Dale Bronner
13 min read ⭑
“I developed a burden to help lost people and to bring them into a relationship with the God who made them. My focus is to reach the lost and teach the found.”
Dale Bronner has never had to choose between ministry or business. Whether he’s working as part-owner of Bronner Brothers, an African American hair and skin care business, or as senior pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, he seeks to honor the Lord and help the hurting. He’s also the author of books like Change Your Trajectory and The Essentials of Excellence. In today’s interview, he’s opening up about how nature helps him connect with Jesus, the encounter with a cocaine addict that kickstarted his ministry and the books that have shaped the direction of his life and ministry.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
Food is always about more than food; it’s also about home and people and love. So how does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?
I am genuinely a “foodie.” As a native Atlantan, I have grown up with a healthy, and not-so-healthy, array of restaurants in Atlanta. Although I love the Southern buffet of fried chicken, collard greens, candied yams, corn bread and sweet tea, I’ve broadened my palate as I have aged. Now, I opt for healthier choices like a large green salad topped with grilled salmon. Practically every week, my wife and I get to have dinner with all five of our children and most of our 20 grandchildren. Sometimes the dinner feast is Mexican. Sometimes it is Italian. Sometimes it is Asian, and sometimes it is Southern “soul food.” However, the real treat is the emotional nourishment that happens as we laugh, dialogue, recount funny stories and share personal testimonies of God’s faithfulness to us. For us, the dinner table is also a mentoring table where we share nuggets that have personally helped us. This gives us a great opportunity to learn what is happening in the worlds of our children and grandchildren and then bring a godly perspective to it.
Food and fellowship give us a great time to both learn and share. We often share the essence of a book that impacted us. One of the kids will share how a video or movie really spoke to them. The main reason that we so deeply value this family time together is that my dad’s motto was: “No amount of success can compensate for failure at home!”
Martin Sanchez; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
What “nonspiritual” activity have you found to be quite spiritual, after all? What quirky proclivity, out-of-the-way interest or unexpected pursuit refreshes your soul?
I absolutely love being out in nature, especially walking along the beach, the banks of a river or even around a lake. Water reminds me of the tranquil Spirit of God. There is something deeply calming and cathartic about water for me. It slows my breathing, regulates my heartbeat and paces my steps so that I notice the minute marvels of God’s incredible creation. Some of my most intriguing thoughts come to me while I am out on a walk in nature. This was the thought that came to me this morning as I was out walking on the trail: The measure of one’s wisdom is not most readily seen in the profundity of one’s statements one makes but in the depth of the questions one asks.
Interestingly, my surname “Bronner” means “dweller by the water.” My dad loved being around water, and so do I. It was his “happy place” for personal rejuvenation. Years ago, an older man shared with me the distinction between a religious man and a spiritual man. He said, “A religious man is a man sitting in church thinking about being out fishing, whereas a spiritual man is a man out fishing who is sitting there thinking about God.” So for me, nature is the handiwork of God. Whenever I pause to observe and appreciate the meticulous craftsmanship of God through his beauty expressed in nature, I am inspired with awe toward him. The mountains remind me of the grandeur and strength of God. The valleys remind me of peace and humility. The forest reminds me of peaceful worship; it is a natural digital detox for me from information overload.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness; every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you confront its power?
When I was between 3 and 4 years old, I was in preschool waiting for my mother to come and pick me up after work one day. However, on this particular day, she was late. As a result, I was the last child to be picked up. I stood on the fenced playground watching my classmates being picked up one by one, until finally, I was the only child left. Sure, there was a teacher on the playground waiting and watching until every child was picked up, but that did not comfort the fear of abandonment that grew in my mind moment by moment.
I grew up in a very loving home with five other brothers under the loving care of a godly father and mother. However, in the anxious minutes of waiting for my mother to pick me up, there grew a festering fear of abandonment. As each moment passed, I wondered, Have I been forgotten? Will Mom ever come to get me? She was probably 30 minutes late that day picking me up, but it felt like an eternity. After that, I found myself clinging to her whenever she was around.
Down through the years after that, whenever I found myself alone, I wondered again whether I had been abandoned. The feeling had no basis in reality, but nonetheless, it was very real to me. So I always found comfort in others being around me. Although I am number four out of six sons, I was the first one to marry. So I went from a house full of siblings to my own home with my new wife. Then we began to have children and had a total of five over several years. I was rarely alone.
I have always found comfort in having family around. Yet, whenever I would take a trip somewhere alone, the anxiety of the fear of abandonment would rise up within me, even though I was the one who left. It took me years to recognize that this was a real weakness within me. Yet over time, I learned to take solace in the knowledge that God is always with me and will never abandon me. It didn’t happen overnight, but over time. Now, I have learned to enjoy time alone. I’ve even realized that I am more of an introvert now than an ambivert or extrovert.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
When I was still in high school, I was at church one Sunday, and another teenager came into the balcony where I was sitting and sat next to me. I could tell he appeared to be inebriated. His eyes were glassy. He was distracting me from the service. Then it dawned on me that I was there to receive ministry in church, but God had clandestinely placed someone next to me who needed ministry. So I invited the young man to get up and follow me out of the service. Then I took him next door to the parsonage of the church where my pastor lived. We sat on the pastor’s porch, and I talked to this young man about Jesus. He confessed to me that he was addicted to cocaine. It was in his system as we spoke. At this point, I realized my talking to him was rather pointless. So I instinctively grabbed his hands and began to pray a simple but sincere prayer for God to allow this young man to experience his presence. God answered my prayer, and this teenager was instantly sober! His eyes miraculously cleared. I could tell he was focused now. When I asked if he felt differently, he said he did. This time when I talked to him about the Lord, he listened with both hunger and understanding. Then he asked Jesus to come into his heart right there on my pastor’s front porch! It was a miracle.
From this encounter, I developed a burden to help lost people and to bring them into a relationship with the God who made them. My focus is to reach the lost and teach the found. This encounter opened my eyes and this cocaine addict’s eyes.
I saw that change is possible, even in the bleakest situations. Yes, I believe God still does miracles. When we show people that we genuinely care about them, they will listen. If we do our part, God will do his.
Nothing brings me more joy today than helping to open a person’s eyes to their God-given purpose and helping them develop in that purpose. I don’t always see the harvest from my efforts, but I am satisfied to know that I have planted or watered the seed for the harvest.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Whether we’re cashiers or CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need God’s love flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I grew up in the business world. I am a fourth-generation businessman on my dad’s side of the family. But I am a fourth-generation minister on my mother’s side of the family. I never felt that I had to choose between God and money; I only had to choose which one I would serve. So I made that decision to serve God when I was 7 years old. Yet, while working in my dad’s business as a teenager and young adult, I found myself ministering to different employees who were experiencing issues in their personal lives. I would pray a very simple prayer every morning: “Lord, make me a blessing today.” I quickly realized that God had to bless me in order for me to be a blessing to someone else. Then I realized that God would never fill a vessel if he had no intent to pour those contents out to meet a need in another person’s life.
So I spent time in prayer and studying my Bible every morning. I wanted God to do something in me before I asked him to do something through me. I believe that ministry is people. Wherever there are people, there is an opportunity for ministry to happen. I would often ask God to place the people in my path who needed what he placed in me. As a result, I’ve lost count of all the divine circumstances that simply looked like “coincidences.” I realized God was orchestrating situations where he uses people as a divine answer to issues they are facing.
One day as I was walking outside of the office, the Holy Spirit impressed deeply on my heart to tell this random woman that God loves her. The message seemed embarrassingly simple to me, and I felt terribly awkward mustering the courage to say the words. But when I did, the young woman burst into tears. Then she explained, “I just told God today that if he is real and cares about me, to send someone to tell me that.” To me, it was foolishly simple, but to her, it was a confirmation of the reality of God and his love for her.
Whenever I receive a God-thought/idea, it seems to linger with me; it doesn’t just fade away. When God speaks to me through a dream, it lingers with me. It doesn’t fade as the day moves on. So I’ve learned to pay attention to the subtle leadings of the Holy Spirit in my life. God is not looking for perfect people, but available and willing people. Every vocation is a “calling.”
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?
My favorite way to connect with God is to simply take a walk in nature with no digital distraction — no music, no earbuds, no audiobooks, no podcasts. I literally unplug so that my mind and heart can be still and know that he is God. Interestingly, the Aramaic word for prayer is slotha. It means a trap. The Aramaic idea for prayer is for one to set his/her mind like a trap and wait patiently to catch the thoughts of God.
So I love walking in nature, on trails with trees and birds or around water and mountains. I let the sounds and sights of nature fill my ears and eyes. As a result, my heart becomes filled with the awesome wonder of God. I marvel at the beauty of nature. These God-made elements declare the glory of God. They help recalibrate my mind and heart. They bring into perspective how big God is and how trivial the issues of our lives are in comparison.
As I walk in nature, my mind is quieted, and I can then hear God’s thoughts for me. It is difficult to be in motion on the outside without the mind traveling on the inside. I remember walking outside one morning thinking about the pressures of life and the challenges of accomplishing the assignments in my life. As I walked, my anxious thoughts raged. Then I clearly heard the Lord’s thoughts fill my mind. Ironically, he did not soothe me with a Scripture or a statement or a promise, but with a question. Amid my doubt, I clearly heard him gently ask me, “Do you trust me?” When I resounded with “yes!” I felt an instant peace wash over me. My perspective shifted; calm and clarity followed. So for me, experiencing God in nature and walking through his creation is a cathartic and powerful connection for me.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and changed your heart?
One of the earlier books that deeply impacted my life was Viktor Frankl’s book, “Man’s Search for Meaning.” It taught me that until we have found purpose, our lives will lack resilience. We have to have a reason/purpose to get back up when life knocks us down. Understanding the purpose for which we are born is the light at the end of the tunnel that keeps us from giving up.
Another impactful book for me was Dr. Ed Cole’s book “Maximized Manhood.” Although I had a great dad who was my hero, this book put into words many of the things that I saw my dad living out. After reading Ed Cole’s book, I later developed a relationship with him. He became a real spiritual father to me. I traveled with him. We ministered together. He helped me to find my pace in communicating and to refine my speaking gift. He helped me clearly see the authenticity of passionate ministry to hurting people. It is a wonderful thing to be impacted by a book, but it is totally different to be mentored by the life of the author. This gave me a behind-the-scenes look into the practical contexts for the principles.
A third book that impacted my life was Jim Stovall’s novel “The Ultimate Gift.” It is the story of a young man who was set to receive a billion-dollar inheritance, but he had to develop as a person before he could qualify to receive the inheritance. This book taught very clear, tangible lessons that are developed over time to help a person become compassionate and empathetic toward others and grow in personal competence and responsibility.
Certain things can be godsends, helping us survive, even thrive, in our fast-paced world. Does technology ever help you this way? Has an app ever boosted your spiritual growth? If so, how?
For me, technology is a tool that can save us both time and money. I served as manager of information systems for 10 years in our company.
I frequently use apps like YouVersion to keep me connected to various versions of the Bible and devotional materials. It is especially handy for when I am traveling and don’t want to carry bulky books. I also use resources like RightNow Media, which is a library of ministry materials, personal devotionals and small-group study courses. It even has a wonderful catalog of Christian materials and videos for children!
And of course, we have all quietly become subtly dependent on AI (ChatGPT or others). While I embrace using technology for ministry, I never want it to replace my dependence upon the Holy Spirit for revelation and understanding of spiritual concepts. I will intentionally take a Sabbath day each week when I don’t use AI. I believe there is something that is developed in our brains and hearts as we “wrestle” with the text of God’s Word. We should work to unveil or unwrap the hidden treasures that God has concealed for us to discover. I consider God’s Word as a gift to us. I don’t know about you, but I prefer to unwrap my own gifts and not have another do it for me.
QUESTION #8: dream
God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
For me, life has three distinct stages, which often overlap: Learning, Earning and Returning. I’m entering my returning phase now, so I want to give back and help mentor others. Mentoring shortens the learning curve. One of the things that has stirred passion in my soul about this is that I have witnessed so many who have not finished well in life. As we grow, we should get better and make fewer mistakes. The fourth quarter is where the games are won, so this is the most exciting quarter for me! Throughout much of my life, I have journaled various life lessons that I have learned through personal experience and the experiences of others. One day, I was sharing some of my life’s lessons from my journal with my mother. When she read some of it, she immediately said, “This is too good for you to keep to yourself and your children. The whole world needs this wisdom!” So I’ll keep compiling these incredible life lessons, and when I retire, I’ll put them in book form. It may be a series because I’ve got a lot.
This season is about helping others to discover their call and their passion. It is about mentoring and coaching them to be their best. Mentoring focuses on the character of the person; coaching focuses on the competence of the person. We need both.
Although we are in the information age and have access to more information than we ever have had in history, much of the younger generation lacks wisdom in applying and understanding how to interpret all the information. We’ve got brilliant young people in the world now with extremely high IQs, but they have low EQs (emotional intelligence). Older people need younger people in their lives, and younger people need older people. We both have something uniquely necessary to offer one another. One of my passions is to work to help close the gap that separates us. Talent needs a team to be terrific!
Dale divides life up into three main — sometimes overlapping — categories:
Learning: You’re discovering principles for living, serving and thriving in this world with Jesus Christ. You can learn from experience, gathering information and interacting with mentors.
Earning: You’re applying what you’ve learned to build your life, whether that involves serving others through ministry, growing and raising your family or advancing your career.
Returning: You are now teaching others principles to build in their lives, whether or not you have an official platform.
Which stage (or stages) do you find yourself in now?
Dr. Dale C. Bronner is a graduate of Morehouse College, where he finished as the top student in the field of religion. He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Christian Life School of Theology. He is part-owner of Bronner Brothers Mfg. Co., founded in 1947. He is a practical strategist with proven techniques of problem solving and conflict resolution. Dr. Bronner is the founder and senior pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral. He has authored several books and resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, five adult children and 20 grandchildren.