As indicated in a previous notice, my wife and I are transitioning back to the United States. As of May 13, 2009, we should be back in Pensacola, Florida. According to those who have moved from missionary service in a foreign country back to their native land, we're going to go through "reverse culture shock" and a time of re-adjusting to life in the USA.

We would appreciate your continued prayers for our family situation (the reasons for our return), our transition, and the medical evaluations that I will be undergoing for the first couple of months. My doctor suspects that I may have suffered a heart attack two years ago—diagnosed as angina pains at the time—so they are anxious to run a series of tests to determine a course of action…maybe angioplasty or open heart surgery.

During the past five years, I have also gone through significant changes in my own understanding of ministry, missions, evangelism, and ecclesiology while serving as a missionary in post-modern Britain. I give thanks to God for this! The UK is exactly where I think the USA will be in fifteen to twenty years, so perhaps God will use my experience to great advantage upon my return home.

While I could still be described as a "Reformed evangelical" in terms of theology and my understanding of the Gospel has not changed, it seems that my views on secondary matters have undergone a significant revolution, especially in the "church planting" category. As a result of these changes and the way they will impact my future ministry in God's kingdom, I have decided to take much of this website's content offline, effective immediately, until I can see the way forward more clearly.

I would like to publicly thank the churches and individuals who have supported our ministry over the past five years! It would be a privilege to visit your church and share our experiences on the mission field of Wales, so it is my intention to contact our supporting churches to make those arrangements, if you desire to schedule a time to do that.

Blessings,

Bill & Sheri Lollar

Nearly five years ago, we moved to the United Kingdom to work alongside evangelical churches in the valleys of South Wales. Wherever we find ourselves, we have always made it a point to settle into a place with a long-term commitment; and we have truly felt at home in the UK, hoping to gain permanent residency (for which we are eligible in May 2009) and dual citizenship a year later. But two critical issues have arisen over the past year that cannot be ignored any longer and they both center on our stateside family: one of our daughters and Bill's father who just celebrated his seventy-seventh birthday.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8, ESV). This is not some obscure passage buried within an Old Testament prophecy. It is clear, precise, practical, and stated with apostolic authority, so we take these words seriously. We have often been challenged to reevaluate our priorities in the light of Scripture and this passage has come to mind again and again amidst the struggles of the past year.

So we have decided to move back to the United States to help in more practical ways: to help our daughter and grandchildren cope in the wake of a divorce, and to do whatever it takes to help Bill's father in his twilight years.

Please pray for us. We really need a handful of miracles to make this transition without going bankrupt or insane or both. It’s not going to be easy, so your prayers would be greatly appreciated. At this moment, we have no idea how God is going to provide the things we need, but we are confident that we can trust Him completely. His grace is sufficient!

Blessings,

Bill & Sheri Lollar