The Leadership Blog Interview: Rod Loy

Rod Loy

Bio: Rod Loy is Senior Pastor of First Assembly of God, North Little Rock, Arkansas. Under his leadership, First Assembly has seen significant growth in all areas including missions, attendance and outreach. His wife Cindy and two boys, Tyler and Parker, share his passion for missions and people. They live and teach the principle "Every Soul Matters to God."

Church: First Assembly of God, North Little Rock, Arkansas

The Leadership Blog Interview Questions
1. What gives you the greatest joy in being a leader?
Rod: “I thoroughly enjoy seeing guys I've mentored wildly succeed! Sunday afternoons, I get emails and text messages. Nothing thrills me more than when one of them have a huge altar response, their biggest crowd or their best offering. It's fun to think that in some really, really small way, I have a part of that.”

2. Rod, What is your biggest pet peeve as a leader?
Rod: “My biggest pet peeve is when people mistake traditions for essentials. The gospel message is essential and unchanging. However, our traditions and our methods must continually change. When traditions are made essentials, conflict is inevitable.”

3. Who made the biggest influence in your life as a leader?
Rod: “Alton Garrison has been (and continues to be) a huge influence in my life. His quest for excellence and zeal for learning is unmatched. He spent hundreds of hours sharpening, preparing, coaching and correcting me as I prepared for the next phase of my leadership journey.”

4. What books have changed your life?
Rod: “The Search for Significance was a huge influence in my life - learning to be candid and honest with God about my insecurities and learn to replace them with the truth of His word. All leaders (and everyone else) have insecurities. I want to deal with mine proactively instead of letting them dictate my reactions to people and situations.”

5. Rod, What's your biggest challenge as a leader?
Rod: “My biggest challenge is to make sure I am around and in relationship with lost people. Leading and managing a church pull you towards church relationships. It's so easy to get caught up in the church bubble - meetings, conferences, speaking, etc. That's my job, but my assignment is the same as all Christ-followers: to be salt and light - representing Jesus in a lost world. I just got back to my office from volunteering with a first grade class at a public school. It's hard to stay disciplined to do that instead of "working" at the church.”

6. What goals do you have as a leader?
Rod: “I want to know lost people and point them to a meaningful relationship with Jesus and then help them to share their new found faith with others.”

7. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Rod: “I don't set ten year goals. Life moves too fast! I know this: I want to still be growing as a Christ-follower. I want to be a life-long follower of Jesus Christ.”