Author - Speaker - Disciple Maker - Trainer of Disciple Makers - Ministry Coach
Hi, I’m Leonard Lee.
Growing up in Northern California, I had access to mountains, beaches, and farmland all within 90 minutes of my home. My early childhood was a mix of difficulties and amazing people pointing me to better choices. I learned early on that the two things that can ruin your life are environments and bad choices and the only way to overcome bad environments is good choices.
In 1966, I made the choice to ask Jesus Christ to come into my life and to forgive my sin. I said YES to a friendship with God. In 1977, after following Jesus for 11 years, I made another choice. I said YES to being in partnership with God. I remember telling Jesus, “I do not care what the question is, from now on, I will choose to say YES because I trust the one who is asking.”
Those two choices, saying YES to a friendship with God and saying YES to a partnership with God, continue to transform my life. Saying YES is how God moved me from doing Christian stuff to becoming a friend and partner with God.
Saying Yes to God…
Saying YES to God has brought all my favorite people into my life. My favorite people are Merrily, Katey, and Mason. Merrily and I met while serving with Youth for Christ in 1985 and married in 1989. In 1993, Katey joined our family and in 1995, Mason arrived, completing the Lee’s.
Saying YES to God has taken me to five continents, serving people from more than 100 countries of the world. Saying YES has been the single most life-shaping choice I have ever made.
YES has given me my calling. YES has connected me to people. YES has brought and continues to bring healing in my life. YES connected me to a purpose (God’s) that is always worth giving my life to and for. YES!
Leonard and Merrily Lee
A few other things about me that might help you get to know me better.
I love to camp, hunt, fish, and be outside. I’d rather sleep under the stars than under a roof, sit by a lake or river (fishing if possible) than in a meeting room, and the mountains for some reason, always feels like home.
Cooking food has become a fun way to love people around me. Grilling, baking, smoking, or creating a new sauce or rub for a cookout has been an amazing way to start and finish something. In my world, few things are truly finished and cooking gives me a sense of completing something.
Reading and writing. For a kid who took special reading classes (that is what they called them back in the day) and whose first year in school was forced to be right-handed (I am not right-handed), reading and writing are a surprise on this list. My creative writing teacher told me to get a job that didn’t require me to write.
My greatest desire and life’s work is to influence people with the good news of Jesus by inviting them to become a friend and a partner with God too.
Today, I live in Tennessee where you can find me fixing food on the smoker, writing, speaking, teaching, and investing in people around the world. In short, I am a creative who is not artistic, a funny guy who is not a comedian, a regular guy whom God is using, a communicator who is not polished but effective, and a follower of Jesus who is still an unmade bed.
Just in case you were wondering. I started ministry in 1979/1980 as a Junior High director. While working full time and working on my undergrad I served Senior High and College ministries too. In 1985 I joined the staff of Youth For Christ until 1996. From 1996-2004 I planted and pastored Grace Center Church. In 2004-2011, I planted and pastored my second church. In 2011, I founded the 4GENetwork, which I still lead today. My undergrad is in Theology and Ministry, I have a Master’s in Christian Leadership, and I am finishing my Doctorate in Transformational Leadership.