This past Wednesday morning we lost one of world’s great Christian leaders as Tony Morgan passed away due to a heart attack. We are deeply shocked and saddened by his passing. Our deepest prayers go to his wife Emily, his children, and the extended family.
You may not know it, but Tony’s influence is why this site exists. Back in 2009, this site had little-to-no traction and I was thinking of giving it up. As fate would have it, I attended a church conference at Bayside Church in Roseville, California where Tony was teaching a breakout session. While there, I purchased his book Killing Cockroaches. That book changed my life.
I immediately resonated with Tony’s strategic thinking and writing style. Furthermore, I was impressed by how he used his blog to influence his book. Afterwards, I patterned everything I wrote after Tony. Over the next year, he and I often connected online. I then had an opportunity to attend a breakout session he did at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA where I introduced myself in-person. Tony was very kind and encouraging to me. I was really impressed by how someone of his stature could be so approachable. Over the next decade, I had the opportunity to connect with him numerous times and even work on some projects together.
Bottom line, there is simply no Brian Dodd On Leadership without Tony Morgan.
In the world of church consulting, it is not an overstatement to say he was the O.G. in our industry. No one was smarter. No one was more strategic. No one was more encouraging. No one was a greater visionary. Tony was simply the best church consultant in America. The rest of us literally had him on a pedestal.
But as great a church consultant he was, he was a better Christian and family man.
Tony Morgan will be deeply missed by all who knew him. There was no one like him. He was one of one. I am partly the leader I am today because of him.
In closing, I want to share with you just some of his brilliance. The following are my Top 10 leadership posts written by Tony Morgan.
- The Priscilla Principle
- 20 Politically Incorrect Thoughts On Church In America
- Lazy Staff Syndrome
- 49 Leadership Quotes And Lessons On Mission, Vision And Church Growth From Tony Morgan
- Think You Have A Strong Plan To Re-Open? Here’s What MOST Churches Are Missing (Based On Conversations With 100+ Pastors)
- 12 Reasons Why Your Church Doesn’t Produce Spiritual Growth
- The Church Lifecycle: A Comprehensive Guide
- 7 Frustrating Symptoms Of Doing Ministry Without A Church Strategy
- Why Your Discipleship Path Is More Important Than Ever (And The Strategic Steps That We’ve Found Work Well)
- Staffing And Structure: 15 Differences Between Healthy And Stuck Churches
- ***BONUS*** 27 Things I’ve Learned After 27 Years Of Marriage by Emily Morgan
Thank you Tony! I am one of thousands who is a better leader because of the impact you had on my life.