Lessons from Lonnie: The Secret "A's" Behind the Accomplishments
In a special Father’s Day edition of our monthly newsletter, we want to give a tribute to Lonnie Brown, one which is not merely reflective but also inspirational. As his son-in-law, I would like to share with you a few of the lessons I have learned from his life and my experiences with him. May these five traits impact you and motivate you to use them to make a difference in your world, as Lonnie did in his.
Lonnie was the consummate team leader. It is no accident that he received a standing ovation after just the first half of his obituary was read. His accomplishments were simply overwhelming. Because of this, I have chosen to focus primarily on the qualities he exhibited in the arena of getting things done. I hope that this condensed list of his best attributes as a team leader will give you insight into why he accomplished so much and why people loved working with him.
1. Attitude
Lonnie always chose to see things from a positive perspective, regardless of life’s challenges. He had what I call a “smiling soul.” He smiled from the inside out. When Lonnie walked into the room, you knew everything was going to be okay, that he would give the best possible perspective, and together we would set a solution in motion rather than focus on the problem. He knew half the battle was having the right attitude. Just being around him made me feel better. Lonnie inspired me to always believe in the best in people and expect the best out of life.
2. Affirmation
Lonnie celebrated whoever and whatever he believed in. He was my favorite face in the crowd to look at while I was preaching, teaching, or just telling a story. After the service, I couldn’t wait to hear what he had to say. Even if he offered a suggestion about how you could do better next time, he always made you feel like you were the best. He encouraged all that was good, noble, and excellent. One of Lonnie’s mantras was “Give honor to whom honor is due.” He was a firm believer in the power of a parent’s affirmation. His philosophy was to tell his children that they could do anything and then expect them to do it. This philosophy affected not only his own children but generations of young people that called him “youth pastor” and “quizmaster.”
3. Accountability
Lonnie lived his life by the principles of the Word of God. He led and coordinated numerous committees, quizzing tournaments, fund-raising campaigns, church events, and ministries. In every case, he first communicated the importance of the cause. With the cause as his motivating factor, Lonnie then established a detailed plan to accomplish the goal and gave everyone involved action items that would ensure meeting the desired goal. Finally, he followed up with each team member with an affirming, friendly reminder via e-mail or phone call. He taught me that the secret to team success is a good plan and accountability.
4. Availability
When you consider all the things this man was able to accomplish in his sixty-one years, it is amazing. How did he do it? The obvious facts are that Lonnie had a tremendous work ethic, a unique ability to get organized, and a notable attention to detail, but was there something else? Yes. Lonnie made himself available. Perhaps the reason he learned how to serve so well was that he served so often. You could always count on him. If there was any way possible to squeeze a new project into his already busy schedule, Lonnie would accept the job. Not only would he do the job with dependable efficiency, but Lonnie would tackle the project with joy. This joy inspired others to be available and join his team. Lonnie was nearly impossible to say no to.
5. Adaptability
Lonnie Brown was one of the most prepared men you would ever meet. He was a very structured person. Whether it was work or play, planning was a huge part of his life. Lonnie had a plan A, plan B, and plan C for everything. Still, he was not rigid. Lonnie was flexible. He was humble enough to accept someone else’s input. He was open-minded and reasonable. If your idea worked better, then he would adopt your idea instead of his. Lonnie always saw the big picture. He would adapt himself to any necessary change that would make things better.
Attitude, affirmation, accountability, availability, adaptability. Observing the powerful use of these five traits in the master leadership of Lonnie Brown will always be the litmus test in my quest as a father, friend, and leader. Now his life both challenges and inspires us to pick up the mantle and carry on the purpose of building the kingdom of God in Lonnie Brown’s exemplary manner.
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Streams in the Desert: Report on the Texico District Youth Camp
AMARILLO, TX – The dry desert climate of Amarillo did not stop the deluge of the Holy Spirit at this historic camp. I was privileged to be able to speak in the daytime and Rev. Gordon Poe was the featured night speaker. Not only were there a record number of campers, but these campers demonstrated an intense hunger for God. In the morning sessions, dozens of them missed most of the lunch period because they continued praying in the altar area. At night the atmosphere was explosive.
By Thursday night, the level of faith was so high that the altar areas were full of campers drunk on the Spirit. I personally witnessed several campers being carried or assisted out of the building because they were so intoxicated by the Spirit. There was much laughter mixed with the joyous worship as young people celebrated the greatness of God. God was touched by their passion and he satisfied their hunger. It was a night that set the course of destiny in many lives.
On Friday evening, we had a special evangelistic service. The theme of the camp was “Taking It to the Streets.” Many of the campers participated in inviting guests from the Amarillo area to the service. God honored their efforts and thirty-three were baptized and at least fifty were filled with the Holy Spirit!
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