Lady Leah McNair: Empowered, because the Time is Now!
Written by Rev. Nichelle Early, Executive Editor
So often, the greatest obstacle to our success is not what is happening in our present. Typically, it is that which we will not let go of from our past. And, when we do not release past hurt, mistakes, or disappointments, they often become barriers in our present that keep us from moving forward in our personal assignment of advancing God's Kingdom. Think about that for a moment. What, if anything, is holding you back from accomplishing the visions and dreams that God has given you? What obstacles are you currently facing that have caused you to believe that you can't move forward now because the time is not right? These are very important questions, especially noting the current spiritual, political, and economical landscape of our nation and entire world at large. We can no longer afford to waste time. God is putting a demand on all that He has invested in us and we must avail ourselves to His will.
PreachingWoman.com's founder, Evangelist Nichelle Early, embraced the exclusive opportunity to speak candidly with one of the Kingdom's eminent and emerging voices, Lady Leah McNair (Lady McNair), founder of Lady Leah Ministries. She humbly accepted our invitation to be featured and celebrated on PreachingWoman.com sharing with us her resolve that regardless of your past or your present circumstances, God has empowered His people everything they need to advance His Kingdom without further delay because "the time is now!"
Affectionately known as "Lady Mac," Lady McNair is a powerfully anointed young woman of God standing amidst many "thirty-something" female preachers as an empowering and uncompromising voice of the Gospel. Commended for her wisdom, passion, and pursuit of Kingdom purpose, God has given Lady McNair an adeptness to deliver a high-impact, prophetic, life-changing Word, which draws souls and shifts them from the depths of mediocrity to where they are destined to be in Christ Jesus. Armed with uncanny wisdom beyond her years, a vivacious personality, and a knack for class and style, Lady McNair is one who truly exemplifies and imparts the beauty of holiness.A native of Greensboro, NC, Lady McNair began serving at an early age when she identified and answered the call of God upon her life in 1998. Ordained in 2001, as an Elder in the Lord's church she has served in various capacities and fulfilled many leadership roles including executive administrator and assistant pastor. Transcending racial barriers and denominational boundaries, the evangelistic call upon her life has afforded Lady McNair numerous opportunities to minister nationally and internationally.
Sharing the ministry platform with some of our nation's most highly acclaimed speakers to include, Dr. Wanda Davis Turner, Pastor Sheryl Brady, Dr. Carolyn Showell, Apostle Rita Twiggs, and Co-Pastor Susie Owens, Lady McNair continues to utilize her ministry gifts to provide leadership training, facilitate workshops, organize and lead missions groups, and preach revivals and other services for the glory of God. As an addendum to her preaching ministry she has been a featured guest on "Today's Woman", a national television show that highlights some of America's most prominent women in business and ministry, amidst other media opportunities.
Coupled with her personal ministry, Lady McNair serves faithfully alongside her husband, Pastor P. Michael McNair. Together they steward Emmanuel Baptist Church, one of the most innovative and progressive ministries in the city of Thomasville, NC. Together, they have been busy building and strengthening the Kingdom of God for 21st century ministry.
PreachingWoman.com's founder, Nichelle Early (NE), enjoyed an outstanding time of sharing with Lady McNair (LM) offered sound encouragement and advice to all those who would dare to believe that "The Time Is Now!"
NE: Lady McNair, thank you so much for accepting this interview! I am so honored to have you share with PreachingWoman.com today!
LM: Thank you, I am both humbled and honored to speak with you as well, I'm so excited!
NE: Great! Now, I often ask this question of many of our guests, so we will not allow you to be exempt! What is the mission and mandate of your ministry?
LM: Well, I started preaching at a young age, 16 to be exact. And as I continued to preach, the Lord began to show me that He had given me a ministry of empowerment. In other words, He's given me a ministry assignment to empower the Body of Christ with deliverance, healing, and wholeness through His Holy Spirit. So my mission is to get people to realize who they are in God, to teach them how to walk in their God given authority and power. My goal is to shift God's people away from focusing on their past, by reminding them, through the Word of the unlimited potential that lies in their future. When we do that, we are then enabled to live an empowered life in Christ Jesus!
NE: Amen! That is so true. We must focus on what God wants us to focus on, which is His Word, because His Word empowers us to know His will, His authority, and Power for our lives!
LM: That's exactly right!
NE: Now, one of the things I love about you as that you have successfully synchronized your personal ministry with that of your husband's and your church. So, what are some of the empowering strategies that together you all have employed to empower people for 21st Century ministry?
LM: Well, God has blessed me with a wonderful husband who happens to have the same ministry mandate of empowering, not only the people of God, but also our community. When we answered the call of pastoralship at Emmanuel Baptist Church, which had been in existence for 95 years, and at the time had a smaller membership base, we knew that we had to teach the people to be empowered spiritually, physically, and socially. Within four years of pastoring the church, the Lord allowed the church to triple in membership size. And, the Lord did this by showing us how to teach the people to be innovative and think outside of the box. We realized that we can't lose the current generation because we are too stubborn to change. So, we began to deliver church in a real, raw, un-orthodox way, while teaching people to desire and have a true relationship with God. Some of our strategies include utilizing social media; executing community outreach initiatives, which position us to be a bridge between the government and the people; Conducting our "B-3 Program (Blessed to Be A Blessing)," in which we give away furniture, gift cards, money, and once even a car!; And, promoting our "Team Empowerment" program amidst many others.
NE: Wow! Please tell us a little bit about the "Team Empowerment' Program.
LM: Okay! My husband and I believe that many people get stuck and stagnant in their visions and goals because they either do not know what to do, or how to do it. So, with "Team Empowerment" we believe in going and showing people, particularly churches, what to do and how to do it. Almost like "Extreme Makeover for Church!" Basically, we go and help a church get a "new face." We take all of our ministry leaders, we pile in a van and we go over on a weekend and help a church, absolutely free. We do not charge for this. We help them correct any issues with administration, marketing, branding, you name it, and we offer our help to get them on the track to doing ministry in the 21st century.
NE: That is so amazing, and it truly shows that you all are serious about empowering God's people to equip them to wins the souls of this generation and beyond at all costs!
LM: Amen! That's right! It's imperative that we not deviate from the principles of the Word of God, however, we must represent Christ in an innovative way, and we must do that now!
NE: Now, I do want to touch on one thing, because you and your husband share in ministry full time together…what are three principles that you would offer to women who find it difficult to synchronize their ministry with their husband's ministry?
LM: Well, I would offer the a few things:
- You have to love God and trust Him - It is God who will teach you to know who you are inside and outside of your husband's ministry. And when you learn that, you will be able to serve faithfully in his ministry and in yours, because you will find that God put you two together for one purpose; that purpose is that together as one, God get's the glory out of all that you both are doing. When you love God, there should be no reason why you can't do ministry together.
- You have to love God's Word - The Word of God tells us how to honor our husbands. It also tells us how to walk in love. And, for women like myself, who your husband happens to be your pastor, it's the Word that gives you the ability to love your husband as your husband, and honor him as your pastor and respect His work. When you truly love and believe God's Word, it will teach you that just because He's your husband, it doesn't negate the fact that He's also your spiritual covering. The anointing on His life, because He's the head falls on my life, and I believe I am empowered even the more when I submit to him.
- Love the people you serve - You should love the people you serve enough to do what it takes to have an effective ministry with your spouse. Now, we all know that people are going to hurt you, and sometimes it won't matter how hard you try, but try to stay focused on providing the best ministry you can together.
NE: Those are some great principles, and they are so needed in this hour with the open attacks of the enemy against so many ministry marriages…
LM: Yes, Evangelist, and the thing I find most important is to "Keep It Simple." This will help, because I'm sure we all know that there are going to be some rough times when you are married and in ministry. And so you have to learn to not always merge the two [marriage and public ministry] together to the point your disagreements come out in the open. You can be upset and you are going to be upset at times, at home, and even in the car on the way to church {laughs}, but at the end of the day, you have to keep your calling sure and keep the focus on the purpose of God at hand.
NE: Amen! That is outstanding needed advice! Well, let me get back on track here, because I really want to talk about your personal ministry initiatives a bit more.
Please tell us about your program for young aspiring women in ministry, "MAC Ladies on the Front Line!"
LM: Sure! MAC Ladies on the Front Line stands for "Mentoring Advancing Chosen Ladies on the Front Line." This is a program for young women who believe they are called to ministry or are newly licensed in ministry, in which we provide training and development for them. We general hold a summit in July with our main objective to teach and impart principles of raising the standard amongst young women in ministry. We typically talk about "quality versus quantity" in terms of engagements, "Gifting versus Relationship," "the difference between being called versus chosen," and many other topics. I tell people all the time, ministry is serious. We must ask ourselves this question, "When I minister, do I leave them delivered and changed, or just hyped?"
NE: Wow! That is so true…because there is a lot of hype these days, hype and no power!
LM: Right! My husband calls in "B.P.I. - Big-Preacher-Itis" Where people are just worried about being 'big time' and not truly concerned with real ministry.
NE: I like that!! {laughs}
LM: These days it's important to know what platform you are ready to occupy. I teach women in ministry that you must:
- Know YOUR ministry - make it a point to know the uniqueness of your ministry inside and out and the target group God has called you to minister to.
- Know YOUR measure - take the time to acknowledge what "you believe" needs to happen for you to reach your personal goals, whether it be as small as going back to school or as big as moving to another state!
- Know YOUR experience - give yourself time to gain the wisdom and experience necessary for certain doors that will open.
When it's truly your time and season, you will know it and will be equipped to handle it. You will possess the fruit necessary for the moment, which comes after you've gone through the growing process and have been prepared for the moment. And, for many of us, the time is now!
NE: Amen, I think no matter what stage of ministry you are in, every level or assignment has its process!
Lady McNair is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor's degree in Public Health Education. She is the CEO of "Destiny's Lady", a premier fashion and wardrobe consulting business that specializes in upscale apparel, custom clothing, and accessories. With such passion to be an example to women today, Lady McNair couples her evangelistic ministry with several other roles that she assumes to include that of a loving wife, professional entrepreneur, First Lady and spiritual and life mentor to many.
NE: Lady McNair as we close, what do you believe God is saying in this hour?
LM: I believe God is saying, "Now!" It's time to live in the "Now." "Now" is the acceptable time and there is no more time for complacency. It means "without further delay." I often ask people, "What's holding you back from doing it now?" We must do ministry and all that God has equipped us to do now. Ministry is not just preaching, its community, its family, and business for His glory. If you have gone through the process and God has said move, what's holding you back? The time is now!
NE: Amen!
Last but not least, what does your family mean to you in this hour?
LM: My husband is my family and he is my everything! He's my number one fan! He's my coach; he helps me in every aspect of my ministry. I know that He wants the best for me and I want the same for him. I believe our ministry journey is more effective because we do it together. And, as we are pastoring at this young age and doing all that God has called us to do, we know that the time is now!...And when it is all said and done, all I want to hear from God is well done!
