Chosen as one of the ‘Top 21 Emerging Leaders of the 21st Century’, Pastor Jay Dennis has been a driving force in the Christian community for years.
Jay Dennis served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Florida for 21 ye Jay Dennis served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Florida for 21 years (1996- 2017). Just after arriving in Lakeland, he and his staff experienced phenomenal growth, building FBC Lakeland to over 9,000-members. Several moves were made during the time of growth bef
ore acquiring what was formerly the Lakeland Mall, a 32-acre, lakefront property. FBC Lakeland became known as FBC at the Mall. Under Pastor Jay’s leadership, Church at the Mall served locally, nationally and internationally through ministries such as Compassion House and Breaking Bread Café—local feeding ministries; F.A.I.T.H. Riders—a national motorcycle ministry; and Revelation Strategies Seven (RS7)—planting one church on each of the seven continents. In 2015 and 2016, two satellite campuses were acquired. Pastor Jay retired from his position as Senior Pastor in May of 2017 to pursue his passion and calling of leading men to live lives of moral purity. As a popular speaker, Bible study leader and counselor, Pastor Jay now serves and ministers to Christian men, pastors and groups locally, nationally and internationally under the umbrella of Strategies4Life, a 501c3, not-for-profit organization, which he founded and Wingman Nation, a national men’s ministry, which he co-founded. Dr. Dennis has authored nine books including: Our Hardcore Battle Plan: Joining in the War Against Pornography (2013), Our Hardcore Battle Plan for Wives (2013), Christians and Pornography: Pastor and Church Leadership Resource Guide (2016), The Jesus Habits (2005), The Jabez Prayer Experiment book and lab manual (2001), Taming Your Private Thoughts (2002), Dangerous Intersections (2004), Leading with Billy Graham: The Leadership Principles and Life of T.W. Wilson (2005). Many of these have been translated into other languages. At present Pastor Jay has multiple writing projects for future books. In 2007 Pastor Jay developed the Decision-Maker’s Bible with Tyndale House Publishers for Project Light which delivered the Bibles to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served as President of the Florida Baptist Convention (2001-2002) and President of the State Baptist Presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention. He was elected Vice-President of Florida Baptist State Board of Missions (1999-2004) and was elected President of the 1998 Florida Baptist Pastor’s Conference. Pastor Jay has been featured in Billy Graham’s Decision Today radio show as well as Christianity Today. He was appointed to serve on the Evangelism Committee of the Baptist World Alliance by Dr. Billy Kim and has served on the advisory board of Christian Mingle and Believe.com. Pastor Jay received his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in 1981. He then went on to complete his Doctorate of Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminar in Pasadena, California in 1993. Pastor Jay and his wife, Angie, have been married for over 30 years. They are both originally from Arkansas and currently reside in Lakeland, Florida. They have two grown children, who are both married, and a precious Granddaughter.
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