PROFESSIONAL SKILLS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Publishing

Provided award-winning, deadline-oriented coverage of public safety, local government, human interest and sports beats for community newspapers and several full-color, glossy magazines. Produced stories, commentary and photos on deadline for print and Web publications. Provided Web and social media content on a daily basis. Nurtured reporters, photographers, freelancers and designers in a collegial atmosphere designed to elicit a high level of production and achievement, while growing their skills and abilities. Encouraged professional growth, even when it meant losing valued employees to better opportunities. Sought to make my role as editor an extension of my Christian service, soliciting regular evangelical columns from area pastors and lay leaders and regularly sharing my own faith walk with my readers, even through the pages of a secular newspaper.

Supervisory & Management

Directed staffs of up to 20 employees, including reporters, designers, sales and administrative staff, pressmen and delivery people. Recruited, hired and trained employees, shepherding them through the transition into a high-stress career and encouraging them toward pursuits that would strengthen them spiritually, emotionally and physically.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

• 2017-June 2018 — Supply and Multiply
  Volunteer missionary in Montrouis, Haiti
• 2008-2017 — Suffolk Publications Inc., Suffolk, Va.
  Managing Editor, Editor
  (Suffolk News-Herald, Suffolk Living magazine, Western Branch Magazine, Inspire Health magazine, Boomers magazine and constituent websites)
• 2006-2008 — Tidewater Publications, Franklin, Va.
  Staff Writer/Photographer, Interim Editor
  (The Tidewater News and constituent website)
• 1997-2004 — Shirley Construction Corp., Portsmouth, Va.
  Director of Business Development & Director of Technology
• 1996-1997 — Womack Publishing Co. Inc., Chatham, Va.
  Editor & General Manager
  (South Hill Enterprise)
• 1995-1996 — Chesapeake Publishing, Williamsburg, Va.
  Regional General Manager
  (Sussex-Surry Dispatch, The Tidewater Review, The Caroline Progress, Westmoreland News, The Northern Neck News, The Northumberland Echo)
• 1989-1995 — Atlantic Publications, Olney, Va.
  Editor/General Manager, Regional Vice President
  (Sussex-Surry Dispatch, The Tidewater Review, The Caroline Progress, Westmoreland News, The Northern Neck News, The Northumberland Echo)
• 1986-1989–  Byerly Publications, Franklin, Va. Reporter/Photographer
  (The Tidewater News)

MINISTRY EXPERIENCE

Preaching

Prepared and preached sermons at Liberty Spring Christian Church and Open Hands Christian Fellowship Church in Suffolk, Va., and at The Evangelical Baptist and Pentecostal churches in Montrouis, Haiti. Have a passion for researching and using Scripture to teach people not only to know the message of the Gospel, but to live it.

Discipling

• Have taught adult Sunday School classes for 10 years, first at Bethany Baptist Church (now Rescue Church) in Portsmouth, Va., and currently at Liberty Spring Christian Church in Suffolk, Va. Most lessons are self-developed, including several lesson series on topics ranging from the books of Amos and Ecclesiastes to the Baptist Faith & Message, King David and grace.
• Taught at a two-day Pastor’s Development Seminar in Montrouis, Haiti, an experience that led to my current pursuit of pastoral ministry and seminary education.
• Have sat under the preaching and mentorship of three strong and visionary leaders, from whom I learned many important ministerial lessons. Two of those pastors (the third has passed away) served as references for my successful application to attend Dallas Theological Seminary.

Service

• Deacon at Liberty Spring Christian Church
• Member of praise teams at Bethany Baptist Church and Liberty Spring Christian Church
• Member of Pastor Selection Committee at Bethany Baptist Church
• Volunteer Vice President of Supply and Multiply, a nonprofit organization doing various Christian ministries in Montrouis, Haiti, where I have entered into partnership with Haitian pastors and missionaries, enabling us to grow together as servants and shepherds

MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE

Short-Term Service

Multiple short-term mission trips to Montrouis, Haiti with Supply and Multiply, where we have done construction projects, children’s outreach, revivals, medical programs, elderly care, agricultural and fishing programs and mentoring of young Christian leaders. These experiences have given me a passion for being a doer of the Word.

Long-Term Service

A 6-month mission trip to Haiti featured ministry experiences, including the following:

• Provided pastoral care for the sick and families of the recently deceased
• Identified new areas of outreach and developed a plan (see attachment) for engaging with a new local church to provide physical and spiritual care for a largely unreached community
• Helped plan and lead children’s and adult Bible studies
• Delivered food and medical care to young and old community members
• Worked with community leaders to identify physical needs that we could help meet, including agricultural and rainwater collection projects
• Provided leadership and logistical planning, along with spiritual guidance and pastoral care, for six different short- and medium-term mission teams
• Trained and led groups in street evangelism
• Mentored half a dozen teen boys who were without one or both parents
• Worked with our Haitian director to identify and meet a variety of physical needs for members of the community
• Coordinated the work of two translators and another full-time missionary
• Raised more than $12,000 in support for this assignment

EDUCATION

• Dallas Theological Seminary
  Fall 2017-Present — Pursuing a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership with a current 4.0 GPA
• Virginia Polytechnic & State University
  1982-1986 – Course concentrations in English & Philosophy

HONORS, AWARDS & MEMBERSHIPS

• Virginia Press Association awards for writing, editing, layout and design and photography
• Former board member: Salvation Army Suffolk Unit
• Former board member: Boys and Girls Club of Hampton Roads, Suffolk Unit
• Founding board member: Supply & Multiply
• Former member: Rotary Club of Suffolk (past board member)
• Former member: North Suffolk Rotary Club

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• Taught Sunday School in two different churches for the past 10 years
• Preached by invitation at Liberty Spring Christian Church and Open Hands Christian Fellowship, both located in Suffolk, Va.
• Preached by invitation at the Evangelical Baptist and Pentecostal churches in Montrouis, Haiti
• Presented programs about newspapers and mission work at the Rotary Clubs of Suffolk, North Suffolk and Churchland

PUBLICATIONS

• Hundreds of stories, editorials, columns and photos in 10 different Virginia newspapers and their associated websites
• Dozens of articles, columns and photos in three different lifestyle magazines while serving as editor of those magazines
• Freelance work in two different Hampton Roads, Va., lifestyle magazines while I was working in the construction industry
• Column by invitation in Editor and Publisher magazine
• Letters to the Editor of The Virginian-Pilot
• Guest column in The Virginian-Pilot
• Column and photo in the Spring 2018 edition of the DTS student newspaper

OTHER RESOURCES

• Blog: www.heleadethme.net
• Facebook: ReSpears3
• www.supplyandmultiply.com

  References, clips and sermon audio available upon request