Darryl Brent Willis

2010-05-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

Goals & Objectives

To assist people in discovering where the story of God intersects their lives.
To tell and share stories which connect people to each other.
To help others explore the challenges they face.

Professional Experience

August 2009 - present
Eastern European Mission Youth Camp Program Director. Recruits and trains American teams to build relationships, distribute Bibles and Bible literature, and teach character traits and values to children in the former Communist Youth Camps in Ukraine. His work includes international travel, training, and cross-cultural communication.

2008-present
Independent trainer and curriculum writer. Currently working on contract basis with Stategic Government Resources, a training company for municipalities as a trainer. Contracted with Eastern European Mission from 2008-2009 to write curriculum. Continues to write EEM's curriculum as part of his salaried position.

1996-2008

Preaching Minister, Gilmer-Baldridge Church of Christ. Responsibilities included: preaching, teaching, counseling, hospital visitation, and leading task forces. Developed, organized, and implemented small group ministry on Sunday evenings. Implemented Chaplain ministry for the Ennis Police Department. Organized and administrated two Emergency Shelters (during a major ice storm and Hurricane Rita). Over 90 people were sheltered in each incident. Organized and administrated clothing collection for local shelters during Hurricane Katrina. Congregation size: 200.

Prior to 1996
Served as youth minister for 18 years in Arkansas and Tennessee. Congregations varied in attendance size from 250 to 550. Last youth ministry was with Washington Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville, TN (July 1990-September 1996).

Education

M. A. in Bible from Lipscomb University
B. A. in Bible from American Christian Bible College
A.S.L. from White's Ferry Road School of Biblical Studies
Kilgore College (no degree) majored in Theatre

Training and Certification
- Responding to Schools Following A Crisis
(Texas Department of Public Safety Victim Services)
- Basic Intensive Training: Choice Theory & Reality Therapy
- Red Cross Shelter Operations Management
- Critical Incident Stress Management: Advanced Debriefing
- Critical Incident Stress Management: Group Debriefing
- Critical Incident Stress Management: Individual & Peer Support
- Basic Certification Police Chaplaincy (ICPC)
- Certification for Victim Chaplaincy
- Mentoring Group under Lynn Anderson

Membership and Organizations

Dallas Area Crisis Response Team (DACRT)

Other Services and Activities

Storyteller and performer both in secular and church settings throughout the South. Conducted storytelling seminars for Harding University, The Center For Christian Education (Irving, Texas), and Motlow Community College (Tullahoma, Tennessee). Volunteers as storyteller for local schools and area libraries.

Volunteers with Dallas Area Crisis Response Team. This is a Debriefing Team offering services to EMTs, Fire Departments, Police Departments, and Hospitals in the event of a critical incident (multi-fatality accidents, police shooting, line-of-duty deaths, or child fatalities). The team services the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex and is recognized by the Texas Department of Health Office of Emergency Preparedness. Darryl has been an active member and participant since 2003.

Together with his wife served as "shepherding couple" for Youth WAVE Austin, an intensive evangelistic camp for teenagers. Responsibilities included overseeing set up of "Prayer Room" and being available to youth ministers and their wives for counsel and spiritual direction.

Wrote study guides for Lynn Anderson's If I Really Believe Why Do I Have All These Doubts. Lynn has posted these guides on his Mentor Network website.

Writes Ukrainian and Latvian Youth Camp Curriculum for Eastern European Mission. The curriculum is being used by teams working with the Ukrainain Pioneer Youth Camps during the summers of 2009, 2010, and 2011 and by a private Latvian camp during 2010 and 2011. His work is published in English, Russian, Ukrainian, and Latvian. He is currently writing curriculum for 2012.

Writes poetry. You can find his poetry on his poetry blog and in print and online journals. Darryl's poems appear in journals such as Eclectic Flash, Vox Poetica, Caper Literary Journal, Apropos Literary Journal, and Lyrical Passion Poetry E-Zine. More poetry is due to be published by Milk Sugar Review. You can visit his poetry website here.

Characteristics and Strengths:
Clifton StrengthsFinder Evaluation Top Five Strengths:

Positivity - People strong in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.
Connectedness - People strong in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.
Strategic -The ability to sort through the clutter and find the best route. This perspective allows one to see patterns where others see complexity. People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Ideation - People strong in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.
Intellection - People strong in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective (not introverted) and appreciate intellectual discussions.

See:
Gallup Management Journal: Clifton StrengthFinders Center
Clifton StrengthFinders 2.0 Website

Contact Information: Email Darryl Willis