Most people would call technology leadership and rural ministry two different lives. For me, they have always belonged together.
I have worked in IT since 1997 and served in ministry since 1998. One has taught me how organizations make decisions when the systems get complicated. The other has taught me what leadership looks like when the budget is thin, the people are known by name, and there is no room to hide behind a plan that does not work.
Two worlds, the same question
The question underneath most of my work is simple: what will actually help the people responsible for the next decision?
In the MSP world, I serve as Strategic Advisory Manager at Core Managed IT Services, leading a team of vCIOs. I write at RewiredMSP.com for owners and leaders who are trying to build a company that is not held together by one exhausted person, a handful of undocumented habits, and good intentions.
In ministry, I spent 15 years as a youth pastor in rural Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana. I still preach regularly in small churches. That experience is behind MinistryPlace.net and the Rural Think Tank: places for leaders who need help that fits their actual church, town, and week—not an idealized version of any of them.
Why I write and speak about AI
AI sits right in the middle of both worlds. It can save time, surface ideas, and create real problems when people hand over judgment they still need to own. I speak and write about the practical questions: what belongs in a prompt, what does not, where a tool helps, and where a leader still has to show up.
Books, speaking, and resources
I write books, speak at events, appear on podcasts, and make resources people can use. Some of that work is for MSP leaders. Some is for rural pastors and youth workers. Some is about AI. I try to make it plain, honest, and useful on Monday morning.
Start with speaking topics, explore the Field Notes, or visit Work With Brent if you are planning an event or podcast.