About Gary

Gary Mayes - B+W HeadshotGary Mayes serves Church Resource Ministries as a Vice President, Director of ChurchNEXT. He has served with CRM in the area of Church Revitalization since 1997, giving leadership to the expansion and enhancement of the ReFocusing Network Ministry worldwide for five of those years.

Prior to joining CRM Gary spent twenty years in local pastoral ministry and finds that this experience assists him as he works in the trenches with pastors, churches and their leaders across the country. In addition to local pastoral ministry, Gary has been speaking to and training church leaders since 1983. He has authored and co-authored three books and given leadership to the development of numerous resources and training processes used by CRM staff worldwide.

Gary Mayes - Candid

In recent years, Gary has served leaders and churches on every continent but one and has developed a unique relationship in Africa. In addition to U.S. based responsibilities, Gary mentored the development of CRM’s partner, Harvest Leader’s Network,  an African-led movement to develop pastors and leaders for a church that will transform Africa.

He received his B.A. in Christian Education from Biola University in California, his M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, and D.Min. in Organizational Systems from Bethel Seminary.

Gary and Margaret Mayes

Married to Margaret for 34 years, they are the parents of two adult children. Margaret teaches on the High School level with Santa Ana Unified School District.

Gary is currently working on a book that will take a sweeping look at the church we long for based on the turning points for the church in the book of Acts. The working title is: “DNA of a Revolution: releasing the power of the church we have always longed for.”

Recent Content

My Writing Process

I had a breakthrough experience back in January. I was on a two week writing-solitude retreat, when I woke up one morning with crystal-clear insight in when, how, and why I get stuck when I am writing. It came in the form of the process I personally need to follow. I can’t say that these [...]

Elasticity and Time for Reflection

Leaders get things done. They don't merely mobilize others to accomplish great things, they know how to work hard and are willing to keep their head down to do whatever it takes. The only problem is that if you keep your nose to the grindstone too long, you get blood in your eyes. The ability to lead with sustained creativity and clarity requires time and space for reflection.

When Sending Email is Stupid

Sometimes sending an email is really stupid. I know, my Mom tried to teach me that calling someone or something stupid is not very nice. But, I can’t think of any better way to say it. Simply put, there are occasions when you are being stupid to send an email.

Surviving Email

A friend said to me, "Some days I feel like I spend my life clicking keys on a keyboard.” Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with email. I use it all the time. It gives me a simple way to share information, ideas, and documents. But, every time I open my mail software it feels like I am putting my lips up to a fire hose. What is a manageable way forward?

Kerry’s House of Pain

This afternoon I will willingly walk in the doors of what I have started calling, “Kerry’s House of Pain.” I know that the front of the building reads “physical therapy,” but honestly I think that is Latin-based code for "place of torture."

Lord, Teach Me to Number My Days

At 7:14 this morning, a phone call told me that a very good friend was shot and killed last night. Emotionally I’ve spent the day vacillating between shock, sorrow, anger, and indignation. There are many things I could tell you about my friend, but since you don’t know him I need to write about the personal reflections I cannot escape.

Defying Gravity

I know, it sounds like the language of a circus barker, "Come see the Flying Zucchini Brothers as they defy gravity." However, I am talking about much more than entertaining circus talk. "Defying gravity," is a terrific description of the way effective leadership teams learn to operate.

about LEADING

  • Most people spend their lives fighting off the wind and the waves of the ocean. Leaders chart a way through them. aboutLEADING is the personal blog of Gary Mayes and a forum to discuss lessons at the intersection of life and leadership.

Asides

  • The VISION issue of www.noredcapes.com just went live. It features articles and resources to help leaders with the challenges of vision clarification and communication.  (noREDcapes is a journal for leaders that I publish every couple months.)

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