Q&A with Tim and Lyndsey Reese
Ozark Mountains Pastor Getaway Hosts
Who are you and how did you come to know of Teamness?
We are Tim and Lyndsey Reese, high school sweethearts who have been blessed with two wonderful daughters. We serve as lead pastors of our hometown church in Ava, Missouri. After a really tough season in ministry, we heard about Teamness through a friend and applied for a getaway as soon as the applications opened right around Christmas in 2022.
What was your experience on your Nashville Pastor Getaway?
We went on our Nashville Pastor getaway at the beginning of November 2023. It was a powerful time of rest and connection for us as a couple. That week also provided space for reflection about what we had walked through in ministry. We also got the chance to dream about what "could be."
What dream or vision did you share with Evan and Debbie when you were in Nashville and how did they respond?
Part of our dreaming was, “What it would look like for us to minister to pastors and their families?” We knew how badly we had needed support over the years and only a few days into our time in Nashville we were seeing what that could actually look like through Teamness. Tim shared our hearts with Evan and Debbie on an afternoon boat ride. We had just recently started hosting our home (R&R Cottage) through Airbnb and wondered how we could use that space to serve pastors like Evan and Debbie had served us that week. They shared they were wrestling with “What would greater impact through Teamness look like and how do we see more pastor couples served?” They both seemed intrigued and excited about what God might be working out in possibly bringing our visions and dreams together. They encouraged us all to pray and seek the Lord and see where He led us.
What prompted you to take next steps with Teamness and what were those steps?
On the boat ride we agreed we should keep the conversation open about a possible partnership. We knew that a partnership with Teamness would give us the launching point we needed to serve pastors sooner. We also respected the experience and gifting that Evan and Debbie have proven through all the background work required to make a ministry like this sustainable and successful. Their strengths could level up our lack of experience. We were so excited to host Evan and Debbie to come check out our space and the area to see if it was the right fit for the vision and goals of Teamness. That visit confirmed what the Lord had been leading us to and we knew we needed to intentionally begin praying about who could partner with us for this ministry.
What would an Ozark mountains pastor getaway look like for a pastor couple?
The Ozark Mountains Pastor Getaway offers a peaceful, quiet space surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ozark mountains while still being close enough to Branson shows and bigger city restaurants. R&R Cottage has proven to be a favorite of guests with many of them commenting about how peaceful and relaxing the home feels. Pastors and their spouses will have the chance to connect with Tim and Lyndsey over a meal, around the fire pit or out on an afternoon UTV ride through the county. There are options for Branson shows such as Sight and Sound Theatre, and also all the wonders that Bass Pro has to offer including a nationally rated aquarium, nature trails, golf courses, fine dining, and more.
Why did you decide to launch into a partnership with Teamness?
We have a heart, and we believe a calling, to minister to pastors and their families. We know that healthy leaders produce healthy churches and healthy churches glorify God. As soon as we purchased R&R Cottage and began remodeling, we knew we wanted to use our home to honor Jesus. It wasn't until we spent the week in Nashville with Evan and Debbie that we began to see how that could be possible. Teamness showed us the ministry structure that was working. Not only do they have all the background things already successfully working (think great websites, processes and accounting details) but they also are an incredible source of encouragement. They believe in us and in this opportunity. They cheer us on to dream big and believe God for big things. Sure, we could open our home to pastors on our own, but we believe that Christians are better together. We know we can accomplish more, faster than we could if we tried to launch out on our own.
What are the next steps you're taking now?
Now that we have entered into a partnership with Teamness we have begun the process of gathering other partners for this ministry. We actually have our first monthly commitment partner on our team! We are working out details - important things like insurance coverage, calendar planning and more - and praying about who God is preparing to support this dream.
What is your prayer for the guests you hope to host this fall?
Our prayer for our guests this fall is that they will find the space between Sabbath and sabbatical while staying at R&R Cottage. If our guests come in weary and discouraged, we are praying they will leave recharged and ready to go back to all God has called them to do. If they come in excited and optimistic, we pray they leave connected as a couple ready to keep rocking it. Either way, we are praying these couples will leave their time with us reminded that they are called by Jesus and that they now have new friends who believe in them, support them and are willing to walk alongside them in their ministry journey.
