Lessons I've Learned from my Co-Workers at Mount Paran North--Brett Mayes

Brett Mayes has been the Director of Discipleship for Mount Paran North since October of 2008. Brett recently added Missions to his portfolio and is now the Director of Missions and Discipleship.

The most important thing I have learned from Brett is that excitement and enthusiasm are not directly opposed to process. Some people mistakenly believe that some lead through excitement and charisma while others lead through process. Brett Mayes disproves this theory. Brett is a very charismatic leader who is passionate about the Great Commission in the local church and across the globe. However, Brett is one of the most methodical thinkers I have ever met. Before Brett came to North, we had attempted small groups with miserable results. Brett brought a few key leaders on board and started small group ministry (Life Groups) with a few test groups. Once we knew that people were excited about the small groups and growing closer to Christ, we let them tell the successes of small groups to North through testimonials and video. Now the discipleship/connection percentage of North has increased from just under 20% to 40%.

Brett has challenged me to think strategically through process while maintaining my enthusiasm for the vision God gives me. There are a lot of great visions that pastors have shared with their churches that fall flat on their face because they have no strategy of implementation. Not so with Brett—he understands the importance of integrating passion for the vision with strategies of implementation that benefit the church.

Thanks to Brett for the lesson I have observed and learned from working with you.