The Leadership Blog Interview: Stan Toler

Stan Toler

Bio: Stan Toler serves as senior pastor of Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and hosts the television program "Leadership Today." For several years he taught seminars for INJOY Group. Toler has written over 50 books, including his best-sellers' God Has Never Failed Me, But He's Sure Scared Me to Death a Few Times, The Buzzards Are Circling, but God's Not Finished with Me Yet, The Five-Star Church, his popular Minute Motivators Series and his latest book, The Secret Blend.

Church: Trinity Church of the Nazarene
Site: Stantoler.com

The Leadership Blog Interview Questions
1. Stan, what gives you the greatest joy in being a leader?
Stan: "My greatest joy comes from watching people unwrap their spiritual gifts and grow and develop as leaders."

2. What is your biggest pet peeve as a leader?
Stan: "My biggest pet peeve is when no one leads. You have what I call vacuum leadership and usually the wrong person steps up with a really bad idea!"

3. Who made the biggest influence in your life as a leader?
Stan: "Dr. Melvin Maxwell, the father of John C. Maxwell has been the greatest infulence on my life. He is the most positive, movitational and godly leader that I have ever met."

4. What books have changed your life?
Stan: "Outside of the Bible, J. Oswald Sanders book, Spiritual Leadership and Chuck Swindoll's book, Hand Me Another Brick have infulenced my leadership thinking the most."

5. What's your biggest challenge as a leader?
Stan: "My biggest challenge is staying focused as a leader. There are so many pulls on our time these days and while its a great day of opportunity....its also a time fatal distractions."

6. What goals do you have as a leader?
Stan: "My goal is grow, develop and serve as a godly leader who lifts up the name of Christ in all avenues of my life."

7. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Stan: "Ten years from now.....I see myself still in the ministry trenches. I am 54 years old and I have been in the ministry since age 14. I am more passionate about kingdom work today than I have ever been."

Stan, thank you for taking the time for the interview. You've been a big influence on my life, I've used your "Model Church" training for years, after going to an INJOY conference.