Lanny was born and raised in Greensboro, NC. After college, he worked as a social worker before answering the call to pastoral ministry. Education: B.A. in Psychology at High Point University (Psi Chi Honor Society), M.Div. Duke Divinity School, Certificate in Church Leadership from the Royce and Jane Reynolds School of Church Leadership, Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Centerquest School of Spiritual Direction.
He has focused on Spiritual Formation and contemplative writers such as Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Thomas Merton, and Henri Nouwen. He serves as a spiritual director for pastors and others seeking to grow deeper in their spiritual journey.
Lanny has been a United Methodist Pastor for 27 years, having served just previously as the senior pastor at Central United Methodist Church in Monroe, NC. The core of his ministry is preaching the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, for a world that desperately needs good news in these times! His preaching style is to show how God’s Word, in the Old and New Testaments, is relevant to the spiritual journey called life, our daily joys and challenges. He focuses on equipping people for ministry, helping them in their spiritual journey as they continue or discover their spiritual gifts for serving Christ and others. His favorite Scripture is “God is love”—1 John 4.8
He is a poet, avid outdoorsman, and loves hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. He is a pianist and keyboardist and played in several bands and praise bands through the years. He is married to his college sweetheart, Janet, a retired award winning history teacher who was honored as teacher of the year for her school system. They have twin sons, one is a Chemist, completing his PhD at the University of Wisconsin, and the other is a United Methodist pastor in Morganton.
