{"id":1481,"date":"2021-05-27T19:03:04","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T19:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=1481"},"modified":"2021-05-27T21:12:17","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T21:12:17","slug":"spirituality-and-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2021\/05\/27\/spirituality-and-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirituality and Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Rev. Donald L. Perryman, D.Min.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Rev. Donald L. Perryman, D.Min.
\nThe Truth Contributor<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0And then I heard the voice of the Master: \u201cWhom shall I send? Who will go for us?\u201d I spoke up, \u201cI\u2019ll go. Send me!\u201d
\n<\/em>–\u00a0 Isaiah 6:8 The Message<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The September 2020 appointment of John Hobbs III as a temporary member of the Toledo City Council representing District 1 provided a leadership approach that had been missing on that conspicuous legislative body.<\/p>\n

Hobbs, who also serves as pastor of Dominion Fellowship Church, brings to local government his lifelong emphasis on spirituality in making decisions that impact the lives and circumstances of people. In seeing his appointment as \u201ca call,\u201d Hobbs addresses paramount ethical questions of justice, equity and truth at a time when public life has been overwhelmed by ethics failures, questionable conspiracy theories, and scientific or business decisions which benefit a tiny number of select millionaires or billionaires but harm the interests of the masses.<\/p>\n

Historically, of course, with exemplars as Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Reverend Al Sharpton, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and countless others, the African-American pulpit has \u201cserved as an incubator for transformative leaders\u201d (Johnson, 2020).<\/p>\n

I had the opportunity to speak with cleric and City of Toledo Councilman John Hobbs III about the role spirituality plays in his leadership practices.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Councilman John Hobbs III<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: Let\u2019s talk a bit about your background. I know you\u2019re a proud St. Francis Knight. Please share with The Truth\u2019s readers a little about your education and upbringing.<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 Education-wise, I graduated from St. Francis in 1987, completed Barber College at Ohio State, and then graduated from the University of Toledo in 1993 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in public relations.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: Describe your call to ministry and the road to becoming a pastor.<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 I always believed that God had a personal call on my life and, in 2005, my wife, family, and three children started a Bible study at the Dreamplex on Reynolds Road with approximately 15 members. We met for several months, then we went from a Bible study to a Sunday worship and grew from there. I\u2019ve now served in pastoral ministry for 16 years as of March of 2021.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: And you\u2019ve also served as an athletic coach mentoring several young people?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 Yes, when I was 23 years old, I\u2019d just graduated from college, and my uncle, Deacon Lou Hobbs, was coaching track at St. Jude and said to me, \u2018I want you to come over and start helping me coach the girls.\u2019 I said: \u2018Uncle Lou, I don\u2019t have time for that,\u2019 and he said something that just stuck with me.\u00a0 He said: \u2018Nephew, when somebody has been afforded the things that you have been, you can\u2019t afford not to give back!\u201d<\/p>\n

So, I started coaching track and field with him. From there, I helped him coach the fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth grade girls\u2019 basketball teams. I then went to Byrnedale, and was also serving as an assistant coach at Bowsher. I was also JV coach at Scott and coached at Libbey for four years. \u00a0In 2010 I went to Start, then to Central Catholic as assistant coach, and then coached Bowsher High School for five years.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: And the coaching of kids was ministry?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>: It was ministry. As you know, for many coaches, it\u2019s about their ego and how many wins and losses they have. But for me, it was all about the kids and how do I minister to this young lady, how can I give back? On Mondays, we\u2019d sit down and have a Bible study. I would take just a short Bible verse and use it to teach these young ladies about discipline and having God both in their lives and academics.<\/p>\n

The thing that always has stayed with me is how to affect a child\u2019s life positively.\u00a0 Some of these young ladies that I\u2019ve coached, one became a police officer a year and a half ago, another one has graduated from barber school, and several of them have graduated from college with two and four-year degrees. Many of them still reach out to me and say: \u2018Hey coach, thank you for what you\u2019ve done. I didn\u2019t understand it then and I thought you were tough, but I understand now what you were trying to do.\u2019<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: I would like to get an idea of your approach to leadership as a councilperson. I\u2019m assuming that it is informed by your role as a pastor in ministry.\u00a0 Pastors are several things.\u00a0 A pastor is a shepherd. A pastor is a watchman that protects and feeds the flock.\u00a0 A pastor is a prophet that speaks truth to power.\u00a0 A pastor is a herald that announces good news.\u00a0 How do those images inform your approach as a councilperson?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 All of my experiences have shaped this moment in my life.\u00a0 The coaching, the experience at Toledo Public Schools as a substitute teacher for 10 years, and the 16 \u00bd years as owner of Hobbs Barbershop. At that time, I was the first Black barbershop that stretched my wings and located outside of the long-established three and a half mile perimeter of the inner city. \u00a0These experiences are all part of my shaping for this moment, including all of the teachings provided by my mom and dad, who were very strict about how I did things. So, the community, the ministry, and every phase of my life have brought me to this moment. I continue to embrace every season of my life.<\/p>\n

When the city council opportunity became available, I sincerely prayed and said: \u2018Lord if this is what you have for my life at this time and this season, I\u2019m asking you to open this door and allow me to enter. I will always put You first in everything that I do, as I\u2019ve done until this point in my life.\u2019 Since that door opened, I have asked God, more than ever before, for the wisdom to make the right decisions for our city.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: What do you hope to accomplish on a long-term basis in politics?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 I am a temporary member of Toledo City Council, representing District 1. However, I would like to continue in this work and run for the seat in 2023.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: What are some of the lessons that you have learned since being appointed?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 I\u2019ve learned that it\u2019s vital to remain committed to the constituents. They are number 1! So, I make it a policy to return phone calls, emails, and all communication within 24 hours.\u00a0 I am trying, with everything within me, to be what the constituents of District 1 want and would be proud to have as their councilperson. I work really hard, spending time in the morning before I go to work (as barber inspector for northwest Ohio) and in the evening when I get home, on emails and phone calls and all of council matters.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also learned that there\u2019s a lot more to making decisions than one might think.\u00a0 Things look a lot simpler from the outside looking in than what it is in reality. I am diligent about doing the homework to make sure all bases are covered. If a constituent asks me why I made a decision, I need to be able to explain my reasoning and why I think it was important to do or not to do.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: What are the most critical issues for your constituents?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 Right now, education, small business and public safety.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: I just got off a call with pastors about voter suppression at the state level. What are your thoughts on making it more difficult to vote in Ohio?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>: I grew up hearing stories that my grandfather told me of what it cost them to vote in Mississippi. I will not support any initiative that suppresses voting in any shape, form or fashion. And, as a pastor, a man, a man of color, and as a person that has watched people help African Americans to get the right to vote, there is no way I would support any type of voter suppression.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: What are your thoughts on food deserts?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 We need a grocery store in the central city.\u00a0 We need to have somewhere for the constituents in District 1 and District 4 to be able to go and buy fresh produce and fresh meat. \u00a0We need a centrally-located and accessible store where there is an opportunity for our children to do more than just run to the corner store and eat a bunch of junk all the time.\u00a0 The lack of nutritionally rich food affects our children\u2019s teeth, bone structure, growth, and health. I\u2019m willing to work with whoever can make this happen because it is imperative for us to eliminate food deserts.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: How do you balance being a politician and a spiritual leader?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 It\u2019s not a struggle for me because I don\u2019t have an ulterior motive.\u00a0 I honestly vote what I believe. I know that my vote will not always be acceptable to everyone, but I have to stand on the principles that I believe. If I\u2019m willing to do that, then I don\u2019t have to worry about what I said last week or what I\u2019m going to say tomorrow because here\u2019s the principle I believe in.\u00a0 I\u2019m not going to adjust that tomorrow because I\u2019m talking to somebody else.<\/p>\n

Perryman<\/strong>: Last thing, how do you control boundaries and find balance between your roles as pastor, husband, father, barber inspector, and city councilperson?\u00a0 How do you find the time?<\/p>\n

Hobbs<\/strong>:\u00a0 Balancing my job, being a city councilman and a pastor, is because God has given me the gifts and anointings to handle that in this season of my life.\u00a0 I wish I could explain it to you, but I know that he\u2019s given me the motor and mind to do this in this season.\u00a0 Secondly, my family is exceedingly supportive, and they help me in so many ways.\u00a0 Thirdly, I have outstanding help with the church. We have excellent staff that surround me and hold me up. City Council members and staff are extremely supportive also.<\/p>\n

So, I don\u2019t have to try to do this all on my own. I have been given great help and assistance. Because of that, I\u2019m able to do the things that I\u2019m doing in my life.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, PhD, at <\/em>drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Rev. Donald L. Perryman, D.Min. The Truth Contributor \u00a0\u00a0And then I heard the voice of the Master: \u201cWhom shall I send? Who will go for us?\u201d I spoke up, \u201cI\u2019ll go. Send me!\u201d –\u00a0 Isaiah 6:8 The Message The September 2020 appointment of John Hobbs III as a temporary member of the Toledo City […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[57],"class_list":["post-1481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1481"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1516,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481\/revisions\/1516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1481"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=1481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}