A Leader's Formation: Dr. Conway Edwards on Sports, Faith, and Community artwork
Bonafide Leaders

A Leader's Formation: Dr. Conway Edwards on Sports, Faith, and Community

  • S3E6
  • 56:10
  • May 19th 2025

In this episode, Tim sits down with Dr. Conway Edwards, the lead pastor of One Community Church in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They begin by reminiscing about how they first met and the strong emphasis both place on authentic leadership. Dr. Conway shares personal stories from his upbringing in Jamaica, highlighting the impact sports—especially track and field and soccer—had on developing his mindset around competition, teamwork, and leadership.

As the conversation continues, Dr. Conway opens up about the pivotal role of community throughout his life, discussing how lessons from sports translated into leadership, business, and ministry. He explains how his desire for education was born from both necessity and inspiration and breaks down advice for aspiring leaders, stressing the importance of ongoing learning, character development, and community involvement.

To learn more about One Community Church, visit: https://visitonecc.com/

To get more information about Bonafide Leaders, visit: BonafideLeaders.com

Key Topics Discussed:

  • The importance of community and collaboration over individual achievement
  • Dr. Conway’s childhood and sports experiences growing up in Jamaica
  • The culture of competition in Jamaican schools and its long-term impact
  • Dr. Conway’s role models in sports (track and field, soccer) and outside of sports
  • Dr. Conway’s journey to the United States for college through sports scholarships
  • Lessons learned from setbacks and doors closing (e.g., missed athletic opportunities)
  • Why One Community Church prioritizes community and what that means in practice
  • Dr. Conway’s educational journey and passion for lifelong learning
  • The connection between faith, leadership, and business within the church
  • How to cultivate leadership skills over time (learning, mentoring, immersion)
  • Honest discussion about the church as both a spiritual and operational organization

Bonafide Leaders

In the Bonafide Leaders podcast, host Tim G Williams shares his leadership journey through life and work, from individual contributor to Vice President and Special Adviser to the CEO, working for 22 years in a Fortune 200 corporate environment in finance, operations, and strategy, to founding Bonafide Leaders. While helping run and operate billion-dollar businesses, he discovered a deep passion for organizational health, and in leading and developing people and teams. He shares his passion for partnering and working with leaders, particularly in business, technology and the non-profit spaces, aiming to augment their leadership in authentic and inspirational ways. See more at bonafideleaders.com.