Unscripted Magazine Spring 2024 - Flipbook - Page 45
HEART OF A PASTOR,
MIND OF A BUSINESSMAN
Get to know Bill Coder, Messiah Lifeways’ Vice President of Development, in this Q&A.
Q : I F YO U W E R E TO D E S C R I B E YO U R SELF
Q : WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
IN J U ST O N E WO R D, W HAT WO U L D I T BE?
A: My love for my family and a desire to do my best
A: Enthusiastic. It’s not hard for me to buy into
every day to provide for them and make them happy
something, whether it’s a cause, a sports team,
while at the same time doing with passion what I feel
or a trend if a compelling enough case is made.
I was created to do.
When something matters to me, I’m all in.
Q : WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DO ING IN YOUR
Q : W H AT D OE S G I V I N G M E AN TO YO U?
FREE TIME?
A: I think that a lot of times people think about giving
A: I DJ events and weddings, and in my lifetime I’ve
as just writing a check or giving money. My philosophy
definitely DJed at hundreds, if not thousands, of
is that there are three Ts of giving, which is time,
events. I also really love to golf, but I’m actually terrible
talent, and treasure, and everybody has something
at golfing for someone who golfs as much as I do. I have
to give. There’s power in giving back to something that
a 5-year-old at home, and so this last year I was a T-ball
you care about and pouring out of yourself, whether
coach, which was a lot of fun. I love spending time with
that be of your time, talent, or treasure, into a cause
my family and discovering new hobbies and activities
that’s meaningful to you.
with them.
Q : H OW D I D YO U G E T I N VO LV E D IN
Q : WHAT ’S SOMETHING TH AT NOT MANY
FUN D RA I SI NG WO R K?
PEOPLE KNOW AB OUT YOU?
A: I like to tell people I have the heart of a pastor and
A: A goal that my wife and I share is to travel to all 50
the mind of a business person. I went to Lancaster
states. We’re at 47 now. Our last three are Iowa, South
Bible College to be a pastor, and I’ve always wanted to
Dakota, and North Dakota. We actually recently read in
serve and help people. My career took me into sales,
a magazine that North Dakota has a “best for last club”
and there came a point where I thought to myself,
because a lot of people save North Dakota for their last
How do I merge these two things? How do I take my
of the 50. If you go to this one visitor’s center in North
passion for ministering to people and at the same
Dakota you’ll be applauded by a bunch of employees,
time filter that through “sales”? That brought me into
and you get a certificate and a T-shirt, so we’ve decided
professional fundraising.
we’re definitely going to do that!
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