“The Man, The Myth, The Mission”

THE MAN

When Pastor Pierce was asked to share who he was, his first response was, “I am a black man”.
Pastor Lamont Pierce is married to his lovely wife of 29 years, Vashita Pierce.
They actually met in college in 1989. He admits that when he first saw her, he knew
immediately that she would be his wife. Pastor Vashita now co-pastors with him
at New Life Christian Outreach in Dover, DE. With a huge smile on his face, he
acknowledges the impact she has had on his life, stating “I wouldn’t be who I am today without her and the Lord. She has been the backbone of my success in
recovery, the kingdom, and becoming a man of God.”
He is the proud father of three wonderful adult children, Rhyan (19), Lamont Jr.
(20), and Aziah (28), and grandfather of one granddaughter, Chloe (4), whom he
adores and admits is the “apple of his eye”.
Pastor Pierce was born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey living in a single-parent
home. As a young man, his goals and aspirations were to leave New Jersey and become successful or just to become somebody.
Being the youngest of 4 children, he admits he was spoiled…so whatever he did not get from his parents, he got from his siblings.
Though he grew up without his father in the household, he stated that his childhood was full of love and affection; “though we didn’t have a lot, we had everything that we needed”. As a child, he constantly struggled with peer pressure, yet he became involved
in many different sports including football, basketball, baseball, and track & field. He often felt the need to be something that he wasn’t. Having grown up in a low-income
neighborhood, he was challenged by the racism he faced as a young black man attending a predominantly white school in an affluent neighborhood.
According to Pastor Pierce, “I always dreamed of attending college”. After graduating high school, he went on to pursue his dream of attending college at Norfolk State University and studied Electrical Engineering.
He is currently employed at First State Community Action Agency as a Project Coordinator/Trainer.
In his position, he is afforded the opportunity to work with fathers, encouraging them to become engaged in their children’s lives.
He also trains fathers as well as families on how to develop effective parenting skills. He enjoys coordinating the project initiatives that help families grow and thrive.

THE MYTH

In Pastor Pierce’s own words, “growing up, I didn’t believe pastors were real.
I thought it was all just a show or acting and that they were always over
exaggerating, so I often mocked them.”
“I was addicted to heroin for 12 years. I started out with marijuana and eventually
moved on to stronger drugs of which heroin became my drug of choice. I reached a
point in my life where my addiction took over, and ultimately, I hit rock bottom. My
marriage was in jeopardy, and I couldn’t keep a job. I simply wanted to be free
from my addiction and found God in my struggle. I was called to be a pastor after
I rededicated my life to the Lord. As I was serving and getting to know him, he
spoke to me and said pastoring is what I was called to do.”
“At first, I struggled because it wasn’t my desire to be a pastor. My dream was to
serve God and not be addicted to heroin or any other drugs. However, in the midst
of serving, he captured my heart and I fell in love… THE END!”
“I believe the misconception that much of society has is that we as pastors have it all
together. The reality is, no one does, and we all have our struggles though it isn’t
publicly shown. Daily, we are living and learning, striving to be like Christ just like
the next man or woman. The responsibility of being a pastor is tremendous. The bible
says, “to whom much is given, much is required”, so when God entrusts you to
be a pastor, it’s a responsibility not to be taken lightly. The weight is heavy and
sometimes even overwhelming, but God helps you to be able to withstand the
pressures of what the call brings.”

“Being a pastor, one of the key things I have learned is no one is perfect, and
no one has it all together. We are all pressing toward the mark of the higher call. One of the things I realized as a pastor is…each and every day God changes me to be more like him. One of the myths that many people believe is, that a pastor is all-knowing, and
this is simply not true. The assumption that a pastor is perfect without spot, blemish or trouble, is not true. Although it may not be obvious, the struggle is real.” We are simply servants of God who have a specific call on our lives, we are just as human and fallible as anyone else. While He does call us to a higher standard, we blow it sometimes
and fall short often. But for the grace of God, we too would be lost.
“One of the major challenges I face as a pastor is finding people who will consistently partner with and support the vision God has given me. The vision is so large and so vast, that it cannot be accomplished with my family alone.
It takes people who are willing to buy in, partner, collaborate, and support financially, to bring it to pass. My responsibility first and foremost as a pastor… as a man, is to my family and the call of God on my life.”

“It is my desire to train men up to become “Kingsmen” who are great representatives of the king.”

THE MISSION

When asked about his mission, He shared the following, “I have been called to Dover, Delaware to pastor and encourage the people that God sends to New Life Christian
Outreach. My responsibility is to train them, love them, and disciple them as
they learn to be followers of Christ. This is accomplished through preaching and
teaching the gospel and living a lifestyle that is a witness to them. It is my desire
and vision that the church will continue to multiply and expand the kingdom.
An additional part of my mission is to collaborate with other leaders throughout
the nation and expand globally.”
“It is my desire to train men up to become “Kingsmen” who are great representatives of the king. I am also obligated to help those that are sick, suffering, and bound by drug addiction. I have been set free from the prison of addiction therefore, I have a passion
to see others free from the bondage of drugs, alcohol, and other addictions. I believe by the grace of God, that he has equipped me to be successful in tending to the people that he has called me to.”
In closing, Pastor Pierce shared one final thought; “I would not change my life in any way, I trust that which God has allowed in my life, to be that which I needed to get me to the place that I am now am”. I give all praise to Him alone and rejoice daily in His goodness and mercy over my life!