Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Murray.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Anthony. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
At 19, I got saved and married my wife. Soon after, I became the youth pastor at my dad’s church. We named our gathering Club VFL and it quickly became the hottest Group in Atlanta. Every Monday night we set the atmosphere with strobe lights, smoke machine, singing, and dancing; you name it, we did it. I love youth ministry. I know the whole set up was influential in helping many young people choose a different path than what the streets.
Many of them are now doing amazing things in business, government, entertainment, and ministry. After years of youth ministry, I felt lead to make the transition from a youth pastor to pastor. I had previously never aspired to be a pastor. I loved being a youth pastor and an entrepreneur. God had other plans. At the age of 29, I started Oasis Family Life Church with 12 people in the freshman cafeteria at Hiram High School in Paulding County, Georgia. Now, eleven years later we have 2 locations and both bursting at the seems.
The Oasis Paulding campus supports many youths with its gymnasium and the Oasis Atlanta campus has a thriving outreach team that connects us to the Adamsville neighborhood. Speaking of Adamsville, we’re celebrating our 1 year anniversary at our Atlanta campus. I’m super excited about our Atlanta location. I have been blessed with the opportunity to revitalize my grandfather’s church. We`re doing great things. Our goal is to continue to love the people in the area and be a beacon of light. Our motto at Oasis Atlanta is, Welcome to the No Judgement Zone!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No path is ever smooth. We all face challenges on this journey called life. I’ve learned to take the good with the bad. As I tell my friends and family, we must learn to drink the whole cup. Everything in life works out for our good. One of the struggles I have faced is the handling of disappointments. There are people I truly love that I had to allow the distance between us. It hurts to go through transitions with people you genuinely care for. It is not a pleasant feeling, but I’m learning transition is a part of life. My other struggle is learning how to balance being a CEO and pastor. It takes a lot of wisdom to lead, encourage and empower people to live out their purpose. I have to know when it is better to put people ahead of the bottom line.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Of course, I’m a pastor. I enjoy pastoring and leading people. It is who I am. On the other hand, I am an entrepreneur. I’ve owned salons and a construction company. After writing my first book “What Happen to Your Dreams?”, I discovered that I have a knack for helping others grow their business. Many people who attend my church are now entrepreneurs. Having this kind of impact on people was eye-opening to me. I realized people connect with me because of my willingness to share my life experiences.
I’m very open about surviving bankruptcy and bouncing back from it. Helping people grow in their dreams is my passion and purpose. I love it so much that I decided to start an organization called The Nekses. It is an organization which connects spiritual leaders, business leaders, entertainers, and creatives. Our goal as a collective group is to inspire new trends, technology and thoughts to better enhance our everyday lives. I am super excited about it because it consists of foundational people ready to help me blaze new paths.
What’s your favorite memory from childhood?
Ha! I have many fond memories of my childhood. I played football in high school and had some great friends. I wilded out as a child, but my favorite memory is the night I got saved. I went to my uncle’s church looking for some friendly females. I told my boys all the fine girls attended my uncle’s church. I went to church with some unholy intentions, but God had other plans. I can’t remember what the preacher talked about but God captured my heart and the rest is history.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.oasisfamilylife.com
- Phone:770-445-9201
- Email:mbrundidge@oasisfamilylife.com
- Instagram:@_anthonymurray
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnthonyMurrayMinistries
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