Dianne Burnett: Hello and welcome back to Across the Globe, the podcast, a space to unify, inform, and tell the stories of God's work across the Global Methodist Church. As we continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural coloress across the globe. Whether you're listening from across the street or across the globe, we are so grateful that you're here. And before we jump into today's conversation, be sure to hit subscribe, rate, share this podcast so others can stay connected to the stories and people shaping the life of the Global Methodist Church. And I know I say this almost every episode, but it is definitely true in this case. I am so excited to have the one and only Tom Laird. Join us today ⁓ and for today's conversation. ⁓ Tom is definitely a well-known name in our movement and for many, many reasons. And so we are just gonna spend some time today in conversation about just his work, not only as secretary of the general conference, but truly his impact and the work that he has done a lot of times behind the scenes in helping form what is now the Global Methodist Church and what his ministries look like and just his. his leadership and he really has just played an instrumental role in getting us to where we are today. And so I am excited to have him join me in this conversation. And so Tom, seriously, welcome to Across the Globe. Tom Lambrecht: Thank you so much, Diane. It's a real honor to be here and to be able to think back across a a long life of God's blessing. Dianne Burnett: Well, it's definitely ⁓ been a huge part of our footprint. And, you know, I don't think we can say thank you enough for a lot of the work that you have done. And so I just am excited to have this conversation and just to actually just be in this space with you as you reflect and think back about all of your time. And so let's just jump right in. And so, Tom, why don't we kick off with you just sharing with our listeners What exactly has the decades of your leadership and just your impact what all has that consisted of? you know, start with maybe how are you called to ministry? Tom Lambrecht: Well, ⁓ the call to ministry was an interesting one. I got involved with University Christian Fellowship when I was ⁓ in college and ⁓ really grew ⁓ in my discipleship there. But I had I was a a music major, music education and I play trombone and you know, conduct music bands and stuff, and was thinking of going into to teaching music and Had no thought at all of being in ministry, but because of my involvement with Bible studies and prayer meetings through university, some of my friends began to say to me, You know, have you ever thought about going into ministry? We think that you have the gifts and graces needed for that, and God may be calling you there. And so that was kind of an out-of-the-blue thing for me. my grandfather was a pastor and ⁓ he died really before I I got to maturity, so I never really got a chance to talk to him much about what it was like to be in ministry, but it it it wasn't really on my mind at all. And so ended up just kind of committing that to the Lord in prayer and and saying, Okay, whatever you want and but I felt like he was saying to stay on the track that I was on until he closed the door. So I went into teaching music and taught music for s two years in a very small school district in northern Wisconsin. And while I was there, I interviewed it for other positions and looked for a better job and that kind of thing and in every situation that I interviewed for, the door was closed. And I I must have been the finalist for about six or eight different jobs and none of them happened. So I just think that that was the Lord saying, No, this is not the direction for you. So the interesting thing was that I got married in that two year period of time and had a a daughter and so w when we moved to seminary she was three months old. And ⁓ so that was kind of a interesting thing because, you know, neither one of us had a job and we had no income and we were just trusting God for everything, ⁓ at that point. So but went to seminary and and really felt drawn to stay within the Methodist movement. ⁓ theologically it was where I fit and God was just saying this is where you belong. So that's how I ended up going into the United Methodist Church as a pastor. Dianne Burnett: Okay, well then how then did you get involved with the Global Methodist Church? Tom Lambrecht: So I came into minist right. It's a saga. So so in nineteen eighty two when I came into ministry, we be we were thinking, you know, about the fact that nineteen eighty-four was the bicentennial of American Methodism. Dianne Burnett: And you laugh because that's not an easy answer, right? Yeah. Tom Lambrecht: And we felt like of course there's gonna be a big celebration. There's gonna be a real ⁓ opportunity to refocus on Wesley and Wesley's doctrine and theology and teaching and so forth. So ⁓ some comrades in ministry in Wisconsin and I developed a way to promote Wesleyanism through ⁓ a Wesley fellowship group that we started there and we began to really, you know, nurture ⁓ Wesleyan understanding and and very ⁓ authentic biblical Wesleyan theology. And over the years ⁓ we spoke out about things and that kind of gave rise to ⁓ involvement with good news. when I was In nineteen ninety two ⁓ went to the the jer the general conference in Louisville and that's where I first got connected to Good News and wound up on the board of directors in nineteen ninety-three and n never got off really. the you're supposed to have a a sabbatical every six years, you're supposed to be able to go off and then come back if you wanted to, but they never let me rotate off. So I I was a member of the Good News Board for many years, ⁓ served as the president, had good relationships with a lot of ⁓ key evangelical leaders and ⁓ involved in that. And of course, as things developed, Good Newsfelt led to help start the confessing movement, first of all. And ⁓ we were part of that, and then out of that eventually came the the Wesley and Covenant Association in 2016 and ⁓ Good News was part of that and starting that and so I kind of had a a behind the scenes role in a lot of those kind of renewal groups that nationally began. And so when when the Wesley and Covenant Association started We formed our own chapter in Wisconsin. We were the first annual conference to actually have a Wesleyan Covenant Association chapter in the annual conference and kind of pioneered that approach and really became much more outspoken in advocacy for biblical Christianity within the United Methodist Church. And you know, my biggest problem is I don't know when to keep my mouth shut. that I I end up saying stuff Dianne Burnett: Is that a problem? Tom Lambrecht: That the wiser person may not want to say. But anyway, I wasn't too worried about my career, so called, because I knew God had that. So that and so when we when it came time to realize that that the the d the ⁓ the Wesleyan Covenant Association realized that the the future was probably a Dianne Burnett: Absolutely. Tom Lambrecht: gonna wind up with some kind of a schism happening within Methodism, then we began working on with others on how to form something that would be in place in case it was needed. And after the general conference in twenty nineteen it was certainly needed. So that that kind of was how I got involved. I just got because I was involved with Good News and became the vice president of Good News and served in that role for well, probably thirteen years. Yeah, I just had the privilege of being able to help get these groups going and and help promote a steadily more robust advocacy for biblical Christianity that ended up looking at how could we start something new that was faithful not only theologically but faithful movementally and and really get a the kind of church that that got rid of the some of the corruption that we experienced in the United Methodism and and enabled our church to be used by God to reach people for Christ. Dianne Burnett: Right. So just in case there are some that are listening today, they're like, What is good news? Could you maybe explain a little bit and what exactly that means? Tom Lambrecht: Sure. Good news ⁓ is the short name, the long name is the forum for scriptural Christianity. And it was started in nineteen sixty seven by ⁓ a guy in in a a lay person in ⁓ Illinois who was a a newspaper editor and ⁓ he started Good News as a magazine first and then became an organization and it really ⁓ was the oldest and most largest of the various renewal organizations within United Methodism, as the name says, speaking up for biblical Christianity and attempting to bring reform and renewal to the United Methodist Church. And we had some success o ⁓ especially in terms of ⁓ general conference and things that were being passed at General Conference. We had good success in cultivating relationships with delegates in Africa particularly and equipping them and empowering them, ⁓ in terms of ⁓ their participation in the church. And but but when it came down to it, you know there were ⁓ leaders in the United Methodist Church who just said, well no matter what General Conference says, this is what we're gonna do and made the situation untenable. But but good news is really the the the premier renewal organization within United Methodism and behind a lot of the others. Dianne Burnett: Right, right. And so, you know, in a nutshell, you were definitely behind the scenes, I think, in in the in front, but you also were a lot things happening behind the scenes, like just helping with some of those foundational pieces. And so I have to ask, being on that side of things, were there a couple of moments that you were just like, Wow, God is doing something powerful here that maybe stick out that you want to share? Tom Lambrecht: Well, we were amazed that at some of the things that happened at the general conference, ⁓ of United Methodist Church and and votes that we won that we thought for sure we were gonna lose and and how God really moved to maintain faithfulness w at least on paper in the United Methodist Church far longer than any of the other mainline denominations. I mean the the Episcopal Church ⁓ kind of capitulated to the spirit of the age at least twenty years before the United Methodists did. And so I mean, we just saw time after time how God came through in those situations and it really taught me that that God can be trusted and that we can know that he will help us through to whatever future he has for us. And so that's kind of the thing that that helped me to be willing to step out in in helping with the WCA as well as with ⁓ the Global Methodist Church, knowing that, you know, what we're doing is really in God's hands and w He's just guiding us and and he's bringing it together. I mean, I think of the gathering that we had at the Woodlands United United Methodist Church at the time, ⁓ now Woodlands Methodist, which brought people from around the country and even some from overseas, including several bishops, to talk about what would a new denomination look like. And getting really started with that, ⁓ you know, that there was a a real sense of unity, a sense of purpose, a sense of excitement about something that that could ⁓ circumvent all the blocks that we had. I mean, it seemed like with the United Methodist Church trying for renewal and reform, we were just getting blocked after block after block. And It just it it was really appealing to I think the whole group to be able to start fresh, to have a blank sheet of paper and say, Okay, what do we want this church to look like? What do we want to believe? What do we want to promote? How do we wanna operate? What kind of culture do we wanna have? And ⁓ to be able to do that together with ⁓ a group of such capable and well respected leaders was awesome. Dianne Burnett: Right. And you know, I can't help but ask on that when you were probably looking at that blank sheet of paper and knowing what I do know about you, having been able to s just work alongside you these past couple of years, is that you have a heart for Making sure that our African and international brothers and sisters have a voice at any table when it comes to any of the ⁓ work of the Global Methodist Church. And so when you were looking at that blank piece of paper, what was your heart for our international friends in coming along and being part of this new movement? Tom Lambrecht: Well, we were building the movement with the expectation that pretty much right from the start the international people from outside the United States would be the majority. That did not happen because of the resistance that we encountered from the United Methodist ⁓ church in terms of allowing or not allowing ⁓ annual conferences outside the US to withdraw. But There's still a s a very strong international presence in our church. I mean, it's forty percent now, ⁓ and it's only gonna grow. So to have to have the church be the kind of church that appeals just as much outside the US as it does inside is a big part of it. And realizing that when we when we build our church we have to build it not just in a way that United States people are comfortable with it, but in a way that that also fits for people outside the US. And so, ⁓ you know, when we began pulling together the Trad Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline, we we had this philosophy of, well Does it have to be in there? If not, let's leave it out so that we can allow for greater contextual variety between different places and only require what's necessary. And at the same time provide the a solid foundation for churches that may be very kind of fledgling churches, ⁓ fledgling annual conferences, people that don't really have the background of experience of how to build a a a denominational structure, how can we support them and how can we provide enough in there to to do that. And so there was really that kind of thinking about how do we incorporate and make this applicable as a global church, not just as a US denomination. Dianne Burnett: Is there anything else that you maybe didn't think of to put on that blank sheet of paper that looking back now you're like, Man, God did some amazing work and is maybe just far surpassed any expectation you had for us as a whole? Tom Lambrecht: Well I think I think what I'm really surprised not surprised by, but blessed by is the the way that our leaders have worked together with a common heart, both inside and outside the United States and having the same kind of vision for where we want to go as a denomination and having a common ⁓ priority on our Wesleyan doctrine and on ⁓ holiness and accountability. I mean those are the kind of the big pillars that that w held everything up as we were building it and having having leaders that were really all jointly committed to the same thing and working together and sharing their gifts. I mean, no one of us could have done any of this. we we needed each other and we needed the gifts and contributions of everybody. And so I think that that was the most gratifying part of the whole process was being able to work with like minded leaders from around the world to to build something new that's gonna last for generations. Dianne Burnett: Absolutely. And so you very much went from behind the scenes to very much outfront when you stepped into the role of general conference secretary for the global Methodist Church. And so I have to say, you know, I had I was newly on staff at that point and we were gearing up for Costa Rica, full planning mode, and we didn't have a general secretary. All right, and people were like Okay, who's he gonna be? And then all of a sudden Keith was like, I have the perfect person, it's going to be Tom. And the chatter and buzz that came around that in the best way possible of the excitement of that, I was like, okay, then this guy has got to be the guy. And you have absolutely shown that you were the right guy for this season for us in more ways than one. But how exactly did you go from then being behind the scenes to very much not? Tom Lambrecht: Well, ⁓ I didn't ask for the job, let's put it that way. I was actually the second choice. Keith Boyet, as the ch the executive director, whatever he was called, of the the GMC at that time, asked somebody else and they they couldn't do it. And so that's when he turned to me and I was just kind of beginning to wrap up Dianne Burnett: Ha ha ha. Tom Lambrecht: things at good news because we knew that good news was probably going to fold because our our mission had been accomplished and fulfilled through the formation of the Global Methodist Church. So why keep something going that a renewal group when we don't really need renewing anymore? We're forming this new group together. So he knew that that I was winding down good news and I was actually planning on retiring at the end of twenty twenty four and ⁓ he said, No, we need you and so I mean I'd already been working behind the scenes ⁓ I was a part of the commission on general conference already and had been doing other things behind the scenes to help promote and support the Costa Rica conference. But then he said, Well, we need we need somebody in this role so Dianne Burnett: Here's what we know about Keith Boyette. Yeah, well, key let's be clear. Keith's definition of retirement, I think, is very different than most of us in this world. ⁓ I've I've picked at him a little bit. I'm like, Keith, I think we've got a definitely a different ⁓ definition there of that word. So ⁓ but thank you for answering that call. And so what what has brought you the greatest joy in this season in this position? Tom Lambrecht: Fool foolishly I said yes. I think the greatest joy, ⁓ two things. One is working with people like you. on the commission and and with the GMC staff, ⁓ Make Schaefer is just an awesome, awesome boss. And the just all the leaders that I've been able to work with has been a real joy. And then the other joy has been to be able to see things start to function the way we thought they should. And to see, you know, when we put together the transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline and then it evolved into the Book of Doctrines and Discipline, you know, the there's gaps in there, there's things missing, yes, we're and we need to do more perfecting to that. But but man, to see to see things begin to operate the way we hoped It's like, you know, drawing drawing a plan of a building on a piece of paper and then you see it actually being built and it looks kinda like what you thought it would when you drew it on the paper. That's kind of how I feel. Dianne Burnett: Right. Yeah, absolutely. And so what emotions then are you experiencing leading up? You know, we've had a lot of excitement leading up to Johannesburg, but knowing that you are not going to serve in that same capacity after our time there, what how are you feeling about that? Tom Lambrecht: I'm gonna miss it. I'm gonna miss the opportunity to work together with people that I love and I share a common purpose with. ⁓ it's right for me to step aside. We need younger people to step up. I mean I'm I'm I'm in the sunset of my career here, so I don't need to hang on to a position. I think we need we need younger people to do it and I promised my wife I'd spend more time with her, so she's holding me to it. Dianne Burnett: As she as she should. So speaking of those I'm I'm gonna say those younger people, I think that's a common desire we hear on a lot of those that we have just in these conversations is because they are hoping to just continue that next generation of global Methodists and so moving forward. So what would you say then, those younger folks, quote unquote, coming in ⁓ and just taking that torch in more ways than one, what wisdom do you want to pass along to them? Tom Lambrecht: Well, let me first of all say that I am tremendously excited about the younger leaders that I see coming along. both in the next generation and the generation after that. I mean, I am I am excited to see God raising up godly leaders, men and women who are really sold out to Jesus and wanting to carry out the the work that God's given him to do and and just being faithful on that and it it's just exciting to see. So I mean one thing I'm aware of is that this is a different world than it was forty years ago or fifty years ago when I started in ministry. And we need people that are are with the time now and with the culture now to be able to understand how best to position the church and to relate the church to a culture that's much different than it was. and so I think I think we need more innovation. I think although it's ⁓ sometimes uncomfortable ⁓ to do that, but But I think we need more innovation that's gonna help us experiment with different things that might be effective in reaching people for Christ. I think I think we we are on the right track in a lot of ways. Focusing on the ministry of the local church and everything that we do as a denomination is to support that. That that has got to be our ongoing mantra. ⁓ we cannot get into the mindset of building a kingdom for ourselves in a denominational structure. We have to really focus on what are we doing that's gonna support and help local churches to be all that God wants them to be. And really that's that's gotta be the focus. So that would be one major point that I would I would hope continues. And then just developing people as leaders. I mean, one of the biggest need in the church today is leaders. Lay leaders, clergy leaders, people helping us move forward. and so w we need to do a better job we're doing a good job I think, but we need to even do a better job of developing leaders, both of of the generation X or whatever and but also the very the Gen Z and and the the ones coming after them. I mean, focusing on identifying and developing those people. Dianne Burnett: Right, right. And so, you know, as we develop this next generation and y we've talked about years to come. We just want people to look back and and see all the ways that the Lord has brought us to this point. And you have played a part in that and you know, we are grateful that the Lord called you to be part of this. And so when you think of that, what do you want those future leaders to look back, even about now, in 2026, and remember about these early years of the Global Methodist Church. Tom Lambrecht: Remember how God exceeded all our expectations. I mean, I'm kind of a a nuts and bolts numbers person sometimes and and just looking at the income that has come to the global Methodist denomination from our churches ⁓ as they've contributed their d their connectional funding, I mean far in excess of what we thought. And Dianne Burnett: Amen. Tom Lambrecht: raising up the people that we now have on our denominational staff is, you know, we've got some really top notch people who are doing a great job. and how God took when we didn't know what we were doing in creating who's who's ever done this before, right? None of us. We've never built a denomination. We've never built a church together, at all. And so God took us and led us through this process to where we got a lot of things right. Not everything, but a lot of things. And we have a church that's thriving in various places around the world. As well as you know places in the United States, even where maybe we weren't thriving before, we're starting to thrive now. And so the Dianne Burnett: Right. Tom Lambrecht: This is all God. It's it's just how he used the gifts and abilities and time that people are willing to invest and by making ourselves available to him we were able to accomplish an unbelievable thing. Dianne Burnett: Okay. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. So let's talk a Lynn a little bit about Johannesburg. And we are going to the continent of Africa for our general conference and your last general conference as secretary. And so that's exciting. But what are you looking forward to for just that I would say holy conferencing of your people of our people coming together? Tom Lambrecht: Well, I'm excited that we're going to Africa. That's one dimension of my job with good news that I did not expect. that I would be traveling to Africa and I've been there maybe six or eight times. and getting to know people from Africa on a first name basis and and being able to work together with them has been a real joy and privilege. and ⁓ so I'm excited that to share that experience with all the people coming from the US to experience something that I've experienced ⁓ at least a little bit to a degree, ⁓ by going to Africa and and seeing a different culture and seeing how God is working there. I think that's exciting. I think it's exciting that that we have the opportunity to continue perfecting the the structural work of the GMC. I mean we we've been saying right along that we're building the airplane while we're flying it. But you know we're we're pretty far along in the building process, but we still have we we have ⁓ things to make the in interior decorating kind of things we have to get right. And ⁓ so there's there's things that we need to do to to keep on perfecting and I'm Dianne Burnett: Thank you. Tom Lambrecht: Looking forward to seeing how that's all gonna turn out. You know, it's funny being this the general conference secretary is I can't really take a position on issues. I have opinions. but but It's not my it's not my future church. I mean, I'm I'm reaching the end of my service. It's it's the church that belongs to the people in the room. And so it's gonna be fun to see what direction they take on things and how they handle different questions that are gonna come up. What do we think about the doctrinal statement that we're coming up with? How are we gonna function? ⁓ Dianne Burnett: Right. Tom Lambrecht: You know, are how are we changing ordained ministry? ⁓ how are we gonna do this, that and the other? I don't know. There's lots of ideas out there in those four hundred and fifty petitions that we have, but seeing how that's all gonna turn out is is is I'm looking forward to that. Dianne Burnett: Right. Right. Okay, so I I'm gonna bring this up while I have you here so that we can make sure we have everyone hear this because we it's become a little bit of a a point of humor in our office because literally after we adjourned in Costa Rica, we already had people calling and emailing the next day asking for the Book of Doctrines discipline to already be available to them. And I would love to say, Hey, we've got some amazing people and do great work, but that turnaround With a flight home, it just, you know, that was a little impossible. So could you maybe just share a little bit with those listening? So we adjourn everything we we walk away with these beautiful new pieces or maybe pieces that we've now decided to omit from that. What does that process look like then so that we have a new and upgraded or I wn I I don't even know if that's the right word, but Book of Doctrines and Disciplines for our ⁓ church. What does that process look like afterwards? Tom Lambrecht: Sure. Well, first of all I have to go through and look at every single petition. but focus mainly on the ones that passed and and say, Okay, how does this change the language in the Book of Doctrines of this one compared to what we have now? And begin making those changes editorially. And so that's gonna take a lot of time. ⁓ it's not something you can do in in two days. It's probably ⁓ going to take until the end of the year before we have a definite ⁓ text that we can at least put online. we're we're right. Dianne Burnett: Right. At least the first version, right? For us to to really and it's a moment we put it online, someone's like, ⁓ you missed this spot and so it's we it's a continuing process. Tom Lambrecht: Right. Fortunately I have a ⁓ journal committee that we've elected from the delegates, ⁓ four people who are gonna help me and be my backstop and and help make sure that we get everything right. And ⁓ a couple of them are very knowledgeable that I know and very nitpicky, which is what we need. And if we again use seedbed, which I'm not sure y of yet, ⁓ Dianne Burnett: Right. Tom Lambrecht: they have some excellent proofreaders as well who find things that I I could never see and so there it's a team effort but it does take time because we wanna get this right. We don't want to put out something that's got errors in it. And so we try our best. The I am kind of excited that after we did finally publish the Book of Doctrines and Discipline, I think I only received one email about a a mistake. So I think we got almost all the mistakes out, so that was kind of good. Dianne Burnett: Right. No, for sure. And and thank you for that work and the journal committee for the work that goes into that for sure. And so I, you know, you mentioned earlier the local church and how your hope and is that we as a a movement continue in our conviction of staying rooted in the local church. And so we don't want to end this episode just like we haven't ended the others without giving you an opportunity to give a shout out to your local church and where you are seeing God move there. Tom Lambrecht: So I'm I'm ⁓ part of the Woodlands Methodist Church, which is the largest deno ⁓ church in our denomination. And just for context, you have to know that in Wisconsin, you know, I've been a part of churches that had maybe five hundred members, at the most. And so coming to a church of I think at the time it was ten thousand, now it's over fourteen thousand members, is like It's like going to Mars. it's a totally different thing. But I'm excited about about how God is moving in our church and ⁓ what God is doing through ⁓ the young leaders and the the established leaders. I mean we've got bishop now I'm drawing a blank. Dianne Burnett: It is, right? Tom Lambrecht: We've got a resident bishop on our staff who's doing a great job of of ⁓ preaching and ministering to the younger staff. and we've got the in the congregation I attend, the the worship experience that I attend, we've got a thirty something pastor who's just, you know, doing a a great job of leading our our church. my wife and I lead a home group ⁓ of people and ⁓ We're excited about that. We've got God working there. God is working through the missions program of our church and reaching out to many, many countries and also locally. I mean, what what a church the size of ours is able to do is just boggles the mind. but the exciting thing to me and and really, you know, brought me to tears was an awareness that when our church decided to stay or to join the Global Methodist Church, it could have been an independent church. It could have just said, we'll we'll do our own thing. But the heart and the the vision of our leaders, ⁓ Mark Sorensen is gonna be preaching at general conference. He's a great leader of our of our church. ⁓ and he and the other leaders, their heart was really, how can we share what God has given us with the denomination and with other churches and help equip and empower them. And s not being selfish and looking only to ourselves and what we can accomplish, but how can we be part of something bigger and how can we share and empower others. So that's really the heart of our of our church and I was so so happy that we decided to do that because it'd be easy to just break away and do our own thing and and but they have a heart of giving to others. And so, you know, we share resources with congregations. ⁓ we share Bible studies that we've developed, we share all kinds of leadership tips and and different things that are are going on. So I mean, it's it's really the whole thing of blessed to be a blessing and seeking how to be a blessing to other churches. And that that's the heart of our church. So I'm I'm happy about that. Dianne Burnett: Absolutely. And that's such I love hearing the stories of just how the Lord is showing up in those congregations, big and small. And so thank you for sharing. And I also just wanna give you a space because we do know that leadership and ministry, you're you don't carry that alone. There's that community and support system around you that the Lord provides you to help you in that because it's can feel lonely, it can just feel hard. And there, you know, some days there's a lot to celebrate, and some days there's those days where it's like, Lord, please just show me the way. And so I just want to give you a space, Tom. Is there anyone, any group, you know, your your beautiful wife, anyone that you just want to take a moment and maybe just express some gratitude to? Tom Lambrecht: Well, I am so so grateful to my wife Mary who has been willing to walk with me through this journey. the first time I mentioned to her that maybe God was calling me into ministry, she thought I was kidding. And she didn't really think it was gonna happen. and it did, and she she was willing to come along. She grew up Catholic so she didn't know an n anything about Methodism and so she started at ground zero and she's been with me the whole way and very supportive of everything and I just appreciate her very much. I appreciate the the people of the churches that I served in Wisconsin for twenty nine years. I feel looking back on it, I feel like I really ⁓ didn't know what I was doing and If I had it to do over again I'd probably do better. but they put up with me and they they were willing to to to draw nearer to Jesus through through the ministry. And so that that is a real blessing and particularly I enjoyed, you know, in in ministry leading ⁓ worship through ⁓ we we started contemporary worship in several of the churches that I pastored and Dianne Burnett: Ha. Tom Lambrecht: So I worked together with musicians to to do that and we had fun ⁓ leading worship together. I really appreciate ⁓ Jim Heidinger, who was the executive director of Good News when I first got involved and was for many, many years. And then of course Rob Renfro was his successor and both Jim and Rob were great leaders in the church and great to work with, both as a board member and as a on staff person. And so I really appreciate them and and the contributions that they made. I appreciate all the staff of Good News and how they That was really a team operation as well and and 'cause if you know like Rob's gifts are totally different than mine, but we worked great together and it was fun because we each had our area of expertise and our area of gifting and we were able to to do that together and that was just so rewarding. And ⁓ you know, then to come t here to work with the Global Methodist Church and Dianne Burnett: Right. Tom Lambrecht: to meet people like you and and working with you and and others on our staff has been a real joy and especially Mike Schaefer and getting to know him and his leadership is really stellar. I really appreciate Mike and the way that he's leading us as a staff and as a denomination and what he's doing. So he's been very supportive of my work as the General Conference Secretary and we've had fun together as well. So and I should probably mention the the commission on the General Conference and all the people on there and being able to work with them, Mike Grant and his leadership and so, you know, there there are many, many people that are part of my life and, you know, friends that I've known Dianne Burnett: Absolutely. Well I can Tom Lambrecht: over the years as well have been very supportive. Mention one and you'll forget more, but Dianne Burnett: Right. Well, I I think I can speak for all of us on the Global Operations staff that you will definitely be missed. your wisdom and if you don't know this, your humor is definitely one that we think we all appreciate and it will definitely not be the same. And so thank you and just thank you for your leadership. And I also have to ask, so did a trombone ever make it into any of your worship services? Tom Lambrecht: As a matter of fact, yes. when I was an associate pastor for ten years in Wisconsin at one church, the the the lead pastor said, Okay, you have to do you have to play ⁓ Holy Night on Christmas Eve. So that was my my assignment. I had to play ⁓ Holy Night on Christmas Eve every year for ten years. Dianne Burnett: Why I love that. I love that. And so thank you, Tom, again, for just this conversation today and just how you've poured in to your calling that the Lord has called you to do. And so thank you so much. And so I'm actually going to have you pray us out, if you don't mind, and just pray for our our church or w general conference, whatever's on your heart, and then I will close us out. Tom Lambrecht: Sounds good. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for your goodness and your grace. We can't are conscious of our dependence on you that we couldn't do anything without you. And you know, everything that I've experienced in my life, I've known has come through your your strength and your empowerment and your leading. And of course, the times when I mess up, ⁓ you've forgiven me and you've helped me get back on track. And I I pray that for all of us who are listening, Lord, that we would continue to get back on track with you and that you would just continue to guide and empower your church, your leaders, ⁓ the people, the disciples. We pray, Lord, for the Global Methodist Church as we approach this ⁓ exciting general conference coming up, that you would just be there and be be present in all that we do. We pray that you would help us to act in such a way that we treat one another with love and respect. that in spite of differences of opinion about things that we would just seek the common good and seek the good of the church above all things. We pray, Lord, that that you would help our staff to provide the leadership that's needed for a denomination that's just getting going and get just starting to rev up. And Lord, I'm so excited at about what I see could happen and may happen as you continue to work through local churches around the world and you work through leaders and and providing ⁓ opportunities for expansion and growth in ministry. Lord, I just pray that you would raise up those leaders and equip them, that you would guard and protect them, protect them from Pride, protect them from ⁓ falling, protect them from getting off the track. Help them to stay focused on you and on your will and purpose. Lord, we just lift up all these things in the precious and mighty name of Jesus. Dianne Burnett: Amen. Thank you, Tom. And thank you again for joining us. And thank you to all of you for tuning in on this episode of Across the Globe the podcast. As always, we're grateful to share the story of God's work through the Global Methodist Church as we make disciples of Jesus Christ who spread scriptural holiness across the globe. Be sure to hit subscribe and share this. Tom Lambrecht: Yeah. Dianne Burnett: conversation and stay connected and tune in for others as we just continue to share the stories across our connection. Until next time, we continue to we hope that all of you continue to worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. See you next time.