[PODCAST] Leading with Clarity: Lessons from Atlanta Mission’s Tensley Almand

This week on the unSeminary podcast, Tensley Almand (President and CEO of Atlanta Mission) shares leadership insights drawn from guiding the largest homeless services provider in Atlanta, serving over 800 people nightly through long-term, Christ-centered transformation. Moving beyond emergency shelter, Atlanta Mission’s yearlong programs address root causes through counseling, trauma recovery, life skills, and vocational training, with 70% of graduates maintaining stability a year later. When Tensley stepped into leadership, he began as a “Chief Question Officer,” listening deeply to staff and using their feedback to shape a seven-year strategic roadmap that brought clarity, focus, and shared mission. By measuring meaningful outcomes and building dashboards to track real life change, the team uncovered patterns that shaped smarter decisions; an approach church leaders can adopt by measuring spiritual progression, not just attendance or giving. Tensley also highlights the power of relational presence, urging churches to move from “do for” projects to “be with” partnerships that build community and dignity. His encouragement to leaders is simple but profound: you’ll overestimate what can be done in 90 days, but underestimate what God can do through faithful listening, unity, and steady leadership over time.

Listen to the podcast.