Henry Olasoji Elijah
Upper Darby,PA
Summary
Visionary Pastor with over 25 years experience leading churches to be effective in spiritual growth, outreach, community impact and relational depth through engaging teaching, leadership development, creative programming and empowering volunteers and staff to serve the church and community. Ambitious Pastor offering twenty years of experience in inspiring youth and building relationships. Accomplished in leading groups during church-wide youth programs while maintaining personal commitment to Christ and Christian education.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Pastor
LifePoint Church
City, STATE
03.2010 - 09.2017
- Managed transition from founding pastor to first called pastor in a large (1000+ average attendance), complex church.
- Directed efforts to rehabilitate the reputation of LifePoint in the community.
- Managed and developed a staff of 22 people.
- Trained and implemented healthy church culture benchmarks.
- Developed teaching team concept and trained 5 staff pastors in preaching/teaching.
- Mentored 5 local area pastors in ongoing leadership community.
- By God's grace, increased attendance by 4% each of the last two years after a season of decline/plateau.
- Directed the addition of a fourth worship service.
- Lead LifePoint to average 78 baptisms per year over 7 1/2 year tenure.
- Guided creative teams to develop Christmas Eve and Easter services that drew over 3000 attendance.
- Established IMPACT:Leader conference for developing leaders, grew to include over 250 people from multiple ministries and the community.
- Oversaw relaunch of recovery ministry that grew to over 140 people per week.
- Established strategic partnerships for joint ministry both locally and internationally.
- Lead financial turnaround from a significant General Fund deficit to cash reserves of over $300,000.
- Spearheaded two successful capital campaigns: $450,000 for remodeling worship center, and $2.1 million for construction of a new building.
- Oversaw budgets in excess of $1.8 million annually.
- Instituted "Change4Change" annual initiative for missions that raised over $99,000 in four years.
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church
City, STATE
01.1996 - 02.2010
- Transitioned church from a traditional, inward focused church of 75 people to a dynamic, outward focused church of 320 average attendance.
- Launched a small group ministry that grew from 2 groups totaling 14 people to 18 groups totaling over 150.
- Grew staff from three part time to four full time and three part time.
- Lead the addition of a second worship service and multiple services for Christmas Eve and Easter.
- Established effective outreach efforts, including annual July 4th parade, "Countdown With Comedy" New Years Eve outreach, Trick Or Treat the Old Town Streets, and "The Friend Zone" children's outreach.
- Directed capital campaign and purchase of 17 acres of land for relocation.
- Oversaw the creation of a website and use of modern communication and marketing tools.
Associate Pastor
First Baptist Church
City, STATE
11.1993 - 01.1996
- Helped lead church through difficult loss of Senior Pastor due to moral failure.
- Led youth ministry to double in size in two years.
- Started College-Career age ministry.
- Developed and implemented innovative children's ministry alternative to Vacation Bible School for a community with year round school schedule.
Education
American Baptist Seminary of the West
1993
Bachelor of Arts - History
Linfield College
1989
Skills
- Biblical Preaching/Teaching for Life Application and Transformation
- Leadership Development
- Vision Strategy and Tactics
- Stewardship Development
- Development of Healthy Church Culture
- New Ministry Development
- Creativity
Timeline
Lead Pastor
LifePoint Church
03.2010 - 09.2017
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church
01.1996 - 02.2010
Associate Pastor
First Baptist Church
11.1993 - 01.1996
American Baptist Seminary of the West
Bachelor of Arts - History
Linfield College
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