L. Lavon Gray
L. Lavon Gray (born 1967) is an author,[1] keynote speaker and corporate trainer focusing on conflict resolution and leadership development. A member of The John Maxwell Team[2] and the Forbes Coaches Council,[3] Gray is founder and lead consultant for Lavon Gray Consulting Group, LLC, which provides leadership development, executive coaching, and professional speaking for businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations throughout the United States of America.[4]
Previously, Gray served as worship pastor in churches in Mississippi, Texas and South Carolina, most notably for thirteen years (2005-2018) at the historic First Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi. In addition, Gray served as Associate Professor of Worship for the School of Music at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.[5]
Personal Life[edit]
Gray was born in Mendenhall, Mississippi on March 28, 1967 and spent his entire childhood as part of that community. After graduating from Mendenhall High School in 1985, Gray earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, majoring in political science with a minor in history. He went on to earn a Masters in Church Music (M.C.M.) degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Gray and his wife, the former Wendy Willoughby of Picayune, Mississippi, have three daughters: Kayla, Lizzie and Katibeth.[6]
Career[edit]
Beginning at the age of fifteen, Gray served as worship pastor in churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, including:
- First Baptist Church, Wiggins, Mississippi (1991-1996)
- Haltom Road Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas (1996-1999)
- First Baptist Church, McComb, Mississippi (1999-2003)
- First Baptist Church, Taylors, South Carolina (2003-2005)
- First Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi (2005-2018)
In addition to his work with churches, Gray served on the faculty of Liberty University as Associate Professor of Worship and Associate Dean for the School of Music from 2007-2018. Under his leadership the worship program was recognized by Worship Leader Magazine as the "Best of the Best" worship training programs in the United States[7] He also served as Convention Music Director for the 2008 Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, which was recognized and honored by the Mississippi House of Representatives.[8]
In 2005 Gray assumed the position of minister of music at First Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, giving oversight to one of the largest worship ministries in the United States. As part of his role, he served as Executive Director for Carols by Candlelight,[9] an annual Christmas presentation produced by First Baptist Jackson that featured a 300-voice choir and 60 piece orchestra, and reached a combined live audience of 195,000 people over Gray's tenure.[10] Following the Charleston church shootings, Gray partnered with the Mississippi Mass Choir to produce Stronger Together: A Night of Unity aimed at promoting racial reconciliation in the City of Jackson.[11]
Gray works with organizations throughout the United States as a speaker, teacher and leadership coach, and is the author of several books, including the award-winning Hungry for Worship: Challenges and Solutions for Today's Church (2014) and Tuning Your Heart to Worship: A Worshipper's Journey through the Psalms Devotional (2017).
Selected Bibliography[edit]
Gray, L. Lavon and Frank S. Page. Hungry for Worship: Challenges and Solutions for Today's Church. Birmingham: New Hope Publishing, 2014
Gray, L. Lavon. Tuning Your Heart to Worship: A Worshipper's Journey through the Psalms Devotional. Birmingham: New Hope Publishing, 2014.
Gray, L. Lavon. Sharing the Song of Jesus: A Celebration of 60 years of the Church Music Department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention. Jackson: Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, 2005.
Gray, L. Lavon. History of the Church Music Department of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, 1947-1996. Fort Worth: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1999.
Gray, L. Lavon. "Five Guaranteed Ways to Fail as a Leader." Forbes, 2018 https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/06/18/grade-f-five-guaranteed-ways-to-fail-as-a-leader/#4771ec26594b
Gray, L. Lavon "Choose to Defuse: Three Keys to Conflict Resolution." Forbes, 2018 https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/05/31/choose-to-defuse-three-keys-to-conflict-resolution/3/#2502a70e37a4
Gray, L. Lavon. "Let's Talk It Over: Everything Begins with Worship. Mississippi Christian Living Magazine, 2017. https://mschristianliving.com/2017/columns/lets-talk-begins-worship/
References[edit]
- ↑ "Worship Leader Magazine: 2014 Editor's Picks".
- ↑ "John Maxwell Team: Search our Coaches, Teachers and Speaker".
- ↑ "L. Lavon Gray Accepted into Forbes Coaches Council".
- ↑ "Lavon Gray Leadership Consulting".
- ↑ "Liberty University Graduate Catalog, 2013-2014".
- ↑ "Dr. L. Lavon Gray Bio".
- ↑ "Magazine Names Liberty Program "Best of the Best"".
- ↑ Dr. L. Lavon Gray; commend upon being chosen as the sole music director for the 2008 Southern Baptist Convention
- ↑ "Hometown Madison Magazine: The Choir Guy".
- ↑ "Northside Sun Magazine: The Hope of Christmas".
- ↑ "Mississippi Worship Dialogue Bridge Racial Lines".
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