Leadership comes in all forms and sizes, but the results are the same. Leaders influence behavior and make a difference in people’s lives. Profiling leaders reveals a diverse combination of traits, but changing lives is a common theme.

Leader Profile

Thomas Hoffmaster II  

(Huff) felt the call of God on his life to pastor as a young teenager. Surrendering to God at age 21, he tried to negotiate away from his calling by singing in a part-time gospel group. “I was scared and tried to justify it,” Huff said, as he talked about how God worked on him during his travels.

Recounting his early childhood, Huff noted that his mom married an unbeliever, not fully knowing the fights that would erupt over her going to church. Graciously living out 1 Peter 3:1, she loved her husband until she eventually saw him come to serve Christ. Huff has witnessed the pain of families personally and pastorally and has a heart for helping the hurting. God has provided Huff and his church with many blended families and the opportunity to teach them how to live out their faith before their kids. Following Christ’s example, Huff spends extra time with those hurting and in need. He points to the examples of Christ’s one-on-one time with His disciples and His interaction with Nicodemus and the woman at the well.

Huff stopped running from the call to the pastorate in 1993. For the last eight years, he has pastored Heritage FWB Church in Inwood, West Virginia, where he emphasizes family ministry and how God can work in the lives of imperfect people in significant ways. With the number of blended families in the church today, Huff puts a great emphasis on providing a place for them to be discipled.

When asked about what he and his wife enjoy doing, he responded, “We love conversation with each other about Scripture, our kids, and ministry…in that order.” He and his wife dream of owning a motorhome someday and traveling together. On really rough days, his wife Sally sends him a picture of the motorhome with the caption, “Bet this looks pretty good right now!”

Huff, a bi-vocational pastor, works full time in providing training for an HVAC company. He sees God using this experience to stretch him even further in skills of serving people and making wise business decisions.

When talking about the future of Free Will Baptists, Huff said, “I would like to see us stop dividing over minor issues that are often personal preferences. I would love to see our denomination become more proactive and outspoken from the national level on current issues such as marriage, homosexuality, and the true meaning of tolerance!”

Huff, you are a great leader!

Get to Know Huff...

What is your ideal date ?

Turn off the cell phones and head to our favorite German restaurant for uninterrupted time together.

What are the names, ages, and one-word descriptors for your children?

• Daniel, age 24 – Social

• Jordan, age 17 – Independent
  

What are your top three books of all time (other than the Bible)?

• Radical by David Platt
  

• From Embers to a Flame by Harry Reeder
  

• Crazy Love by Francis Chan
  

What is your biggest failure?

The times I have my priorities out of alignment and put ministry before family.

What do people misunderstand about you?

Probably the same for all pastors—that we have feelings and we also hurt inside. We are not perfect and at times want to quit, but it is the love that we have for God and our congregations that keeps us going.

Paper or Plastic Questions

• Mountains or Ocean? Mountains
  

• Music or Talk Radio? Talk Radio
  

• Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke
  

• Facebook, Email, Twitter, or texting? Texting
  

• Mac or PC? Recently became a Mac convert and wondering now why I waited so long
  

• Socks or house shoes? Socks