We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Christopher Respass. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Christopher below.

Dr. Christopher, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

So, how I got my first job in ministry is crazy–it’s God-centered, but it’s crazy (in the best possible sense). So, I am a licensed attorney, but I was called to preach during my third year (senior year) of law school. I started preaching that fall and graduated the following spring. Through God’s favor I was able to move from law school and straight into a corporate, in-house counsel practice at a Fortune 500 company in Dallas. (That never happens and is perhaps another story for a different day). Well, circumstances changed at the job and I began to look for options. I really wanted to get into full-time ministry, but at that time I only had a part-time offer to become a youth pastor. I was married with two children and one in utero, so that wasn’t going to cut it. So, I leveraged one of the strongest players in my network–my step-dad who was also an executive at another Fortune 500 company in the area. After a series of phone calls (and I’m sure promises as well), I received a call to become a part of the finance team from the director of the finance business unit. It turns out that the Director was someone I interned with several years earlier when he was just a general contributor. It was a dream situation; one of those “you write your own job description and come onboard” situations. Perfect, right?! Well….

A few days later, I was informed by the church that offered the part-time youth position that they were going to change it to a full-time position! Yes, full-time. My dream of entering full-ministry had come. But there’s only one problem–I have another job offer in business. “So what?!,” some might say. “Just tell them that circumstances changed for you.” Well, this was nearly three decades ago. Times were different and the marketplace was not as tolerant of fickle employees. Plus, my dad had used considerable “street cred” to help bring this about. My choices: take the business job and possibly miss on a full-time career in ministry, all while being miserable or take the church job and leave my dad to take hits on his professional reputation, but have the joy of working in my desired field. I opted to take the business job and would have a conference call with my new boss on the following Monday. So, I decided to take the weekend to pray about it and be sure.

The weekend was stressful and intense. I really didn’t want to take the business job, but integrity was at stake–my dad’s and mine! It’s Monday and it’s go time, but my workload was crazy that day. I had internal clients in and out of my office, emails to respond to, and contracts to review and edit. Around 5 pm, I called my “new boss” and his first words to me were “Have you heard?” “No,” I answered, “I’ve been swamped.” He said, “You really haven’t heard?” Again, I said, “No.” Apparently, sometime earlier that day, it was announced that my “new company” had been purchased by a large national competitor. As a result…all hiring was frozen! Yes…frozen! When I tell you that was the best news that I had ever heard, but I did my best to express regret, but it was really relief. God literally sent a buy-out to put me in the place he wanted me.

I called the pastor of the church that evening and the rest is history!

Dr. Christopher, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Well, I was born in Queens, New York but raised in Durham, North Carolina (Go Tarheels!). After graduating from Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA), I attended The University of Texas at Austin School of Law where I was called to preach as previously mentioned. I got married in Austin and eventually, my wife and I moved our family to the Dallas Metroplex where I began my legal career until transitioning to full-time ministry. I was a youth pastor for five years and then planted Antioch Christian Fellowship (Corinth, TX) where i continue to serve as Lead Pastor.

As the leader of local church, I deal with the most serious problem of humanity–life here (on earth) and life hereafter. With that, I feel that most would say that I am in a service industry, but more specifically I am in the Compassion business. I truly feel that the Lord has called me to work to express Christ’s compassion to a hurting world; and as a community leader I work to help others do the same.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

In both my private legal practice and the ministry, I believe personal and professional integrity have helped build my reputation. Needless to say, your work product or deliverables must be stellar. No one spending money and time expects to receive substandard services or products. So, I was very intentional about presenting my best work, meeting my deadlines, and being honest. Over time, clients and colleagues began to see that I was serious about my craft and serious about serving. That has helped me grow in influence and in community acceptance.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

Knowing what I know, yes, I would do it all over again. I always wanted to be a physician. Everything I did up to my first semester in college was to prepare me for medical school. I was a “for real” biology major–and I loved it! Looking back over my life and my career, I am not so sure that I would have been as willing to leave a medical practice versus a legal practice. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoyed practicing law, but I LOVED science and medicine. Being a doctor was too much of a heart thing for me. I might not have walked away and had I not, it’s possible that I never would have planted Antioch. I would not have the privilege of serving the wonderful people that I do, nor would I have met the local and national leaders that I have. No, I wouldn’t change a thing. I would walk the same road–just with more humility and patience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.antiochcorinth.org
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/antiochcorinth

Image Credits

Eileen Abassi
Lisa Polley