52 in 52 …. A BIG 2024 goal completed.

This marks my 52nd—and final—blog of 2024. Completing this goal feels incredibly satisfying. I committed to writing 52 blogs this year because I want to write a book, and this consistent practice was a step toward that larger aspiration.

Over the past six weeks, I’ve been mind-mapping and outlining the book I plan to write in 2025. While listening to a podcast recently, I heard two authors discuss the writing process. They suggested drafting an introduction before diving fully into the book. This, they explained, helps clarify whether the book truly addresses a need.

With that in mind, here’s a rough draft of my book’s introduction:

When I began my career as a police officer, I attended a six-month academy that combined theoretical learning with practical application. During those six months, I participated in scenario-based training, where I received immediate feedback on my performance. After graduating, I spent the next two months under the guidance of a training officer who initially mentored me on how to handle the job and later assessed my competency to perform the essential duties safely. I thrived in that career, eventually dedicating much of my time to training others in the profession. 

Then, almost overnight, I transitioned into a calling as a vocational pastor at a mega-church. This shift felt abrupt, given that I hadn’t attended church from the age of fourteen until I turned twenty-eight. For eight years, I had been an active church member—attending services, taking classes, serving, and eventually stepping into leadership as a layperson. Working in ministry was never on my radar. I hadn’t attended seminary; all my biblical training came from the pastors at my church. 

At the time, our church was experiencing significant growth, necessitating additional leadership to meet the demands of a larger congregation. Because of my involvement in serving and leading, some of the staff pastors began to see me as a potential pastor. I never actively pursued the role, but when they called and offered it, I answered. One day, “I went to bed a police officer and woke up a pastor” (Hopper). 

Unlike my law enforcement training, there was no academy, no field training, and no clear roadmap for what lay ahead. During my second week, a receptionist informed me that a family in the hospital had just experienced a horrific loss. Driving to the hospital, I felt a strange sense of relief—returning to a setting I was familiar with from my years as a police officer. That familiarity gave me a sense of grounding amid the uncertainty of my new role. 

I had an excellent boss who became a mentor and remains a close friend today. He taught me a great deal during those first years, but his responsibilities meant he couldn’t provide the same day-to-day mentorship as my police training officer had. My development process was much more independent. 

Looking back, I realize I was hired to fill an immediate need, a stark contrast to my police career, where it was understood that I wouldn’t contribute meaningfully for at least a year. I began reading books, visiting other churches, and learning from peers in similar roles. Slowly, I improved how I served, led, and invested in others' development. 

A few years into ministry, I was given the opportunity to lead a team of six staff members, stepping into a higher level of leadership. Not long after that, my boss announced he was leaving for another position out of state. Shortly thereafter, I found myself in a meeting with his boss and another department leader. The executive turned to me and asked if I could take on the responsibility of merging two major departments and leading the combined team. 

Though I projected confidence, I was still navigating the steep leadership learning curve. Eager to prove myself, I suggested structural changes that would benefit the organization and support the 13 direct reports affected by the shift. When asked directly if I could lead the former number two in the outgoing department, I responded without hesitation: “Absolutely—and not only can I, but I want to.” 

That individual was a fiery, passionate leader known for clashing with management. Yet, there was no one I wanted to work with more. Six years later, he has become one of the most effective leaders in our organization. The lessons I’ve learned with and from him have fueled my passion for development and inspired me to write this book. 

Over the past 25 years, I’ve trained rookie police officers who advanced to command positions, SWAT team members from major departments across the globe, out-of-shape adults who became marathon runners and competitive weightlifters, and ministry leaders who now serve churches and communities worldwide. Training has been a passion since I first experienced it done well as a rookie cop. 

This book is my attempt to share what I’ve learned about development. Development is the process of growing, progressing, or advancing in a specific area. I believe many people fail to reach their full potential in areas that matter most to them because they don’t understand how to leverage a system for growth. 

You were created to do amazing things. Investing in your own development—and the development of those you lead or serve alongside—is one of the most rewarding ways to spend your time and energy. 

I hope this book helps you see a repeatable system for development, one you can apply in ministry, business, education, or any setting where growth and excellence matter. I also hope that writing and sharing this with you will further my own development and that of the people I lead. 

So, does this seem like a book that has the potential to help people, and do you think I should write it?