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In a world where inspiration is often sought, Dr. Micha Jazz stands out as a beacon of motivation, a seasoned speaker, author and thought leader dedicated to helping individuals and organisations unlock their full potential.
With a rich background in pastoral support and church leadership, Micha's journey has been a tapestry of experiences woven with a passion for personal development.
Dr. Micha Jazz & His Journey of Empowerment
Micha's decades-long commitment to empowering others has taken various forms, from his involvement with Youth for Christ (YFC) to contributing his expertise to the Evangelical Alliance, Peaceworks Mediation and Waverley Abbey College.
Dr. Micha Jazz and his dedication to these organisations reflects a broader mission – the quest to guide individuals towards leading a more fulfilling, Christ-centered life. It's for these reasons we were delighted to sit down with him and find out more about his incredible journey.
How has your background in pastoral support and church leadership shaped your approach to personal development and empowerment?
The Bible is clear; every human is a unique image bearer of the divine (Gen. 1:27, Matt. 10:22-31). Therefore from the moment of our conception (Jer. 1:5) God knows us intimately because He is our Creator.
Therefore I must recognise that pastoral work is always a divine ministry to which God appoints me.
Every individual is unique and I am invited to gently and kindly approach an individual under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
Each of us has a unique call to God and a divine purpose. Therefore my responsibility is to collaborate with God to support the individual to find their path to realising that purpose in God.
In a society that often treats humans as commodities, as Christians we must recognise that everyone has a divine God-given purpose.
Our mortal life is the opportunity we have been given both to connect with God and enter into our destiny; a destiny that will continue beyond our death into eternity with God.
Paul reminds us all in his second letter to Timothy that the responsibility and ministry of the pastor is to help each individual, ‘to fan into flame the gift of God’.
What are the key themes and insights explored in your influential books, and how have they impacted the lives of your readers?
My primary ministry focus is prayer and recognising that family is the foundation for God’s work.
As Christians we have two families; our mortal family (which in today’s culture takes a variety of forms) and our Christian family (practically expressed through church).
Prayer takes many forms, yet simply means coming face to face with God and surrendering to His will.
The one prayer Jesus taught us contains the line, ‘Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matt.6:9-14).
Our lives are to be dedicated to serving God and ensuring His Kingdom is lived out through us on earth. Obviously, this takes a lifetime of learning - it’s why we are called Christ’s disciples, or learners.
When we embrace Jesus as Saviour, we enrol in his schoolroom and apply His teaching in everything. This challenges many of our own instinctive thoughts and actions.
In family we demonstrate a love that is built from commitment, not simply born of fickle feelings. The truth of love is tested through the obstacles life demands that we must overcome.
I have endured many and needed to dig deep on occasion to remain faithful to God and family. The Christian life can only be realised through perseverance and pain (Rom. 12:9-21, 1 Cor. 13:4-8).
We must take care to practise the teaching of love within both. Indeed the family has often been referred to as ‘little church’, for who we are behind closed doors in our relationship with our family, reveals most about our true Christian discipleship values and daily practice.
In what ways does your involvement with various organisations reflect your commitment to fostering faith and empowering individuals?
My conviction is that we can only realise the fullest expression of ourselves through surrendering to God and choosing to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
Therefore, my first thought is how I might live my life in obedience to Jesus’ instructions set out in the Bible, my textbook for life, and how I love and serve others (Luke 10:35-37).
I want to introduce people to who Jesus is, why He is so relevant to life today, and how each person can find friendship with God through Jesus.
Wherever I’ve worked the challenge is to support people to see that they are perfectly and wonderfully made (Psalm 139) and that they can achieve so much more than they imagine.
I’ve worked with teenagers with YFC, the persecuted church globally with EAUK, people in conflict with Peaceworks, and enabling people to learn life-changing skills at Waverley Abbey College.
Every individual can, if they choose to and with the appropriate support, transform their own life, whilst positively impacting the life experience of others. It demands discipline, which at times requires us to surrender our own opinions and desires.
However, the outcome is to leave a footprint of Jesus in our world. Christianity, because it is built upon encouragement and hope, has the power to transform any and every situation for the better. It offers an opportunity to build communities of mutual appreciation, established upon the diverse, and essential, talents of all its members.
My working life has shown me that I achieve my best when I am engaged in serving a goal greater than my own self-interest. That greater goal is always God’s Kingdom.
How do you integrate principles of leadership into your endeavours, considering your extensive background in church leadership and pastoral support?
I have five core principles on which I build my approach to leadership. These have emerged from my experiences within Christian ministry.
The first is People. We always lead people, never programmes or projects. Nothing happens without people. It is important to remind myself daily that every person is precious to God, and every person has a constructive contribution they want to make.
Leadership means motivating and mobilising the skill sets of the people we are asked to lead. Remember Scripture reminds us that, ‘In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe’ (Hebrews 1:1-2).
God’s purposes are realised through God’s people. Remember each morning as you wake that God believes in you and that you are important to God and His mission.
The second is to remain Open to Change. Too often we look to replicate models developed by others for a quick fix. Yet, our Creator always approaches situations afresh and there is a unique God-ordained approach required.
We are to aim at creative solutions, and not simply try to copy what others have done successfully.
As a leader, I am only as good as my last commission. I must always be open to change; change that may come from those I am leading.
Self-awareness is the third principle. Throughout my life, I’ve discovered more about my character and behaviour. As a youngster, I would act first and think later. I was caught up with myself, and could all too easily impose my solutions.
Now I am, by God’s grace, far more aware of my fractures, and know I need the support and skills of others.
This brings me to the fourth principle, which is to Ask Others Their Opinion. I may say, ‘This is how I see this situation, but tell me how do you see it?’ Or, ‘My thinking is this… What do you think about that? Are there difficulties with my thought process?’ This empowers others to grow and contribute.
So to the final principle, we are called To Build and Act as a Team. God is the Trinity; three persons, one essence. So we are to work as a team to realise God’s Kingdom.
Looking at Scripture, I am greatly impressed with the leadership of Nehemiah as he accepted God’s call to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem following years in exile. He did this whilst living in a very hostile context.
In what ways do you emphasise integrity in leadership, and how do you navigate the intersection of faith and leadership principles?
Integrity is critical, yet does not come naturally to any of us.
We are subject to temptation continually (1 Peter 5:8-9). As Paul reminds us, ‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12).
Whilst we live in a world driven by rationalism, we have to conclude that human wisdom hasn’t removed the world’s problems. Scripture reminds us that there are unseen powerful forces committed to our destruction.
We can only resist the temptation of money, sex and power, by acknowledging our human appetites and yielding to God requesting his help.
Scripture reminds us, ‘So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’ (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
And for our encouragement, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, ‘...who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin’ (Hebrews 4:14-16).
It is sad, if understandable, that we see so many Christian leaders stumble and fall through lack of integrity. We dare not judge for we are equally subject to temptation. However, it is important we are honest with ourselves and with others of the power of sin and where we face the greatest pressures personally.
I need to be accountable to wise, trusted friends who will call me out when I cross the line of integrity.
I share my temptations with others, for once exposed to the light their power is reduced if not removed entirely. Temptation also reminds me of my moment-by-moment dependence on God.
Leadership, Christian discipleship itself, is learning to live every day with Jesus, and this way is clearly set out in Scripture and illustrated through the lives of its many characters.
As a thought leader, how do you promote transparency within organisations, and what role does transparency play in fostering trust and collaboration?
Transparency is essential. It reflects our humility - for the only reason one refuses to live a transparent life is because of pride, or one has something to hide.
Humility is always a challenge because we are seen for who we are. However, we are all seeking to make improvements by drawing closer to God. We all make mistakes, which God forgives when we confess them and so we are to forgive one another too.
Remember, as the Lord’s prayer states, we are only forgiven by God to the degree that we choose to forgive others; ‘And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us’ (Matt. 6:12)
Can you share examples from your experiences where your commitment to integrity and transparent leadership has positively impacted the individuals and organisations you have been involved with?
I think it establishes trust. People place confidence in leaders who are honest about their mistakes and errors of judgement.
We may react badly when under pressure, then we must apologise publicly and acknowledge our failure to live God’s way as revealed through scripture.
Of course sometimes we are unaware of the offence we have caused, and can only address the issue if it is brought to our attention.
With the establishment of the Christian prayer centre in Scotland, how will your plan infuse principles of transparent leadership, ensuring openness and honesty in the centre’s operations?
Jayne and I, in establishing the prayer centre in Scotland, are building on twenty years of running a prayer and retreat house in the South of England.
We want to offer encouragement and support to those who feel life is overwhelming and have experienced some difficult challenges in their life.
We have a heart to work with Christian leaders who feel they are burning out through the pressures of ministry. We recognise at this stage of life our greatest contribution is to pray and then offer hope through hospitality to those who seek us out.
All of our ministry is born from our life experience and is aimed to encourage, inspire and enable others who come with their own concerns and questions.
It will be a safe space for those who are looking for a peaceful place to focus on prayer and spiritual growth and those seeking spiritual refreshment, guidance, and personal development.
How does your move to Scotland reflect their commitment to transparent communication and leadership, especially in the context of establishing a faith-based community centre?
We will seek to establish open relationships with the churches within our area and participate in the life of the church, listening and learning as we enter a new country and a new context.
We always note God gave us two ears and one mouth; so we want to listen twice as much as we speak.
We also want to clearly model what a Christian approach to life looks like and encourage those who know Jesus as well as those who are seeking God for themselves.
How have you navigated personal and professional loss, and what lessons have you learned about resilience and leadership in challenging times?
The hardest lesson that I confess I am still learning is to recognise my complete dependence on God.
I too often seek to take control over my life’s direction. In other words, I remove God from being the Lord of my life and replace Him with myself.
Obviously, I still love and worship Him, but assume I have a better chance of sorting my life, my career, my economic prospects etc. than leaving it all with God.
Paul tells us that with God he has learnt, ‘... the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want’ (Philippians 4:12).
A further challenge with leadership is that it is very easy to exploit the position to secure personal opportunities and benefits.
We must always return our gaze to Jesus and remind ourselves that his life as told in the Gospels is the life that we are to follow (Philippians2:5-11). There are no frills.
Leadership is simply at God’s invitation and we are never to abuse the position for personal gain.
As the prophet Isaiah stated in describing Jesus, ‘He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem’ (Isaiah 53:2- 3). This is the Jesus we choose to follow and serve.
In what ways do you integrate principles of compassion and empathy into your leadership style, particularly when dealing with grief within organisational settings?
Scripture is clear. Our God is a compassionate God - ‘But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness’ (Psalm 86:15).
Jesus pointed out that our neighbour, who deserves to be loved to the degree we love ourselves, which simply means how we look after ourselves (Luke 10:25-37).
There is a difference between correcting errors and loving neighbours. After all God came looking for me before I ever thought of seeking God. I was caught up in my own life, yet God had time to find me despite my sin-filled lifestyle.
Now once I surrendered, God invited me to take living the Christian life seriously. Yet He always understood my failings.
In the same way, we must encourage individuals to grow up into maturity in Christ (Eph. 4:11-13). We don't judge, for that is God’s department, ‘Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written. It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.
On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’ (Romans 12:19-21).
So we are disciplined in our own life, we empathise with the suffering and challenges life presents to others, and we encourage, love, and support them, whilst always reminding them of the way that Jesus walked as the way we are invited to walk. We never let them forget that they are always subject to God’s love.
Can you share examples of how you have supported others through loss and grief in their roles within pastoral support and church leadership?
By being present and available. Pastoral care involves walking alongside sinners who are seeking to break free from their sin. Witness demands that I live the Christian life within my workplace and neighbourhood without judging but am always ready to share the love of God through actions and words.
Spiritual Direction calls me to support an individual or group, as they wrestle with where God might be present in their circumstances.
We share in their questions and together seek to discover God’s presence and purpose. For thirty years we ran an extended household where individuals would live within our home with us as they sought God or rediscovered God’s path.
We then established a house of prayer where we met with individuals who requested some spiritual support through challenging times, as well as offering retreat opportunities for a small group to encounter God in the issues that troubled them most. This ministry will continue in Scotland: Prayer, hospitality and ministry together.
How has your approach to grief as a part of the human experience shown up in your writings and teachings? How have you inspired others to find strength and purpose in the face of adversity?
My two key verses summarise this best. When Jesus approached John the Baptist at the river Jordan, John declared, ‘He must become greater; I must become less’ (John 3:30).
Everything I think, say, and do must elevate Jesus and never promote myself. Secondly, I am to live my life in pursuit of Paul’s ambition, ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’ (Galatians 2:20).
It remains an aspiration for there remains so much of me that will only ever prevent the glory of God from shining brightly. These two scriptures act as the bookends of my life. I pray God will enable me both to be true to them and finally realise the second verse in my life.
Dr. Micha Jazz's story is clearly one of continuous dedication to empowering others, coupled with a profound commitment to fostering faith. As he and Jayne embark on this new venture in Scotland, the anticipation is palpable.
Their vision for a Christian prayer centre aligns with their life's mission – to inspire, guide and nurture individuals and groups on their journey to living every day with Jesus.
This exploration also highlights how Micha Jazz seamlessly weaves principles of leadership, integrity, transparency and resilience in the face of loss and grief into the fabric of his inspiring and impactful life's work.
We are grateful to him for finding time to speak with us and all the team at P45 wish him every success. You can keep up-to-date with Dr. Micha Jazz on Facebook where he's Micha Jaz (one Z only)
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