ministry/leadership experience

Ministry Experience: 

DOB: 12/1953   

                                                                    

Teaching and preaching (starting from the most recent):

    

   ·   Coached a men's group (cohort) with the Austin Stone's 2018 leadership development program (MWDP).

 

   ·      Led/facilitated several home group fellowships over the last 30 years. I also led men's weekly mentoring/discipleship groups. Both from 2016 to 2017.

·      Led a weekly bible study/discussion for a substance abuse support recovery group. We also helped provide one on one support and help facilitate sponsorship. 

·      Went through Galatians with our most recent men's group and II Peter with another. I also mentored several men one on one. Some of my past classes are recorded and available upon request. Donations for recorded material are appreciated but not required. 

   ·      Taught an adult Sunday school class at my former church from the fall of 2003 until May of 2015 when I relocated. 

Classes taught: 

Job, Romans twice, Daniel, Revelation, Survey of the Bible, Genesis, Hebrews, I John (tag teamed), The commands of Christ. The person of Christ: Who he is, what he did, and why he did it (covered in John 13-17), II Corinthians. Galatians (tag teamed).

·      Have been blogging here at http://thotsaboutgod.blogspot.com since 2010. 

·     Wrote and anticipate publishing "HOW WELL DO I KNOW GOD.” (Subtitled “KNOWING GOD, THE ONLY FOUNDATION AND FOUNTAIN OF LASTING FULFILLMENT”). Included in this work is a commentary of Romans 6-8. I plan to edit and publish once sufficient funding is available. Some excerpts from the book are available on this blog.

I hope to publish my first book in 2024

·      Taught one year at a private Christian Hi School near Boston, Massachusetts, in 1992-93. I taught biology and psychology. I was also an assistant to the principal, bus driver, and basketball coach. (I was only there the second year of operation and taught one year as the school did not reopen the year after due to lack of funding)

·      Gave the Sunday morning message twice a month at the Bolton, Massachusetts Pre-release Prison for approximately 2½ years, from 1990 to 1993. Delivered two messages per visit (due to separate services for men and women). I shared this responsibility with my pastor and another lay minister in my church.

·      I co-led one of the men’s discipleship programs at my former church in San Diego from 2007 until I moved in 2015. I met with 5 to 7 men weekly for discipleship.

·      Mentored several men one on one in my previous church who are all now in leadership roles within their respective churches.

·      I have led different home groups as a lay pastor for approximately 30 years. 

·      I was a residential counselor in the mental health field for 10 years. 

·      I was a summer intern at Kittanning Reformed Church, Kittanning, PA., the summer of 1977 as part of my college graduation requirement. This involved being an assistant to the Pastor with some pulpit duties, youth director, and teaching an adult Sunday School Class 

 

·      Received a B.A. in biblical studies with a minor emphasis in philosophy and psychology from Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University). Graduated in 1978. I also love history, particularly church history and anything to do with "spiritual formation" - which is most of what my blog is about.

·      I have never been in "full-time" or "vocational" ministry, but always in business. I am glad to share the story of why I went to Bible College yet landed in business if interested. 

I also offer business coaching and consulting on training, building, working, and motivating a company's sales team, therefore the following is a history of my business experience as well.

Business leadership experience:

July 2022 to present: Sales manager, helping expand an international brick-and-mortar cryptocurrency exchange.  

June 2021 to present: Sales Manager for a provider of a patented, proprietary nano glutathione product.

 

June 2020 to present: Sales Manager for a provider of a patented, proprietary stem cell activation therapy.

Aug 2015 to 2017, Kiosk Prepaid: Distributor. A startup company offering an array of financial services (ATM, bill paying, payroll check cashing, wiring of funds, debit card, gift card purchase, and redemption, phone top off) through a one-stop financial kiosk. Also was offered to be the assistant to the National Sales Director once the company fully launched.

Sept 2010 to 2020, Karatbars International: They offered a simple precious metals (primarily gold) savings account. The company opened in the USA on June 6^th, 2010. Started part-time. Built a team of affiliates with approximately 12000 affiliates in over 15 countries.

Dec 2009 to Jan 2011, Advisors Choice Network: A financial services marketing business. Promoted to "Vice President" March of 2010. Built a sales team of 150 reps in 32 states during our time there but the company ran into challenges and dissolved in 2011.

1998 to 2009, F F Associates: Asset protection, estate planning. Began as a sales rep, promoted to sales manager within a year. Became a full partner after 2 years. Took over the direction of the business with a new partner in 2000 when the original owner retired. Was responsible for a weekly conference call, developing and training sales reps, designing and writing the business website and membership area, setting up, coordinating, and running our national workshops once a quarter. I also did some of the trustee work. Phased the business down in 2008 and closed in 2009. Still, do some one on one support work for some select existing customers. 

1988 to 1998, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Worked in mental health and mental disability part-time as a residential counselor.

1980-1991, A. L. Williams and Associates:  A financial service marketing company. Started part-time and reached the position of "Regional Vice President" in 12 months. Eventually became a Senior Vice President with 13 Regional Vice Presidents total on our team. Opened two separate offices, the first in Virginia, and the second in Massachusetts, building a sales team from scratch out of each office. We also ran our weekly presentation for new potential recruits and our quarterly Fast Start School. 

What I offer that is most valuable is what I have learned from my mistakes more than my successes. The most important things we learn are learned best when our independent efforts - i.e. those things done in our natural strength - do not work.

Godspeed

Jim Deal

email: thotsaboutGod@gmail.com  

In the 50+ years I have been walking with the Lord, one of my biggest passions has been spiritual formation i.e. how God changes us. What are the essential realities/truths we must learn, first about God, then about ourselves, for this change to occur? 

To say it another way, why do we do what we do, how can we be freed from those things we wish we didn't do and released to flourish and do the things we were created to do. What is it we need to see about God and ourselves so we can increasingly become more the person God designed us to be for his greatest glory and our greatest joy. 

Only God can change you (though you certainly play a vital part). To help facilitate this spiritual change/formation for others, I offer the following.

· "Life skills"coaching/mentoring: 
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·  Preaching: 
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·  Teaching: 
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