Born and raised in Acadiana, Andy Manning graduated in Business Administration at UL in 2002. And after marrying Lydia Marie Mann in 2002, he received a Masters of Divinity in Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. In early 2005, Andy moved back to Lafayette to start a new church - Church Acadiana [website]. After working bi-vocationally for the first year as a full-time PE teacher at First Baptist Christian school, he now looks forward to ministering as a full-time pastor.
#1- How did you get your start in ministry? [If you didn't start locally, please include how you got to Acadiana.]
I grew up at First Baptist Church in Youngsville. In my sophomore year in High School I began to feel God leading me to pursue a career in full-time vocational ministry. After graduating from Comeaux High School in 1998, I spent the summer working on staff at Acadian Baptist Center. It was a wonderful summer, my first experience with full-time ministry. During college my home church called me to serve as the part-time youth pastor. The next three years were an amazing ride. I didn't know what I was doing, since I didn't have a youth pastor growing up and never saw a full-time youth pastor in action, so I just preached the gospel and challenged the young people to a life wholehearted discipleship (I know, "What was I thinking?"). Being young and naive, I threw tradition to the wind and decided to do whatever it took to reach kids for Christ. This got me in a lot of trouble with "older folk" in the Church, but the youth and their parents loved me for it. The main theme of my ministry was that you need to decide to follow Christ once and for all, and if you are a true believer, your life should be changing radically to look more and more like Jesus. Countless students gave their lives to Christ and I learned priceless lessons about spiritual leadership (mostly from butting heads with my boss, the pastor).
After three years as the youth pastor I left for seminary in Fort Worth. Three years later I graduated and moved back to town to start Church Acadiana (June 2005). The new church's first and most dedicated members are my old youth and their parents from FBC Youngsville.
#2- What is the hardest thing about leading a church/ministry?
The hardest thing about leading a church is that the Church will never grow beyond your leadership abilities. If the Church is ineffective, it's primarily my fault. If people aren't having a daily quiet time and tithing the blame falls on me. If the men in the Church aren’t stepping up and leading the way, it's ultimately my fault. If we aren't developing new leaders and equipping them to be more effective, it's my fault. If the Church isn't praying and if lives aren't changing and if people aren't coming to Christ, the blame falls on me. The hardest thing about leadership is taking responsibility for the ultimate success or failure of the ministry with which God has made me a steward. God has done His part, and He wants the ministry to succeed. If it's not succeeding, then I need to grow as a leader and as a man of God.
#3- What do you do to relax?
I like to soak in the tub with my wife as we talk and read. I like to watch tv and movies. I like to take long drives with my wife and look at beautiful homes. I like to read fiction and non-fiction. I like to play tennis, ping pong, and basketball with my wife. I like to sing and play the guitar. I like to have a long, quiet dinner at a restaurant with friends. I like to play with my children.
#4- How do you think the Church in Acadiana will have changed in 25 years?
I think many of the established churches that haven’t changed much in the past 25 years will continue to grow more and more out of touch with the people of Acadiana. I think the Churches that have embraced the core values of being missional and culturally relevant will continue to change with the culture in order to remain relevant and effective. I believe that Acadiana is in the beginning of the greatest spiritual awakening it has ever seen, and every church that has strong, consistent leadership over a considerable amount of time and that focuses steadily on fulfilling the Great Commission, using any means necessary without compromising the truth of Scripture, every church in Acadiana like this will see the greatest growth, both spiritually and numerically that it has ever seen. I also believe that more and more new churches will spring up at a faster and faster rate. I believe that the demonic spirit of territorialism that has so dominated the spiritual leaders of Acadiana for so long will be driven out completely. I see the Church being seen as more and more relevant and useful in the eyes of the community because the Church focuses not merely on getting more souls into heaven, but on SHOWING people how to experience the abundant, purpose-filled life that God has for them while on earth.
#5- What advice would you give to the next generation of church leaders in Lafayette?
1- Unless God writes it in the sky for you to minister elsewhere, assume that He wants you to invest your life and ministry right here in Acadiana. Don't leave Acadiana unless you are called to foreign missions, because anywhere else is another world. God raised you up here for a reason, and it's probably not so that you will leave and go minister at First Community Church in Po-dunk Kansas.
2- Only go to seminary if you will be able to commute from Acadiana. Don't uproot your family and leave your church and ministry to go study how to do ministry. Bad idea. Very bad idea.
3- More important than seminary, find a church and pastor who will take you under his wing and pour his life into you, teaching you everything he knows. Stay at that church and work your way up into a full-time position.
4- Be flexible. Don't get stuck in a particular church model or philosophy of ministry. Be changeable, teachable, adaptable. Do something until it stops working. Then try something else.
5- Treat everyone that you see just like they are one of your church members. The world is your congregation. I learned this from my friend Jeff Cook.
6- Never sacrifice your relationship with God or your family to get ahead in ministry. These two things come first. You have to be willing to leave the ministry for the sake of your walk with God and your relationship to your family.
7- Keep learning and growing. Read. Attend conferences. Meet with other pastors that you want to learn from.
8- Don’t let your critics get you down. And don't waste your time defending yourself. Any time you do things differently and try something new you will be persecuted. Stick to your convictions. People hated and criticized Rick Warren, Billy Hybels, Ed Young Jr. and Andy Stanley, and still do to this day.
9- Determine to stay in one town, in one church your entire ministry. Just about every great church in the world got that way because of a pastor who built it from scratch and poured his entire life and ministry into it. Don't fall into the current trend of church-hopping every two and a half years. You might get a larger salary up front, but you get a wasted life in the end.
10- Remember that raising a great family is the greatest legacy you will ever have, and the most significant thing that you will ever do in this life. I admire a man who has built great kids more than a man who has built a big church. Don’t ever allow your ministry to pull you from your family. Take this as a word from God: If God gave you kids, He is not calling you to an itinerant preaching ministry that decreases your effectiveness at home. Wait until your kids are out of the home before pursuing your dreams as the next Billy Sunday.
11- Don’t listen to young, naive pastors who are full of advice.
#6- In your walk with Christ, what has He been teaching you lately?
In order to change the world, you have to first learn to change yourself. If you can learn to change yourself, you can change the whole world.
WORD ASSOCIATION
Holy Spirit
Trinity
Cell Phone
Rude
Gospel
Unknown
Rap Music
Growing
Hymnal
Embarrassing
Pat Robertson
Friend
Prayer
Untapped
Sixed: Andy Manning
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Sixed: Sean Walker
Sean Walker serves as the Media Director at East Bayou Baptist Church and is a graduate of UL in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. Currently, Sean is recovering from a Halo 2 addiction and has been sober for almost 2 months at the time of this interview.
#1- How did you get your start in ministry? [If you didn't start locally, please include how you got to Acadiana.]
My first time in [paid] ministry was when I was a freshman in college at East Bayou. Our youth pastor of like 12 years had left and a volunteer adult was the interim pastor and they hired 5 or 6 college students to help out during the transition time while we searched for a full time youth pastor. I don't remember much from it though. It was over 5 years ago.
#2- What is the hardest thing about leading a church / ministry?
I've got two. 1, having to make decisions that affect a group or a person that they won't like, but I know I have to make. i.e. telling a volunteer they aren't going to serve in that role/ministry anymore. 2, leaving a ministry that you don't want to leave, but that God has told you to leave.
#3- What do you do to relax?
Rent movies. Play golf. Get out of town.
#4- How do you think the Church in Acadiana will have changed in 25 years?
I don't know. I really have no idea what to forecast. I have put over an hour in to thinking about it. I honestly don't know and don't want to just throw out a lame forecast just to do it.
#5- What advice would you give the next generation of church / ministry leaders in Lafayette?
Here's what I would tell them, and this is HUGE! Learn to separate theology and methodology. [Download 'Methodology vs. Theology' message here] I don't care what denomination you are, how long you've been in ministry, or whether or not you like Andy Stanley. If you are in, or are going to be involved in ministry go download this message on leadership and listen to it. It's HUGE! Methodology and theology are 2 totally different things and as soon as you can separate them, the sooner you can impact people in a more powerful way for Christ. After you listen to it pass it on.
#6- In your walk with Jesus Christ, what has He been teaching you lately? [Please include prayer requests if you'd like]
Process. Go read it on my blog b/c it's too much to type. Entitled, "Put Me In Coach"
WORD ASSOCIATION
Holy Spirit
decisions
Cell Phone
texting
Gospel
job
Rap Music
bounce
Hymnal
boring
Pat Robertson
no thanks
Prayer
mysterious
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Sixed: Perry Sanders
Rev. Dr. Perry Sanders currently serves as Senior Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Lafayette where he's served for 47 years. Earlier this year, Dr. Sanders stepped aside as Pastor and took on the role of Senior Pastor.
#1- How did you get your start in ministry? [If you didn't start locally, please include how you got to Acadiana.]
At age 16 as a sophomore in college in Tennessee, I remained in my room while my roommates went to class and prayed to the Lord. I told him I would do exactly what He wanted me to do if He would just reveal it to me, and it was as if Jesus spoke directly and personally to me. I immediately left campus for the weekend. My first sermon I preached was seven minutes long down in Tennessee. The seven-minute sermon caused several young teenagers who were in the pool hall to come forward and accept Christ. From that day until now, I've faithfully preached the Gospel for 62 years.
#2- What is the hardest thing about leading a church / ministry?
It's not really difficult if you love the Lord, love the people, and use good sense.
#3- What do you do to relax?
I read, I get a good night's sleep, I play golf, I go fishing and hunting, I go skiing, and I do other things that don't interfere with my activities at the church.
#4- How do you think the Church in Acadiana will have changed in 25 years?
Presumably, that' s a prophetic idea. I have an idea that it will change much for the better. We have a marvelous pastor in Dr. Steve Horn. He's intelligent, he's extremely knowledgeable, he has a good head on him, he knows how to deal with people, and he believes the Bible -- all of it. And he is a wonderful leader, so I feel like the church will probably double or triple in the next 25 years.
#5- What advice would you give the next generation of church / ministry leaders in Lafayette?
I'd give them the same advice that you see above -- walk with Jesus, pray every day, read the Bible every day, stay deep in the Word, be a man of absolute and total integrity, clear and unmistakable morality in every way. Cooperate, stay a part of the team in every way.
#6- In your walk with Jesus Christ, what has He been teaching you lately? [Please include prayer requests if you'd like]
It probably is patience. I've always been able to control my emotions, but it seems that with the passing of years, that I'm more able to understand people's difficulties and problems and so forth.
WORD ASSOCIATION
Holy Spirit
Constant guide and leader of everything I try to do.
Cell Phone
Yes, I've had a phone for years in my vehicle and now in my pocket.
Gospel
Good news.
Rap Music
Probably bad. The rhythm is bad. Most of the lyrics of the rap music are bad. They reflect profanity, vulgarity, and inanity in the public spectrum. Probably not very good.
Hymnal
Good. It has songs that are not only old and respected, but it has some new songs, also.
Pat Robertson
He's probably done a lot of good things, but if he could remain to be quiet a bit more, it would probably be better because he's getting a lot of flak and criticism for some of the off-the-wall things he's said.
Prayer
I pray every day and ask the Lord's leadership. When I wake up in the morning , I salute and report in for duty and try to do the best I can to serve Him.
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Sixed
Something I've been thinking about doing for a long time is interviewing ministers / priests / pastors / gurus / theologians / spiritual leaders and getting some perspective from them. I'm calling it "sixed".
In short, it's six questions, along with some word associations stuck on the end. If there's someone you think should be sixed, let me know.
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