Name: Michael E. Thomas Jr.

Title: Apostle

Organisation: New Millennium Faith Church

Michael E. Thomas Jr. is the founding apostolic minister of New Millennium Faith Church, established on April 1, 2009, and 4 C I T Ministries International, founded on December 15, 2007. Overseeing ministries in over 14 countries, Michael dedicates his life to developing leadership and ordaining new leaders in their roles. Married to his best friend Jill, whom he met in high school in 1987, they share a vibrant ministry and a joyful family life, raising their 15-year-old daughter among six blended adult children. Michael is also a retired police officer, having been the first minority officer hired full-time in the Village of Roscoe Police Department, breaking new ground for future minority officers. His athletic background includes playing baseball for the Montreal Expos farm club in Rockford and football for San Diego State University and the practice squad for the Los Angeles Raiders before injuries redirected his career path. Michael holds a Master’s degree in Theology and Divinity from GMQ Bible School, achieved in 2014 and 2017 respectively. His journey of faith, with its highs and lows, underpins his teachings and ministry, emphasizing mercy, favor, and grace through redemption. Beyond ministry, Michael is the chairman of 126 Genesis Media, LLC, a multimedia company that includes 126 Genesis Radio and the soon-to-launch Ecclesia TV. His innovative spirit continues to drive his vision for the Kingdom of God, expanding through media and global outreach.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Michael's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

As a leader, I build trust with our ministry teams, elders, and executive personnel through effective listening and communication. I prioritize the ability to influence and, more importantly, learn from those around me during challenging ministry and company decisions. By actively engaging in our weekly meetings and valuing the expertise of my team, I advance our vision together. I invest in our leadership team, ensuring they know I truly care about their contributions and growth.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

Vision and Mission to me is the blood line to my business and when activated in it along with the team you experience expansion of ideas and manifestation to the purpose in both When they manifest results are tangible. Purposed also comes throug functioning according to the vision and mission and it becomes a domino effect to those who catch the vision/mission applying their piece to it.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

by giving them certain powers and authorities to represent the company and function in their highest capacity will create a vibrant employee or team member. A leader has to be comfortable sharing power with those who know the vision, mission and want to generate results to achieve success too.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

I have a handful of mentors who have poured into my life, supported the assignment. when I got introduced to Dr. Munroe he opened me up to the depths of the kingdom and helped me over his last years with so many teachings. The encouragement alone is priceless. Another mentor to me apostle Smith in Indiana would travel many times with me for gathering and conferences and one one occassion we had a supernatural experience and he looked at me and said I am never flying with you Michael. Before I met you I knew about the Kingdom but you are the first person to talk to me about realms and how the kingdom operates and our position in it. He taught me a great deal how to learn the unction of the Holy Spirit and follow them in cooperation.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

I maintain focus by daily reviewing my purpose the assignment, mission and my vision to over see and help lead the company into the vision. For everything I do not know I havebrought in smarter executives that handle what I don't knwo and help me to see it with our having to add that to my plate it goes back to trust those in the executive team and the process. I stay in my lane and have other smarter people handle what they are good at and when I need help I do not have a problem asking others to fill in the gap or show me how to work the process. I Have to maintain the focus on my role If i dont then who will? It is like the captain of the ship He has to remain at the bridge to navigate and his subordinates help with the nauticals and on down to teams in the engine room and deck hands and all those who make it look effortlessly. I also maintain my role through constant learning and being innovative.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

every thing has to be scheduled for me. My assistant also helps me to keep to each task until they are completed then we move on to the next. We use shedule planning for week and month & yearly roll out of the business. in the week planing we design weekly meetings and video calls with the executive team to piece through our weekly and monthly goals and this includes event planing months inadvance. I delegate others to help establish the planning who are better at high level meetings and can micormanage time to squeeze everything out in meetings on time without waisting time.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

listen to wisdom. why because wisdom is truth experienced. young leaders learn this skill set and practice it... setting up OS and processes makes for a better time at delegation. Delegating and it removes you from the proper flow and takes you out of micromanaging everyone and everything. it goes back to trust as well. Do you trust your team to complete their tasks if not then you do not have the right team member. Seek a mentor who can help you transition from micromanaging to becoming a master delgator. One who can show them the beginning and end of a task and create the process for completing. learn the art of communicating the purpose the why, when, how and who in the team is capable of completing set tasks.