We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Charles Mays. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Charles below.
Charles , appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
Well, the vision began back in 2009 when I was in college but, it all didn’t become clear until years later. One semester, I was working on a project to come up with a storyboard for a video game I wanted to create. God gave me the idea for a game that incorporated heroes from the Bible. During that time, there was nothing in the market that was Kingdom based and that still remains the same today. So, I decided that I was going to create Christian based games that represented the Kingdom of God. Fast forward to February 2019, I’m married with two children and working a job I disliked. Somewhere within that time span I had lost sight of the vision and began working on other things. I started several businesses while working a job I could not stand. I was frustrated with life and nothing that I tried seemed to be working, or it just wasn’t for me. I was driving a box truck for a company I was working for at that time. I was on my way to drop off the last load to one of the company’s store fronts and I was tired and frustrated. I asked God, “What do I need to do? What am I doing wrong?” At that very moment, God reminded me of the idea He gave me back in college. He began to tell me the vision and the game plan. All I could say was wow, this is big! A lot bigger than my initial thought. Later on that night, I wrote down everything God told me in detail and I began planning out the steps to push the vision forward. I was excited and knew that this was my assignment. March of 2019 my job shut down temporarily due to the COVID-19 Virus. I was stuck at home for almost 4 months. During that time, I was hard at work laying the foundation and preparing for the launch. I spent many of those days grinding until 2 am. My two talented sisters were also up with me many late nights via phone and zoom meetings, helping to build the vision. Stephanie and Lauren Mays played a vital role in the success of Bible Heroes. Stephanie Mays, owner and founder of S. Mays Designs, built our website, created all of our branding, performed all market analysis and research, and helped to develop social media content. She did all of this while working on multiple projects. Lauren Mays, owner and founder of Robotic Pastries created most of the character art work. She was also busy working on multiple projects. I’m blessed to have them and thank God for them being willing to push behind the vision to make it a reality. After several months of planning and creating, we were finally finished. December 2019 I filed for Bible Heroes to become a legal entity. Two weeks later, I received the article of organization! I was ecstatic that Bible Heroes was official! The next several months were spent strategizing, planning and building the excitement around the first release. In October of 2020 we officially launched Bible Heroes to the world. Since then, we have made great strides and we’re rapidly expanding. We are planning a 2nd release early 2024! 2024 is going to be a big year for us and we are excited for the things to come.
Charles , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Our mission with Bible Heroes is to encourage Kingdom culture and Kingdom knowledge. We’re not focused on selling products or services. Our sole purpose is to expand the Kingdom of God and influence throughout the world using various outlets such as media, clothing, curriculums etc.… The media, gaming industry and clothing industry all influence and impact the way we go about our daily lives. Families around the world are influenced by what the media feeds us on a daily basis so, why not provide Kingdom content that will encourage and inspire us to live a life of purpose that fulfills the will of God. No longer will we settle for the culture the world gives us. We can provide Kingdom culture that reflects God’s will for us on earth. With Bible Heroes, families will learn about the Kingdom of God, the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Bible. We are determined to spread the message of the Kingdom. We are in the process of creating Kingdom based cartoons, tv shows, clothing and learning material that is scheduled to be released between 2024-2025. Through this, all will be able to see how to live a life pleasing to God and receive all the benefits this lifestyle has to offer.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
The KJV Bible has played a major role in the launch of Bible Heroes. I know it seems a bit obvious but it is the core and foundation of Bible Heroes. It’s my main source for Kingdom living and values. Everything I need to know regarding management and business is there for me to reference. I also read and studied a lot of material from Dr. Miles Munroe and Pastor Mike Darnell of Excel Church Atlanta. Miles Munroe was very wise and had a solid Biblical understanding of the Kingdom. Although he may no longer be with us, his teachings, books and sermons are still relevant today. Many people around the world still reference his material. Pastor Mike is a phenomenal man of God! He has given me a deeper understanding of the Word of God and how to apply Kingdom principles to be effective in my personal life and business. I highly recommend his book “Eden’s Economy.” A friend of mine by the name of Joseph Tolbert introduced and invited me to Excel Church Atlanta which is under the leadership of Mike Darnell. I attended one service and have been going ever since and I am now a member of Excel Church Atlanta. I have experienced nothing but growth in my personal life and business ventures under his leadership and teaching.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I often tell people that this is not for the faint of heart and it takes boldness and courage. You find out who your true supporters, family and friends are. I’ve had many stand before me and say they are behind the vision and are supporting me. They would smile in my face and say “that’s awesome!” Later I would find those same people spreading rumors and doing their absolute best to tear down my character. Initially, it was hard for me facing the reality that not everyone is rooting for your success. You would think that your family and friends are but, that is not always the case. When jealousy and hate comes from those you care about and love, it hits different. But, anytime I face challenges, one scripture comes to mind. Galatians chapter 6 verse 9 says “”And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”” Through it all, I’ve made up in my mind that nothing will stop me from progressing forward and I will continue to go hard for the Kingdom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ourbibleheroes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bibleheroes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourbibleheroes/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bibleheroes1251