Vibrant. Young guy, mid-to-late 30s. Stitch Fix inspired threads, just south of Hipster, in the same neighborhood as Banana Republic. And he's got on kicks as fresh as Kanye. A fury of roots and winding waves cover his right arm; amongst the swirls of black ink etched the phrase "Sure and Steadfast." He walks in ready to play a game of Twenty Questions, smiles and says, "What up, V?!"
Now the individual I've described probably doesn't fit the bill of your typical "Bible Belt" preacher. And that's because Brandon Bowers is anything but typical. Lead Pastor of Awaken Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Brandon's been in ministry for about 17 years. He was called to plant Awaken Church just over 4 years ago and the place already hosts an average of 900 guests on any given Sunday, an explosive growth few pastors ever see. My guess is that the success of this church has everything to do with divine providence AND everything to do with solid leadership, the kind that dares to break out of the mold, just like this pastor's persona. I sat down with Brandon last week to learn more.
Brandon, what's on your resume? What are the things that make you uniquely qualified to lead?
"Almost everyday I feel unqualified to be a pastor. I think a lot of people could do what I do, but I've been assigned to do it and that's the difference. I have to remind myself...like today was a busy day...and I came out of a situation that I didn't know how to handle...and I realize it's okay." Bowers went on to express the ways in which he doesn't always know the answer or have what it takes, but he begins each day with humbleness and a true willingness to do his best. "There's a fine line between humility and confidence," he said. "Humility says 'I don't deserve to be here' but confidence says 'I got this,'" taking a balanced, harmonious approach to his position.
How do you handle your many leadership roles?
A husband, father, pastor, and boss, Brandon lassos these various responsibilities with exceptional perspective. "I believe it starts with you; you can't lead someone else until you lead yourself. So self-discipline is real important. I try to start the day at the same time everyday. I work out most mornings and I have accountability with Riccio, [my workout partner]...Leading at home and having a healthy sphere of relationships...this is all the foundation. Once I have my foundation, then I can focus on being a pastor. Then I can look at my team with resolve, knowing I'm leading myself [first] then leading them."
What are your leadership values? What guides your decisions?
There were three to top his list: "Integrity. I highly value integrity, doing the right thing. And learning. There's always someone who does it better so there is no need to reinvent the wheel. You can learn from and aspire to be like others who've had success...entrepreneurs [and] leadership gurus like John Maxwell...[I also value] teamwork. I'm not going to do something that I can empower someone else to do. I love empowering those around me to excel."
What's the toughest leadership decision you've had to make (one that maybe you knew would be unpopular but honored the leadership values you just described)?
"The church I'm currently a part of, Awaken, has been a series of hard decisions. At this point, had I not [frequently] made tough decisions, it would have been detrimental." He shared the story of a time he had to decline a proposal for someone associated with the church to take on a new staff role. He'd identified that the person didn't hold the same leadership values as the rest of the team and that while saying 'yes' in the moment would have been easier and avoided friction, it would have had a severely negative impact in the long run. He called making these seemingly small decisions, "protecting against 'paper cuts' along the way," suggesting leadership is more about developing the habits and values that allow you to consistently make tough decisions than one or two big moments.
What would you consider to be your biggest failure as a leader and how did you bounce back from it?
Brandon was raw and transparent in his response sharing, "When I disconnected emotionally from my wife during our first year here." He explained, "I was so caught up in what we were doing at the church...then we had a miscarriage and I realized how disconnected I'd become."
When asked how he recovered from both this failure to lead his wife in a loving, present way and this deeply personal loss, he pointed back to the sphere of supporting healthy relationships he'd mentioned earlier saying, "I confessed and confided in a trusted mentor [and I] vowed to never let it happen again. [The] foundation [of my leadership] is home and leading as a husband."
Brandon, you're the lead pastor of what I would venture to say is one of the fastest growing church plants in the Southeast. What about your leadership do you think has contributed to that growth?
"Passion to develop and empower people. Hands down. Starting a church from nothing...We had $6200 in the bank and 9 people who were committed. From the very beginning, I knew I had to figure out a way to develop and empower people. My burden needed to become their burden. The sense of distributed ownership that says, 'This is OUR city...OUR church.' REAL ownership of the mission. Getting the initial core group to buy in to that and realize that this was not a short-term idea or a mission trip. But helping them realize we are a part of something that will be here well after we die and the value in being a part of something that's bigger than themselves. We have developed that in every area of our ministry."
The name of my blog is "Crap Rolls Down Hill." While that may seem somewhat crude, I wanted readers and leaders to understand how crucial it is to lead well; how we govern ourselves as leaders ultimately impacts so many other lives...What do you want rolling down your hill?
"Passion and conviction. Even if you mess up, mess up 100%. Mess up at 100 miles per hour. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is [on the night of Jesus' betrayal] when Peter cuts off the soldier's ear [who'd come to arrest Jesus]. And Jesus picks up the ear and tells Peter he missed the mark and heals the soldier," expressing the grace he seeks to show those he leads as long as they bring their all. He went on to say, "I want people to say when I'm gone, 'That dude really believed in what he was doing!'"
He also wants a legacy of, "Character and excellence. Do it right. Be great at whatever you do. I want my boys to look back and say, 'Man, not only was dad a pastor, but he did it to the best of his daggum' ability.'"
What an honor it was to sit down with this extraordinary leader. May we all find inspiration in Brandon's transparency and his authentic approach to leadership. The richness of his responses is something we can each reflect on for months to come. Moreover, I'm convinced that the tatted "Sure and Steadfast" is much more than an indelible catchphrase; it's a daily reminder of who Bowers is and always wants to be-- a leader who is confident in his purpose and committed to carrying it out each and every day.
As you digest the values and legacy rolling down Bowers' hill, reflect on your own hill. Are confidence and a commitment to mission rolling down your hill? Understanding why you do what you do and fully committing to it can change the entire game.
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