Dr. Randy Valimont
Bio: Dr. Randy Valimont, Senior Pastor of First Assembly of God in Griffin, Georgia. During Pastor Valimont’s ministry at Griffin First Assembly, more than twenty thousand souls have dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ through the ministries of the church. The church has grown from 400 to over 4,000 in Sunday morning worship attendance.
Pastor Valimont has served on the World Missions Board of the Assemblies of God and is currently an Executive Presbyter of the Georgia District Assemblies of God and General Presbyter for the General Council of the Assemblies of God. He is also on the Board of Regents at Southeastern University, his alma mater. In addition to these responsibilities, Pastor Valimont serves on the following boards: CIS Bible School Board of Regents Chairman, International Media Ministry, Asian Compassionate Touch Foundation, Georgia District Missions Director, Cutting Edge International, and Northwood Assembly Board of Overseers.
The Leadership Blog Interview Questions
1. What gives you the greatest joy in being a leader?
Randy: “My greatest joy is the ability to see people improve and grown in their personal & professional lives. This is multiplied when it affects the Kingdom of God and the local church. I get a lot of energy out of mentorship. (I mentor 3 groups – approximately 3 times per month – Pastoral Staff, 100 business leaders in the church, 10 leaders that I mentor in their business & personal lives.”
2. What is your biggest pet peeve as a leader?
Randy: “My biggest pet peeve: In our church culture we value 3 things: passion for God, teachability, and work ethic. It appalls me when people aren’t teachable. I despise lazy people. They hurt the organization, drag people down and cause others to work harder to pick up the load.”
3. Who made the biggest influence in your life as a leader?
Randy: “Other than Jesus, my Pastor Fred Richard, has been and continues to be the biggest influence on my life as a leader. As I teenager I watched our church grow from 50 – 1500 in 4 years. He was John Maxwell before there ever was a John Maxwell. Out of his ministry alone (1 local church in Charleston, SC) he has produced dozens of pastors and 4 of them pastor churches of 2,000 or more.”
4. What books have changed your life?
Randy: “Books that have changed my life are: Good to Great and Built to Last by Jim Collins. He presents a wonderful concept of why mentoring is so important. They inadvertently put Kingdom principles in each book. After reading and taking our board and staff through them, it changed our philosophy of successorship and enhanced our mentorship position. Recently, The Tipping Point – it’s a great read and shows how God used different things to create energy.”
5. What's your biggest challenge as a leader?
Randy: “My biggest challenge as a leader is to continue to grow because sometimes success can breed complacency. There are so many demands in a growing ministry that I need to keep my priorities focused, and stay fresh and up-to-date with paradigm shifts taking place in the church and in America.”
6. What goals do you have as a leader?
Randy: “My goals are to continue to expand the ministry and influence of the local church, to continue to mentor more young pastors and leaders as the opportunity presents itself, to stay relevant yet continue with Pentecostal passion and purpose, and to know and remain in the Will of God.”
7. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Randy: “In 10 years hopefully, I’ll be pasturing this church and pastoring pastors and leaders.”