Meet Kennon Tenison | Senior Pastor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kennon Tenison and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kennon, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
My desire to have freedom, not only in the area of time but also financially led me to embark upon this journey 15 years ago and I have yet to turn back.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ministry is what excites me! The Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church is a free place where people can learn and discover who they really are in Christ. I’m proud of my ministerial philosophy, that everyone matters. There are no little people, only room for big dreams. I developed this mindset as I attended undergraduate school at Prairie View A&M where I served as a “pastor” to my classmates, friends, and even strangers. People have always been drawn to the God in me and I have always sought to be a safe place for those who are hurting and in need of nurturing. This approach to ministry has not been easy. The biggest challenge is overcoming the mental fallacies people possess. I discovered love is the only method by which to conquer this challenge. On this journey, I have learned people will simply be themselves and make their own choices. Attempting to force my mindset and ideals on people will not have the impact I desire. Les Brown can be quoted as saying, ” A man or woman convinced against their will is of the same opinion still.” When I walk away from people, I want their last thought to be of how I helped prepare them for success. Living my life as “Pops”, I have found that my brand is simply “Preparing Other People’s Success”, whatever success means to them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Being a longtime resident of the D/FW metroplex, I have found there are hidden jewels right beneath our eyes. A few of these dining venues are, the 303 Grill, Perry’s Steakhouse, Texas de Brazil, Chicken Chris, Jamaican Cook Shop, and you simply must dine on doughnuts from Pleasant Grove Donuts on Buckner. Klyde Warren Park is a spot where we would hang out. For fun, we would head to Andretti’s in The Colony for a bit of entertainment and laughs.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shout out to Dr. Martin E. Hawkins, the president of Southern Bible Institute, for recommending me to Pleasant Hill MBC as a candidate for Senior Pastor. He came and walked alongside me, mentoring me to be the best that I could be in the Lord. I also thank God for the late Michael Crawford, who took the lead on the search committee and was instrumental in the selection process for Senior Pastor. The late Tommy Johnson, a close friend and elder of the church who served as my mentor. He shared wisdom with me and was so thankful and eager to learn from me as his pastor for 10 years. He would also say, “Pastor, I don’t know where I would be without you. I’m so glad God lead you to PHMBC.” Elder Harold Taylor served as my finance chairman for 10 years as we plowed the pathway to move the church in the right direction. Additionally, I’d like to shout out to Elder Brandon Horton, the current finance chairman for the past 4 plus years. He brought the structure and technology to the ministry to set us up for the next 100 years. I can’t end without thinking of my family, Mary, Keniah, Adam, and Nickolas for their support along the way. I could go on and on but I’ll stop here. Thanks to everyone who has played a part in the success of the ministry.

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Image Credits
KW Photography