SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Finish Strong, the show that equips men to walk boldly in their faith and finish the race of life with no regrets. The Word of God challenges each of us to run with endurance. In a world full of distractions and challenges, we're here to help you to stay grounded in God's Word, lead with integrity, and live with meaning and purpose. Come along as your host Jeff Drawn helps to equip you by having real conversations with successful men who will tell their stories of perseverance. Clothed in biblical truth, these powerful stories will give you practical wisdom to show how you start, it's how you finish.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

David was a minister at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, Louisiana for 43 years. He served first as the youth minister and then a senior pastor for 22 years, retiring in 2022. When he retired, he had a staff of 99 people and oversaw an annual budget of $6.4 million. During David's time at Calvary, the church built a new education building in 1990, built a children's world and a student center in 2002. The church planted another church campus in Woodworth, Louisiana, and built and opened a new 1,455-seat worship center in 2015. Under David's leadership, the church was debt-free when he retired. But most of all, the spiritual impact that David's ministry had on central Louisiana, the state of Louisiana, and the world cannot be measured. So even with all this, David will probably tell you that his greatest accomplishment is his family. David's been married to Susie for 48 years. They have two children, their two spouses and two grandchildren. David has had the honor of baptizing all of his children and grandchildren. So with that kind of resume, you're probably thinking that David has just cruised through life. Well, as you will hear, every journey, including David's, has bumps along the way. But it's not how you start, it's how you finish. Let's hear how David Brooks has learned to finish strong. David Brooks, welcome to the podcast. Thank you. It's an honor to be here. Great to see you, David. And I tell you, this is a this is a personal one for me, uh, just because you've had such an impact on my life. Just I was thinking about this the other day as we were putting this together for the past, for sure, 26, 27 years. Uh but even going back before that, you know, I kind of came in and out of the Calvary Youth Group growing up, and so I really have known you since I was really in junior high high school. So many, many decades ago. But just this is personal for me, and I want to thank you for coming on today, but just thank you for all that you've you've done in my life. So thank you.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

It's an honor and it's been a good travel past.

SPEAKER_02 2:46

Absolutely. So uh so happy New Year. I know this is your favorite time of the year, right? You always used to say in your messages that you love New Year's. So what'd you love what'd you love about New Year's so much?

SPEAKER_03 2:56

What I like about New Year's, my wife, Christmas is everything to her. We have nine Christmas trees up during Christmas. Wow. For me, I like New Year's because it's that point that you can just let the past go because it's behind you, and look to the future because you have a brand new year ahead of you that has no scars in it. Oh, and so that's what I like about New Year's. It's time to go forward. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 3:20

Love it, David. And you inspired me all those years. I'm a big goals guy, so I sit down January 1st and mark out all my goals, and I think about you when I'm putting those goals together, the spiritual goals, the financial, the business goals, and uh I love that time of year, too. It's just kind of a fresh start, you know, for a lot in a lot of ways. So tell us about kind of your growing up years. You know, I mean, a lot of people may not know kind of where you grew up, kind of what family you grew up in. So let's start from the beginning. How how how did that come about?

SPEAKER_03 3:49

I uh was born in Hattersburg, Mississippi. My mom and dad both were from there, and I grew up in a wonderful home. My dad was transferred to uh Shreeport and uh at a crucial time in my life when I was going in adolescence, and so it was a challenge for me to have to build new friendships. Uh but we began attending a small church uh in that area, just small church, ran about 15 people on a Sunday, but they had this really strong young couple that were newlyweds, and they took over the student ministry. And uh Gene and Glenda Young, and they made a tremendous impact on my life. But I I was I grew up in a great home. My mom and dad were believers, and uh my dad believed in us at the end of a day, he would gather me and my brother and my mom, and we would have a time of devotion and we would have a prayer time. So when I'm like 15 years old and had people spending the night with me, I was like hoping dad wouldn't do that. But he did it every time. And to my uh surprise, my friends loved it, and they loved coming over to our house, and that didn't bother them at all. And so uh that made a great impact on me. They were very proud when uh they realized that I was called into ministry and they just fully supported me. So uh, you know, they gave me everything I ever needed, most everything I ever wanted. Wow, wow. And so I I just am was privileged to have a wonderful home life to come out of.

SPEAKER_02 5:28

Wow. Well I hope the people listening to this podcast are seeing a pattern here because it seems like every guy that I've been interviewing talks about the impact of the local church uh on their spiritual life. You know, Dr. Steve Horn last week talked about how he grew up in a real small church and his youth pastor poured into him. And so I use that actually to encourage a guy this morning. I I'm I'm discipling some 20-year-olds right now, and and one of the guys is starting to teach the youth at his church. And he says, I only have about 20 people in my youth group. And I said, Hey, don't discount who you're training right now. You could be training the next David Brooks, the next Steve Horn, uh, the next Charlie Kirk, you know, who who who knows who you could be training right now. So that's inspirational. And also the value of having a godly home. And I hope you're hearing this, you know, that that the dad, your dad was leading the way in leading his home uh spiritually. So uh what an incredible start you had.

SPEAKER_03 6:20

So I'm so thankful. So thankful.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

Yeah. So you went on to college. So what what led you to Alexandria, Louisiana? How did you move from Freeport, that area, after college and after ministry to to Alexandria?

SPEAKER_03 6:34

Right. Well, I uh went to uh seminary in New Orleans. Yes. And uh I uh was contacted by Calvary because uh somebody that knew me when I was in Spring Hill, they had uh people that uh that lived here, and uh they were talking one day about they needed more ministers or a youth minister, and uh so they tracked me down. It's really interesting when I went to New Orleans Seminary, I didn't know it, but there were two David Brookses. So they sent uh a letter to me and uh to the post office there, and the the seminary gave him to another guy named David Brooks. And uh so they had basically given up on me because I had res they thought I had received a letter and never responded back. And then one day I was walking across the campus and a guy stopped me and he said, I understand there are two David Brookses. Well, this letter must be for you, because I have no idea who these people are. So uh it was, and so I immediately called and uh and talked uh to the pastor here, and uh he set up a time that I would uh drive up here and just uh meet the church and meet a committee and just see if this might be a place where God had for me. So that's kind of how it all happened. That is amazing. Yeah, Reverend John Alley.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

Yeah. That's amazing. So uh so I'm I'm assuming you assume that was really for you and wasn't for the other David Brooks, right? Right. Right. So you came on as the you came on as the youth minister at Calgary, correct? So and spent many years, twenty so years as as youth minister, and that's where I first met you. And uh so what was that like being a youth minister for all those years as your kids? You started you and Susie got married, had having kids. So how was that kind of balancing life, being a youth minister, growing, you know, raising young children? How did how did you handle all that?

SPEAKER_03 8:32

You know, uh I was fortunate that my children were really not in my youth program until the very end. And by that point, they knew I would be ending that soon and making another transition. And so they handled that real well. Uh you know, I was so proud of them. You know, a lot of times children coming out of a pastor's home, they resent the church because their dad spent so much time there at the church than he spent with them and they became bitter with that. Yes. And uh ours didn't, you know, and I rec I say that Susie was a big part of that because uh when I came to work in the mornings at the church, uh she had no idea when I would be home, but that I would be home. Yes. And so she was the a great mother, you know. Sometimes they would be in the bed sound asleep when I got home. But uh because of her commitment and and how she handled it, our children didn't become bitter, you know. So often uh pastors' children hate the church because it took their dad away from them. And uh ours didn't have that. And uh, you know, one thing is Calvary is such a unique church, and that's not how they see church themselves. Yes. And uh and then, you know, with the way uh I was led by Brother John, David Booth, uh Gene Ortiz. Yes, you know, I just had some great mentors here, and uh they just kind of guided me in the right way. And uh it was just a wonderful uh time of life for us here.

SPEAKER_02 10:07

Well, something worked because you have wonderful kids. Uh you have a son that's a pastor, uh, your daughter has a great family, and so just wonderful, wonderful job. So obviously it turned out well. So it did.

SPEAKER_03 10:20

And you know, uh, we never thought they would be back here, you know, because our son Chad and his wife were in Monroe area, and Peyton and Jay were in Shreeport area, and we just never imagined in, you know, several years ago they all moved back here. Yes. And so it is just unbelievable to you know, we see each other three or four times a day. Every Sunday night we meet at Chad's house and we all have dinner together. Wow. And we guard that because, you know, all the time something could come up and we just say, no, that's family time for us. And uh so we just never imagined that would happen. We could not be more grateful and more thankful. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Another lesson for you guys listening to this today, you know, just guarding that family time either, even when the kids are away from the nest. It is empty nesters. I know there's a lot of guys listening on this and may not have kids at home, but y'all make it a priority to get together with your kids on a consistent basis. So uh so let's go back to the time. So you were spent 20 years as a uh youth minister basically, and then came on as senior pastor. And uh, unlike a lot of Baptist churches, you know, you were you were next in line to take over for a long uh a long-serving pastor, John Alley, and lots of Baptist churches don't have that smooth of a transition. So tell us about that transition, transitioning because he had been at Calvary for thir almost 30 years, right? So tell us about that transition.

SPEAKER_03 11:46

He had uh he has two daughters, he's passed away now. And uh so really, Jeff, I became the son he never had. And uh he saw something in me that I didn't see and that others didn't see. And in, you know, successions is becoming common now, but it was not common then. And so uh people you know uh talked to him and said that's not the way Baptists do it, and he said, that's the way these Baptists are gonna do it. Absolutely. And so I just became the son he never had, and uh that's not to say that he didn't call me in sometime and kind of say we could do that differently, we could do that better. Yeah. But he really was a father to me, and uh I miss him so much because we began fishing together, hunting together, just lots of things. And uh he passed away with kidney failure. And uh the last year and a half of his life, I was privileged to take him uh every Wednesday to his doctor for him to have his kidney flushed out and all that. Incredible.

SPEAKER_02 12:55

You were able to serve your mentor. Uh so again, life lesson guys there, you know, if you ever have a chance to serve those who've poured so much into you uh over time as well. And uh and backing up as we're talking about men pouring into men. So going back to your youth pastor that poured so much into you, so you did you have a chance to go back to your youth pastor and tell him thank you for pouring into him and did he see what you had become as far as going into ministry and all that?

SPEAKER_03 13:24

Yes. And uh you know, like I said, you know, he was a pastor of the church, but this young couple, uh, you know, they just didn't have children at that point and just poured so much into us. And I keep up with them now. Oh, great. Yeah. They live in Shreveport. Yeah. And uh matter of fact, on the day I retired, he came down uh that day to see me. And several times he would be in this area and he would stop by, call the church, see if I was there. Yes. And so we still have good contact with him.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

That had to give him great joy to know that he had poured so much into you and now you're affecting so many people.

SPEAKER_03 13:59

Right. I hope so. And he says it is, you know. So uh I just just God has just led us all the way, and we're so thankful. And again, our children don't hate the church. Yes. You know, they're here, and you know, Peyton, our daughter, and her husband Jay and Callie Kate and Jam, our grandchildren. Yes, you know, so uh I think a lot of people thought when I retired they wouldn't see me. And a lot of them said, Oh, we're not gonna see you anymore. Well, with my kids here, my family here, they see me a lot. You know, so anytime something's going on, we're here Sunday morning, this is our church, we're here on Wednesday nights, you know. I love to come to the quest. And you know, what I like so much about the quest is I don't have to teach. You know? Yes, and uh I just get to come in there, you do an incredible job, and and every year you there's more and more men that are there. And uh I don't think I ever told you this, but uh so when it came to retirement time, uh some people thought I wouldn't come to the quest because I was retired. And I uh I said, oh no, I'm gonna be here because I felt like that was a way that I could say to them, I'm here to learn too. Yes, yes, you know, yes, and that uh and I'm supporting you. Wow. And uh I told them I love what was going on here, and just every year it just got larger and larger with people. Yes. And uh I don't know. I just, you know, I've had some hard times, you know, I have some heart issues, and so that slowed me down and uh and then I lost complete vision in my right eye. And uh so at that point I was just realizing, you know, I'm not gonna be able to give the church the best that I could be. Yes. And uh that led me to the time, well, it's time to retire. It's time for me to do that, it's time for the church to not slow down, and uh and so it was just the thing to do. Absolutely. And uh, you know, now when I was a pastor, Jeff, I had to like, well, you know, I I kind of believe if you come into church, dress up a little bit, you know. And uh even for the quest, I would get up and, you know, shower and be here like that. But now that I'm not the pastor, I just come in there with a baseball type on like everybody. Yes. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:31

Well, I'll have to say a couple things about that. Uh just you know, when the quest started 18, 19 years ago, uh it was birthed out of just a couple of guys getting together and saying, hey, we need something done for men's ministry. And so I got all the guys together and I went to Gene Ortiz, he went to you and said, Hey, let's start something for men on a weekly basis. And so I was I was hoping, you know, well, you know, David Brooks or Gene, they're gonna teach this. And they said, No, we want you to teach it. I'm like, I that's not what I signed up for. And so uh, but it's been an honor and a privilege all these years, but it's just grown over the last 18 years. But as I talk to men's ministers around the country, uh, they're just absolutely blown away that church staff members aren't who lead the quest. Uh they had heard about the quest and all that. They said, Well, what about your senior pastor? They don't want to talk. And I said, No, they they turned the reins over to lay people to do this. And and so the first word that that comes out of their mouth is the humility of David Brooks. Uh the humility of you to be able to turn that over to some lay people and trust them with a ministry like that. And so uh so on behalf of all the people that have ever attended the quest, I want to thank you for that, but also thank you for the confidence you instilled in me and our leadership team uh to kind of run with it. And uh so it's it wouldn't be what it is without your encouragement and your your support all these years. So thank you. Um so so let's talk about so that transition so it can transition from from John Alley to you. And so each new leader has their own ideas of what they want to do leadership-wise. So obviously John Alley had uh had led the church for many, many uh years and decades. So coming into that role, uh, what was that like and and what vision did you have for Calvary as you came into that role?

SPEAKER_03 18:18

Uh you know, I had a vision pretty quick, you know. I didn't want us just to be a church for ourselves. I wanted us to be a church for Central Louisiana and anywhere, you know. And, you know, even today we have people that drive in from countryside churches because they want a different kind of church. And so uh, you know, immediately I realized, you know, we're growing, we have to do something about it. And Jeff, some of the uh, you know, some of the rewarding things was the confidence the church had to step into a vision, uh, to build the children's building, you know, and with the Noah's Ark inside, you know, people uh hear about that and they just drive here to the church because they want to see what a art looks like in a church. And then from there we built, you know, the children I mean the student building. Yes. And then uh the honor to be able to uh update this building here that we're in. Yes. And then the the worship center was just uh wonderful. And uh, you know, one of the things I wanted to make sure we did was I did not want to leave the church with any debt. And uh so I was so glad that uh the day that we burned the note, we'd been, you know, at church one Sunday morning, we had everybody stand up and we burned the note and let them know that the church was paid off, the church owed no debt whatsoever. And so that was something I wanted to do. And again, Calvary loves leadership. You know, a lot of churches would just say, tough, we're not gonna do that, you know. But that's not the heart of this church. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

And and what a legacy, David, to leave this church debt-free after all the expansions that we've done. And that's that's a just a testament to your leadership, God's faithfulness to this church, but a testament to your leadership. And I had the honor of serving on the uh finance committee helping raise the funds for both the Children's World and the and the uh new worship center. And uh I know you were just relentless. I mean, you were relentless in leading that team and leading us. Uh but you know, one thing that I was fascinated, and I still tell people today, is the perception out there about Calvary is oh, that was just a couple of big donors. Yeah. Well, you remember when you looked over the list of the donors uh to all these projects, it's been all the rank and file of our entire church. You know, there may be a few sizable donations, but not any multi-million dollar donations. I mean it was it was you know spread out, and that's what impressed me the most looking out over that was your leadership got inspired people uh through the Holy Spirit, obviously inspiring people as well, but your leadership inspired people to give because people give to a vision, right? That's what we always talked about. They'll they'll they'll tie into a vision, and you are great at painting a vision. So, how did you get that kind of vision painting aspect of your life? You've always been a student of leadership. Every time I've talked to you in the past, you were reading some leadership book or or you were getting someone to mentor you on leadership. So talk about kind of your uh your your passion for kind of being a better leader. How did that come about?

SPEAKER_03 21:33

You know, uh it's just something that God put in my heart, Jeff, you know, because uh I wasn't that way like as a teenager or something, you know. Yeah. But uh I don't know. I just realized that, you know, we wanted a church that could be for all people. And uh, you know, we knew that to do that we had to expand the place, you know, the the church and uh her give her a new vision to realize. That we're for the whole world. It doesn't matter what color you are, it doesn't matter where you live, it doesn't matter. We want you here because we want you to know Jesus and learn to walk with him in your life. And Calvary is j it just, you know, even as the pastor, every now and then I'd have somebody come in and just, you know, want to close the door and let's talk about it. And I would I would let them talk. And uh I would say, I might need to get back with you because I wanted to kind of think through it. I didn't want to just be responsive and look like I was mad or angry. Uh and uh so we would get back together, you know. One of the things uh that I wanted to to do is, you know, even when I was a senior pastor, I would have people contact me to want to meet with me. And uh some of those were women. And uh I wouldn't meet with them, but I would always have I had several doors into my office. I could come and go without people knowing it. But when I had them in, I would leave a door open. My secretary was there. You know, she wasn't in it, but she was around, and so I didn't want to be closed up with a lady because you never know how they might take something or say something. Yes, absolutely. And so uh, you know, Brother John taught me those kind of things. I just, you know, he taught me so many things, and uh, you know, he chewed me out a good bit, but uh uh I deserved it at those times because I just didn't maybe make the right kind of decision or I should have looked into it. Yes. But uh, you know, I just a ministry was wonderful for me, and uh, you know, I'm so glad, you know, again, uh you mentioned it earlier. Uh a lot of times pastors' children they don't want to come near a church. And uh I have to give a lot of credit to Susie because uh, you know, she was always there for them when I was tied up with something. Yeah. And because of that, I don't know. Our church, I mean, our children, they they love the church.

SPEAKER_02 24:12

Yes, and they still do today.

SPEAKER_03 24:14

Yeah, they still do today and very supportive of it. Wow. And uh, but again, it was the Holy Spirit work. You know, I went to seminary, I went to seminars, but uh, you know, I always say I want to be a lifelong leader. And so even today, I can get word of there's a uh leadership conference somewhere in Baton Rouge, I'll drive down there today. Love it. Love it. Uh, because I still I want to continue to be a learner, I want to continue to to grow as a leader and make an impact uh as long as I live. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

So it's so great, David. And and just you know, one thing I noticed just from the outside looking in over the years is just you know, anything something that would happen in the United States or happen in our world, um, you didn't necessarily get up on the stage and just necessarily address that at that time. We did there were times we had to, like 9-11 and and all those sort of things. But I remember you would get little factions and groups of people together. And I remember uh 9-11, I remember the financial crisis of 2007, 2008, and I remember being in a room with myself and other business people, Jim Terrell, who's now passed on, and I remember us sitting around the table and you saying, Okay, as a church, how what what would you be we be prepared for with this financial crisis? And so even though may people may not see that and even know those things happen, you were always a great person at getting people together, getting input, getting uh you know, getting kind of their views on things. So that's what a great leadership skill that is of just say, hey, because you know, many leaders say, Oh, I know it all. I don't need any input. You were always getting input from different factions of people, and I really, really appreciated that. And so and another thing I admire about this man is just uh the encourager you are. I mean, just I cannot tell you over the years how many encouraging notes I received in the mail from you. Uh you said they were typed by your secretary, but I know they were your words. Uh you said your hand writing went great. But but they were your words, and but they I can't tell you how many of those notes that I got. Um for 18 years. I want y'all to hear this for 18 years, every single night before the quest, uh, David Brooks is sending me a text of encouragement. I can't tell you what that means to me. I can't tell you the impact that your um encouragement has meant to me over the years. You know, when I'm feeling down or I'm feeling like I can't do this or I'm not qualified, uh, you're the man. You're the man that's encouraged me along the way. So uh see if if you've encouraged no one else, which I know you have thousands of people, know that the man across uh this table you you've encouraged. So um so let's let's push forward. So let's talk about uh the gospel. So spreading the gospel around the world. Um there's one statistic out there in Barna research did a did a study here uh a few years ago and and about uh kind of the state of Christianity in America, and they always do studies like this, but they came out and said that 23 percent or 60 million people in the United States uh these days classify as none, meaning they're not affiliated with any religious organization, they're not affiliated with any faith. I interviewed, like I said, Steve Horn last week, and Steve said actually in Louisiana that number is actually 30 percent. So thirty percent where there's more people in Louisiana than are Catholic that do not associate it with any religion. Uh so just your experience, your experience as a minister. So what would you say if we're gonna try to reach those people? What would you say would be the way to reach that kind of that nun generation?

SPEAKER_03 27:59

Well, I think one of the it would have to be uh we have to practice what we teach. You know, it's one thing for Christians to be in their church and talk about this and talk about that, and then they hit the streets and they're not acting out any of that. You know, they don't care about people, they they're not patient with people. And so I just think that we live in a world today, they don't care about what you say, they want to care about how you live. And I think that uh when they see uh that we are who we say we are, I think they open up to us. They're not afraid of us, they know we're not like criticizing them. But I think we have to walk the talk. And until we do that, I think we'll continue to see more and more and more younger people have no interest in the church at all because they will see it not that's just a place. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 28:57

Yes. Well, great great example of that is our good friend Kilm Jones, who's passed away 11 years ago now, but Kim uh drove by this church. Uh it's been probably 18 years ago now. By the time we were starting the quest, he drove by this church and said, I wonder what they'd do in that place. So Kim was a successful guy, ball measures, came to the church, started coming to the quest, started coming to church, getting to know you. We both became great friends with him, and he accepted Christ right here in this church and passed away 11 years ago. But same thing. I think he he was skeptical. He was skeptical of everything, but he was definitely skeptical of people that didn't do what they said they believed. And so he said, but you tell me what to do, I'm gonna do it.

SPEAKER_03 29:41

So Yeah, I know. You know, you and I were very close to him. And uh, you know, they came, he and Kimberly came for several weeks, and then I remember he said the first time we baptized, he didn't he said, This is it. I knew this place was crazy. Come out there, you know, and gonna baptize somebody. And then, you know, two months later, we were baptizing him. So uh he was just a great guy. And uh until he breathed that last breath, he was on fire for God. He was, he was.

SPEAKER_02 30:15

And he was he would have been one of those nuns. He would have been one of those people that was not affiliated with any church and never really stepped foot in a church, but he had a group of people that come about came and loved him and loved on him and surrounded him, and uh and have continued to surround his his his wife, Kimberly, after he passed away and continue to be there for her.

SPEAKER_03 30:34

She is here every Sunday, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:36

And that's that's what the church is all about. And that goes right along with what Steve Horn said last week. He was like, you know, you generations ago, uh, you had to have somebody like Lee Strobel or you have to have apologetics kind of prove Christianity is right, it's the right way. He's like, it's not really like that these days. It's it's relationship built. It's built on relationships and they want to see uh see who you are. Um So let's talk about faith. Let's talk about kind of how faith kind of you know brought you along in your journey. You know, obviously you're a pastor, uh, but you also had to have your own personal faith journey. So tell us about your own personal faith journey, David Brooks just personal uh relationship with Jesus. How has that evolved over the years and how does that still impact you today?

SPEAKER_03 31:23

Well, uh for years, I uh now every now and then I'll have to miss it, but I I spend time with God every day. I have a prayer time and I have scripture study, and uh I'm gonna do that every day. And uh in retirement, not only do I do that, but I have a lot more time I can read. So I I hear about books that are out, and so I do a whole lot more reading uh than I used to, maybe, but uh I have daily quiet times with God. And uh that that still keeps me going. You know, uh maybe changing the subject a little bit, but maybe it's not. Uh you know, what I've discovered in retirement is uh you don't have to be a minister to minister to people. Absolutely. And uh, you know, for me, uh I was so young when I came here that so many of these older people that they raised me. I mean, Susie and I didn't have children, you know. And uh they're not you know, they're aging and they can't get out. And uh so I'm not trying to tell everybody they should do this, but uh every week I visit a senior adult in their home that cannot get out and go to church. You know? Wow. And uh I just I feel like it's something I can do. I can still be involved in ministry even though I'm not an official minister. Yes. And uh and that brings a lot of joy to me uh to be able, you know, to be there. And I was in one of their homes not long ago, and I said, I want you to know that uh that I enjoy coming here. And uh the person said to me with tears in their eyes, I hope you'll never stop coming. And I said, I won't. You know. So uh I've just learned that you know I can still minister to people. Definitely. And I don't have to have, you know, to be the minister of a church. Definitely. And uh I'm recognizing that more and more. And you know, uh another thing, Jeff, is because so many people saw me on television uh when I was the pastor, rarely does a week go by that probably two or three people do not stop me on the sidewalk in a store and ask me when I'm gonna be preaching again. And I'll say, you know, probably not, you know. And uh sometime they say, Well, would you pray? I wish you'd pray for me, you know. So I let them talk about what they want to pray about, and I say, we're gonna pray right here, right here on the spot. And uh we may be at Kroger, but we're gonna get out of the side, so we're not in, you know, a roadblock to anybody. But uh it's interesting after I do that how often somebody who saw it will come to me and say, Would you pray with me? So I'm gonna I I I've just learned that you know I have lots of ministries that I can do all over. Yeah. But it is it is rare that uh somebody doesn't see it and asks, Would you pray for me? Wow.

SPEAKER_02 34:49

Wow. What and what a witness to the world. And um and this may be your entire ministry that God meant to set you up for. Exactly. You know, at this time in life for sure. And I hope the listeners are listening to this. You know, he described, David described, he's got some health problems. He's got some eye problems, some heart problems, he's got health issues. So instead of being curled up in the fetal position and feeling sorry for himself, this is the picture of finishing strong. This is the picture of what it looks like to finish strong. And I hope that finish line is 20 years long. Uh, but this is what it looks like. It looks like we're never retiring from ministry, right? It never says in the Bible we retire from ministry. All of us are ministers. You don't have to have a degree on the wall to be a minister. And so you're proving that uh to all of us, and what what a great, great example. Um so what kind of kept you, you know, ministry's hard, life's hard. Uh what kind of kept you going? What what you know that that book, the what's your why, you know? So you had a why. I mean, obviously you wanted to spread the gospel, you wanted to build God's church. You've always said there's nothing more powerful than the local church. There's no more powerful instrument in the world. So uh I know there's tough days, and I know there's tough days in ministry. I know there's touch. So what's what keeps you on that? This is why I'm doing what I do?

SPEAKER_03 36:09

Uh I would say uh, you know, because I try to walk with God every day. You know, uh if I'm having a down day, I will uh pray and say, would you give me some guidance? Would you give me some clarity? Uh I don't know. I I you know I'm in the car sometime and I just talk to God. I don't, you know, have to pull over somewhere. I'm I'm not gonna close my eyes, but uh I'm just gonna talk to God about stuff, you know, and uh I don't know, it's just it's still in me, you know, and uh I think you know you can do as much ministry as you want to do. Absolutely. And uh so I, you know, again, and you know, I my family, they're just so supportive. And uh so they're used to it, you know. They're used to being at a restaurant and somebody walks up to the table and wants to talk to me. And that's just that's the life they live too. They've they've seen that their whole life, you know. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 37:11

So uh Well and I hope the listeners are hearing this, because you know, for this is the eighth episode. Every single man that has sat across this table has said their personal alone time with God through prayer, through Bible study, you mentioned, through worship, every single person has said that that quiet time with the Lord is what has sustained them. And I know you are a big advocate of that. Matter of fact, I remember even back attending the high school uh sessions with you years ago, where you would emphasize having a quiet time alone with God. And I know you instilled that in our current pastor Todd Strain, by the way, we did another transition in this church, and I know you instilled that value of having a quiet time. So I know that that helps sustain you. So uh that's a common thread throughout all this. I hope you I hope you see this as as you're listening to this. So uh so how does David Brooks want to be remembered? How how would you say you want to be remembered?

SPEAKER_03 38:03

You know, I would want to be remembered that uh that I loved my family deeply and that people knew uh that uh I loved them and I cared for them, and uh that I'm so proud that my children are so committed to a local church. You know, I would just be so heartbroken as a pastor, retired pastor, if my kids hated the church. And so uh I it's just neat to see that. And uh, you know, we're always have prayer time before a meal when we all get together, somebody's gonna say a prayer. That's just what we do. And that even my small grandchildren, they they want to pray, you know? Yes. So I just uh I just want, you know, to walk with Jesus personally every day and uh and in doing that be open to his leadership of something he wants me to go do or someone to go talk to or someone to help. Absolutely. And I just uh, you know, I learned in retirement real quick, you can't sit on the couch all day because it'll destroy you. Yes. And uh so I try to stay active. I look for things every day to do. You know, I'm gonna come here uh on Wednesday nights, you know, sit down like anybody else, be involved in a in a life group. And, you know, I just just try to stay busy. You know, I try uh to be open. You know, sometimes people will call me and I'll have to get back to them because I'm gonna be doing something else. But uh I just want to stay active. I think that uh, you know, I was called to ministry and I will minister until I draw my last breath. Absolutely. And uh to me it's not a chore. It is just so fulfilling uh to know that that anyone's life can make a difference if they will follow Jesus. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 40:06

Well, and and you're a you're a humble man, so I will throw another one in there that you'll be remembered for, but you're a transformational leader in Central Louisiana. I mean, leading this church for so many years, uh so many people impacted, the state, the world impacted, the international missions that came out of this church under your leadership. I mean, so it's not just Central Louisiana that's impacted, it's been the state, it's been the country, and it's been the world that's been impacted by your ministry. So just transformational leader sitting right here across the table from me. And I I know you're too humble to admit that, but I will tell you that you're a transformational leader, so uh so honored to know you. So uh okay, so let's have a little fun. We'll do a little quick little lightning round here. Okay. Uh so who are three people, uh living or dead, that you would love to have dinner with? If it could be anybody you could have dinner with, who would that be?

SPEAKER_03 41:01

My dad, John Alley, and David Booths. Yes. It would it would that would who I would want to have dinner with if I could sit and have that.

SPEAKER_02 41:13

And you've had the opportunity to have dinner with those men many, many times, right? Uh and you will one day, right? You'll be sitting around a table with them in heaven one day, right?

SPEAKER_03 41:22

So can't sit with them right now, you know, but one day my dad's passed away, Reverend Eiley, David Booth, but uh have lots of good memories with him. Yes, and that would be who I would want to. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:35

David Booth would always have a good joke, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_03 41:37

Always have a good joke.

SPEAKER_02 41:39

He would. He would. Okay, what's your favorite movie? What what is David Brooks' favorite movie? Trevor Burrus, Jr. Rocky. Rocky. Yeah. Love it. Love it.

SPEAKER_03 41:49

I don't know if it's the song, you know, that's going on, but I would say uh Rocky.

SPEAKER_02 41:55

Yes, all right. The motivational running up the stairs, you know, getting up at you know three o'clock in the morning. Well we shared a shared a love for running. I know you hadn't done as much running in recent years, but we always shared a love of running, so that that goes right along with that. So uh what kind of music do you listen to? What kind of music do you like?

SPEAKER_03 42:13

Well, younger days I liked rock and roll, you know? But now uh I love uh contemporary Christian music. And so, you know, K-Love, the station, I have it on in my car all the time. Yeah. And uh so I'll listen to that. I'm not much into the rock and roll scene anymore, you know. And I don't know what's the latest on the charts, the number one song. Yes. I just uh I'm I'm just slower with that now and and quiet, you know. Now uh my grandson loves to play the guitar. So uh he uh so I'll hear him play that a lot and he'll be singing. But for me, I don't know. I just uh just you know I love Christian music. I'm so glad K-Love is there, and you're not having to go record some and try to find a way to play it. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 43:07

Now, Susie being from Texas, I bet she listens to a little country music, right? Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:12

She listens to some country music. She does. That's great. Yeah, she does.

SPEAKER_02 43:17

Uh okay. What's your biggest fear? If you had this name of fear, what would you be be your biggest fear?

SPEAKER_03 43:22

Uh my biggest fear would be that something tragic would happen to one of my family members and take them. That that that is my biggest fear. You know. And of course, our daughter has had heart issues, you know, and heart surgery and all that. But she's very healthy now. But that that would be my greatest fear because I love all of them so much. We spend so much time together. And for one of them to be uh killed in a car wreck or just a health reason, you know, that that would be absolutely absolutely

SPEAKER_02 44:00

So so many men start strong in their faith. And you know we've would we've worked with men, you worked with men way before I did, but you know, for the last 20 years, you and I partnered in ministry to have a minister to men. And so so many men start out strong, uh kind of like in a race. They start out strong, but they don't finish, you know, and they fall away from the faith. So so what would you say to the guy that's listening today that may just kind of be, you know, kind of teetering his faith a little bit? Maybe he's never had any faith at all, or maybe he's he's been a faithful guy, but he's kind of fallen off. So what would you tell that guy? What what what advice would you give a guy to finish strong?

SPEAKER_03 44:37

I would say uh, you know, Jesus went to the cross and he died for every single person. And he died that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly. And uh you will not find what Jesus can give you outside of a relationship with him, but not just the relationship with him, but a growing walk with him every day. And uh if you miss out on that, you will have lived your life and missed out on what God has for you.

SPEAKER_02 45:12

What what great advice. And so not surprising coming from uh my mentor, my friend, the pastor that's had so much impact over so many people. And so it's just been an honor, David. And uh, you're from from the time we started this podcast, you were you're on my list saying I've got to sit down with David Brooks and let people hear this man's heart. So thank you so much for your time today, David, and just thank you so much for all you've meant in my life, but more importantly, thank you for all that you've meant to so many thousands of people that your ministry has impacted over over the many years. So uh so wait a straw, finish strong, my friend, and I look forward to many, many more years to come doing ministry with you. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate you. Yeah. In 2 Timothy 4 7, the apostle Paul is in prison facing his impending death, and he says these words as a final reflection on his life and ministry. I have fought the good fight, I've finished the race, and I've remained faithful. So, needless to say, Paul's life didn't start out strong. Persecuting and killing Christians isn't exactly the blueprint that God has for a man's life. But God had other plans. He said, I want that man. So Paul switched jerseys and made it his life's mission to spread the gospel no matter the circumstances. He made the decision that he would never give up, he would never back down, and he made the decision that he would finish strong. So, as you just heard from David Brooks, life is not easy. But if you're a follower of Jesus, God has said the same thing about you, men. I want that man. So, how will you respond to that? The purpose of this podcast is not to give you another to-do list or heap guilt or shame on you from how you started or where you've been. The purpose of this podcast is in to inspire you to action by hearing how godly men like David Brooks don't just make lofty goals, they make commitments. Because commitments are greater than goals. Finish strong is a daily decision that requires a daily commitment. It's not how you start, it's how you finish.

SPEAKER_01 47:23

Thank you for listening to today's episode. If you want to encourage other men, share this podcast and leave us a review. Finish strong.