Originally published on LinkedIn · November 29, 2022.
Pastor Dale Brooks and his wife Kaye — Tampa, Florida — went to be with the Lord on November 27, 2022.
I began serving under Pastor Brooks in 1988 — as a youth leader and sound technician at his church. Thirty-four years. In 1991, I took a security position there after the previous security coordinator, a law enforcement officer and friend, passed away. Pastor Brooks officiated my wedding in 1992.
I have heard him preach over one thousand times. I have watched him conduct marriage ceremonies, burials, and baby dedications. I have watched him — late Saturday nights — prepare for Sunday morning. I learned what private devotion and pastoral preparation actually look like from a man who never performed it for an audience.
What He Built in Me
My personal career. My security career. My ministry to pastors. My security consulting to over 350 churches. All of it traces back, in meaningful ways, to the seeds planted over 34 years of walking alongside Pastor Brooks.
The Butterfly Effect is real. His wings flapped in 1988 and the impact is still moving. I have traced connections from his influence through my career and ministry to places I could not have predicted. That is what a great pastor does. That is what a great mentor does.
1 Timothy 5:17
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
1 Timothy 5:17
This verse has guided my ministry to pastors for decades. It is not just about financial compensation — it is about recognition, respect, and the public acknowledgment that those who labor in shepherding deserve more from us than a handshake and a thank-you card.
Pastor Dale Brooks — double honor is due. And then some.