Brian Baughman, founding pastor of Fuente de Vida Grace Bilingual Church in Ekhart, Ind., has announced that leadership of the church has been handed over to someone reached and raised up on the church. Daniel Morales, who has served as adult Sunday school tenner and worship leader, will be leading the congregation. His wife, Alicia, leads the women’s group at the church and helps with children’s ministries. Originally from Monterrery, Mexico, they grew up as pastor’s kids and attended a Bible institute there, according to Brian, whose last day at the church was September 20.

Here’s a portion of Brian’s message sent earlier this month:

Friends we have so much to praise the Lord for!

It has been nothing but His grace that has raised up this new church and sustained it through the years. Fuente has grown and matured and is now on the threshold of a whole new era. From a “church planter’s viewpoint” this is kind of the last step in the process to full independence and maturity. We have arrived at the point where the church planter is handing over all leadership and responsibility to the people that have been reached and raised up. I was never sure when this day would come, but it has and God has made it abundantly clear it is His timing and the church is ready for the next step. We have appointed a new leader and the existing board is doing well handling the details of transition of authority and responsibility.  … As for Tammy and I we will begin to attend another church as we wait on the Lord and see what our next assignment will be.  Meanwhile I have a good job in construction using my other building skills and enjoying a time of being back in the real work a day world.  There are some great possibilities for the future and we would appreciate your prayers as we seek God’s will and timing for our next step.

To close I (we) need to thank The Lord of the harvest one more time for His grace having poured out so greatly upon us and the ministry/church for so long, and we need to thank you guys for the prayer support that empowered the work and brought sustaining strength, encouragement and support as it was needed. We love you all and have greatly appreciated all you have done and sacrificed on our behalf to help build the kingdom.