You Can’t Fake Faith | President’s Blog

With every professional experience I have had, I have learned valuable lessons about myself, about working with others and about leadership. With most of my experiences, I have had the privilege of learning from or being mentored by strong leaders.

One of the people who has been instrumental in my growth and development as a leader, a Christian and a man has been Hal Heiner. Hal was my boss twice. First, during his tenure as Kentucky’s Secretary of Education & Workforce Development, I served as Executive Director of Education Policy and Programs and reported directly to him. Later, while I served as Kentucky’s Commissioner of Education, he was again one of my bosses as a member and later chair of the Kentucky Board of Education. Of the many things I learned from Hal, the most impactful and long-lasting lesson was seeing up close what it looked like to put Christian faith into action as an executive leader in a secular context.

When I left my tenured faculty position at the University of Kentucky to serve in state government under Hal’s leadership, I did so because I knew his Christian faith was foundational to his unwavering commitment to improve educational access and opportunities for the most marginalized children in Kentucky, particularly in the West End of Louisville. What I did not know at the time but got to see up close during our time working together was how his faith, on a daily basis, led to him pushing harder than most people would dare to push and refusing to accept no for an answer. I came to understand that, because Hal knew he was doing the work that God had called him to, he believed, without question, that God would provide the means and the power for that work to be done. As a result, I was privileged to see how raw, uncompromising faith and a willingness to give God all the glory can and does in fact move barriers most people believe to be unmovable. That is a lesson I have taken with me into every leadership role I have held since, including my current role as President of Houghton University.

Pictured: President Wayne D. Lewis, Jr., while serving as commissioner of education for Kentucky, with Hal Heiner, chair of the board of education, at a press conference.

I have been blessed enough to see mountains move—to see the unmistakable power of almighty God at work in places and circumstances that those without spiritual eyes would have called hopeless. But in Christ, there is neither helplessness nor hopelessness. So, if you see me out somewhere speaking to a mountain, don’t worry about me. I have not lost my mind. I have found my faith, and I know, without doubt, that God can do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

About the Author

With 20 years of experience in education, higher education leadership is a calling for Wayne D. Lewis, Jr., President of Houghton University. He is recognized as being a champion for students; focusing on improving educational access, opportunities and experiences for students, including those who have historically been underserved.