow even closer to Jesus than ever before. Kristi and I will be forever grateful for our time with you.
