Phyllis Hendry: Leading Like Jesus
TwoTen received a sneak peek of Phyllis Hendry's childhood scriptural inspiration, which continues to serve as the foundation of her life and ministry. We have included some of her story below...
When we first met Phyllis Hendry she greeted us at Lead Like Jesus headquarters in Augusta, Georgia, and welcomed us in as if we were family. Her voice is tender and her words are laced together with a southern accent that is almost musical.
What’s most ironic is that her graciousness in making you feel like you’re the most important person in the room veils the fact that she is a frequent world traveler, accomplished writer, inspirational public speaker and influential CEO of the Lead Like Jesus organization.
From a very young age, Phyllis knew that doing His work was good work to do. As the daughter of a bi-vocational pastor—during the week he was a construction supervisor, and on the weekends he focused on growing a small mission church—Phyllis learned at a very early age about foundations, building things, and more importantly, building relationships.
“On Saturday, we would visit people in the community to invite them to join our church. I remember one particular gentleman who God used to teach me about relationships.” Phyllis said as she recalled a crotchety old man who had no interest whatsoever in going to church.
“Every week, we would go and sit on his front porch and he would give me a grape Nehi. I would listen as my dad and this older gentleman talked. They talked about fishing, business and whatever this gentleman wanted to talk about. That was our regular Saturday visit and I never heard my dad ask this gentleman to come to church again.”
About a year and a half later, as Phyllis was playing piano at the Sunday church service, she looked up and saw tears in her father’s eyes as this gentleman walked through the door.
“It still makes me cry to think that by investing so keenly in him and building a relationship with this older gentleman, he came to know the Lord that day. But it wasn’t just in that day. It was all those Saturdays before.”
Today, as CEO of Lead Like Jesus, an organization whose mission is to glorify God by inspiring and equipping people to lead like Jesus, Phyllis stands on that great foundation for her life. “On that day, I came to understand that if we are going to make a difference in people’s lives, we must take time and invest in relationships.”
“I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11
The most important relationship for Phyllis is with her Heavenly Father. “When I was eight years old, I had the opportunity to attend summer camp if I memorized 300 Bible verses. I was willing to do whatever it took to be able to spend a week at camp and go swimming, play tennis, sit by the campfire and eat s’mores.”
With the prayers and assistance of her father, Phyllis learned those 300 Bible verses, but more importantly had the seeds of God’s Word planted in her heart. At the time, it was all about earning a week at camp. But looking back, Phyllis acknowledges, “I didn’t know what my reward was. What I realized later in my life is what I had learned in Isaiah 43; ‘God had called me by name and that I was His’.”
The lessons she learned from the Scripture that she memorized as an 8-year old are at her core and the foundation that guides her and gives her strength. “At 8 years old, I gave as much of myself as I understood of myself, to as much of God as I understood...
To read more of this article and find out how God led 8-year-old Phyllis Hendry to becoming the CEO of Lead Like Jesus, subscribe to TwoTen for free here.
