.

1. What have you found most challenging as a church leader?

The one thing that I have found most challenging as a leader is to keep the people's trust since they have seen and experienced in their lives a great deal of disappointments in the relationship with their leaders. Being a spiritual leader you try your best to integrate in them a consistency of loyalty through example. You have to show them that through it all you are for them and not against them in spite of their setbacks. I have to show them the best Christ in me that I can so they can see it for themselves one at a time as many as they come. You as a leader have to keep yourself connected to the fact that what you are putting out like God's word will make a difference whether you get to see the fruit of your labor or not. God said in "Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it". I truly believe that and that what keeps me going regardless of the outcome on the outside, I strengthen myself in the world.

2. How did you become a church leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

As a child, I found that God is perfect and wants to bless me. He can do anything if he just decides to be in his will. He was my God and that made an impression on me sitting in Sunday School. From that moment on I wanted to do his will. I desired to be as strong as Sampson, and as great a shepherd and king as David. I wanted to have God do his miracles through my hands so I had to make myself available for that. As a child, these decisions made me different from my peers. I would sit in the pew right next to the 60 plus-year-olds and listen to the preaching while I listened to the sound of the children playing outside through the window. Some of the adults would say that there was something special in me and I just wanted God to feel the same way. I always kept God in mind and when an opportunity arose to advance spiritually I took it. I wanted to be accepted by God. In the Army, I had the decision to stay and retire as an Army veteran or quit then and go to a Christian college. I love the Army but I love learning about God more and so I quit and went ahead to become a minister to what I thought at 21 years old was a higher calling.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I have a set time to get up or add a few more minutes to my sleep, but it is always my decision when the alarm goes off. When I get up I wake up thankful for the opportunity and work as unto God instead of what others may or may not understand. That always keeps me in high hopes and looking forward. I go to work with a mindset of getting things done and making a difference. I used a calendar to know what's on my list for today. I have family, business, and personal color settings in it. When receiving a call I go to my calendar before committing to anything. Priorities are essential when the workday is full. Breaks, self-planning, and adjusting times are top priorities. Efficiency and flexibility have to be at a high level every day so preparing for unexpected things has to always be at the forefront of your mind. What can you move around if anything happens, who to call on or delegate to. The end of the day deserves one last look at the results and what's on for the next day for things that may have been missed, moved, or are coming ahead. You have to go home with the intention of making a difference there as well. Always call ahead to see if there's anything on the way there you can stop by and accomplish every appointment. Getting home is a very important commitment. Never go to bed with something in your head that you must remember but write it down on a note, calendar, or set an alarm to it. A very good rest is also very important, so clear your mind, put it at ease releasing the stress by watching something you enjoy at least for a few minutes. You have to have a thankful heart at the end of the day and reflect on it with some time to your spiritual needs.

4. What's one book apart from the Bible that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

The one book, apart from the Bible, that has made a profound impact on my leadership is, "The Greatest Salesman in the World". Looking, at first, not giving up under any circumstances and the tenacity of accomplishing the job by any means necessary, awakened in me a desire to look towards solutions where there seems to not be one. Problems become challenges, opportunities, and learning lessons instead of issues. Other books: Tough times never last, tough people do, The Hiding Place, to name a few.

5. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

The most recent significant leadership lesson I have learned is that truth is a very convincing tool in any conversation. When talking to my boss about quitting because I couldn't accomplish what I was there to do drove a specific truth into the conversation. I am a helper by nature, Godly given. When I see a need I try to fulfill it and thereby be fulfilled myself. I was in that position to help and stumbling blocks were put in my way until it seemed impossible so I said I will go where I may be more effective. When I expressed that to my leadership I was able to convey that the stumbling blocks were put there because someone was listening to the wrong voices and thought I was there to take over instead of helping them grow and if they just only knew the truth they would help me help them. I expressed that I seek each other's wealth and bear one another's burden. There was no truth that superseded that and it was clear that truth ruled the day, God's truth.

6. How do you develop a healthy leadership pipeline in a church?

A healthy leadership pipeline, I have learned, is developed by the example of the gift that it is in you in leadership. What I mean is if God has given you a leadership role to accomplish the role and let others lead in theirs. If we believe that God has put them there for a reason there is also a reason why they lead the way they do. Delegation is hard for leaders at the top where micromanaging seems like the best thing to do. Just because you know a better way in your mind it is not what God would do every time. God does what is best for our souls to be able to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. If you put this at the forefront of every decision you will find that you are doing God's will in the people you are leading. They will understand God's leadership in you instead of the head knowledge person and rigid leadership that couldn't take imperfection in others. If they are fed spiritually they will let you lead them. This always takes time and patience, so let patience have its perfect work.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a church leader so far?

As a leader, you are under a microscope and everyone's looking at what you are going to do in a certain situation. Once I didn't know what to do, so I took no action or side but I said one thing that was true. That one true statement led to other true statements which eventually during the time that I needed the answer the truth was so simple to decide. The word of God is the truth of God, and if you have a decision to make, base it upon it. Truth upon truth will eventually get you to your destination.