『The Town Square Podcast』のカバーアート

The Town Square Podcast

The Town Square Podcast

著者： Trey Bailey Gabriel Stovall
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Not just another podcast, but a place to meet in the messy middle and have difficult discussions with transparency and diplomacy where the outcome is unity, not uniformity.

The primary topics will be the local interests of Newton County, Georgia residents and those in the surrounding community.

All rights reserved. スピリチュアリティ マネジメント マネジメント・リーダーシップ 人間関係 個人的成功 政治・政府 政治学 社会科学 科学 経済学 自己啓発
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  • Chief Royce Turner: Building a Culture of Service, Safety, and Sustainability – Episode 69

    Chief Royce Turner: Building a Culture of Service, Safety, and Sustainability – Episode 69
    2026/01/06
    A Chief With a Story—and a CallingChief Turner didn’t stumble into public safety. In fact, he told me he believes he was raised into it without realizing it.He grew up in a family culture where helping people wasn’t a hobby—it was the posture. That theme showed up again and again in our conversation: service as identity, not just occupation.But before fire service ever entered the picture, Chief Turner was a sports guy. A real sports guy. He played anything with a ball and was good enough to earn a full basketball scholarship. That shaped him—teamwork, discipline, pressure, leadership, competitiveness. And like most athletes with talent, he had the same dreams a lot of young men have: NBA, NFL… something big.Then college ended.And as his mom put it, it was time to go into “the real world.”That’s where the path got interesting.He Worked Every Side of Public Safety Before Fire ServiceWhen Chief Turner says he’s been in public safety, he means it. Before becoming a firefighter, he had already worked in multiple public safety arenas:Department of CorrectionsHe started in corrections, working at a facility in Hall County known for housing young offenders—young people whose trajectories were hard to watch. He described it as disheartening. For him, the big question became: “Can I make an impact here?” And after a lot of reflection and prayer, he realized the answer was no.Sheriff’s Department / Law EnforcementHe transitioned to a sheriff’s department environment (in and around Atlanta) and again ran into that same internal tension. Could he make an impact? Could he thrive in an environment that felt like it was swallowing people more than helping them?Again, the answer was no.And that’s when his father asked the question that changed everything:“Have you ever thought about fire service?”Chief Turner’s response was honest and almost funny in the moment:“Absolutely not. I’m scared of fire.”Which is about as logical as it gets.The Application He Forgot AboutHere’s the part that feels like a movie scene.Chief Turner applied to the City of Atlanta Fire Department, but the hiring process took so long—about three years—that he literally forgot he had applied.Then one day the call came.They asked if he was still interested.And he had to remember what job they were even talking about.But the timing was perfect. He was already in that transitional season, searching for something that fit. So he took the leap.He called it faith.I call it courage.Finding His Niche: Competition + Teamwork + Helping PeopleOnce he got into fire service, something clicked immediately.He described it like finding his niche—because fire service combined the elements that were already wired into him:CompetitionTeam dynamicsBrotherhoodMissionHelping peopleAnd he talked about mentors—especially one named William Jucks—who didn’t just teach him the job, but helped him see the career. Not just “firefighter,” but growth, development, and leadership.That mentor pushed him toward paramedic training, and Chief Turner’s initial reaction was relatable:“I don’t want to go back to school.”But he was told something important:If you want to be relevant in fire service, you need to be a paramedic.So, he did it.And he didn’t quit.He admitted it was hard. He said he wanted to quit multiple times, and he was surrounded by people who found reasons to drop out, which made quitting feel easy.But his upbringing wouldn’t allow it:If you start something, you finish it.That mindset became a pattern. Year after year, he challenged himself to grow.And eventually, he rose all the way through the ranks in Atlanta—starting as a recruit and reaching Deputy Chief in one of the largest departments in the region.Why Newton County? Because It’s FamilyChief Turner could’ve stayed in Atlanta. He even thought he might be next in line for Fire Chief there.But leadership shifts happen. Politics happen. Timing happens.And he made a decision: it was time to lead his own department.That’s when Newton County came into the picture in a deeper way, because while he grew up in Atlanta, he told me something I didn’t know:Newton County is his second home.His grandmother was born and raised here. Many of his relatives are here. He attended church here as a kid—specifically Bethel Grove Baptist Church.And he said his mom added some “peer pressure” with a line that hit hard:“I’m not going to be here forever… your grandma would be proud.”So, when the opportunity opened, the choice wasn’t just career—it was personal.Newton County wasn’t a stop.It was a return.“I’m Like a Reptile”: Leadership and AdaptabilityAt one point, I asked him about leadership—because nobody becomes Fire Chief by accident.His answer was unexpected and honestly memorable:“I’m like a reptile.”He explained what he meant: he can adapt to the environment. He knows when to step back and let someone else...
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    48 分
  • Pastor Charles Prescott II: Hope in the Messy Middle — A Christmas Conversation About Calling, Grief, and Community – Episode 68

    Pastor Charles Prescott II: Hope in the Messy Middle — A Christmas Conversation About Calling, Grief, and Community – Episode 68
    2025/12/16
    There are some conversations that feel timely.Others feel important.And then there are those rare conversations that feel necessary.This episode of The Town Square Podcast—our Christmas special—falls squarely into that third category.As the year winds down and the calendar edges toward Advent, Gabriel and I sat down with Pastor Charles Prescott II, Senior Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Covington—affectionately known by generations of members as “The Mac.” What unfolded was not just an interview, but a holy pause. A space to breathe. A place to name grief honestly, to talk about leadership without ego, and to rediscover hope—not as something loud or flashy, but as something faithful, steady, and often found in the smallest places.This was a conversation about calling—and what happens when you try to run from it.It was about institutions—the church, law enforcement, education—and how trust is built when faith in those institutions feels fragile.It was about grief—personal, communal, generational—and how it shows up most loudly during the holidays.And it was about hope—not as denial, but as disciplined remembrance of what God has already done.In other words, it was exactly the kind of conversation we believe belongs in the messy middle.A Pastor Who Didn’t Want to Be a PastorOne of the most compelling parts of Pastor Prescott’s story is that he never aspired to the title he now carries.“I didn’t want to be a pastor,” he said plainly—without bravado, without irony.For more than a decade, he ran from ministry. Twelve years, by his own account. Until his grandmother—wisely and lovingly—reminded him that sometimes when you keep running, you’re only circling the thing God has already assigned to you.That tension—between resistance and surrender—became a recurring theme throughout our conversation. Because many people listening right now aren’t running from a pulpit. They’re running from a hard conversation. A leadership role. A responsibility they didn’t ask for. A calling they feel unqualified to carry.Pastor Prescott’s journey—from Augusta to Atlanta, from youth ministry to bi-vocational leadership, from law enforcement to the pulpit—offers a powerful reminder: calling is rarely convenient, but it is persistent.From the Streets to the Sanctuary: A Leader in Two WorldsPastor Prescott doesn’t just lead a historic church. By day, he serves as the Chief of Police and Associate Vice President of Campus Safety at Morehouse College, his alma mater.That matters.Because few people understand the complexity of Black male leadership quite like someone who has lived on both sides of the institutional divide. He has investigated some of Georgia’s most high-profile cases. He has supervised in systems where trust is thin and scrutiny is constant. And yet, when he returned to Morehouse—back to a campus filled with young Black men—he was reminded of something essential.“These aren’t suspects,” he said.“These are sons. Scholars. Future leaders.”That re-centering reshaped how he pastors.It gave him language for bias—not as accusation, but as reality.It reinforced the importance of listening before correcting.And it shaped his conviction that leadership—whether in law enforcement or ministry—requires humility, patience, and emotional intelligence.You cannot lead people well if you only see them through your worst experiences.Stepping Into a Church Still GrievingWhen Pastor Prescott arrived at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in April, he didn’t step into a blank slate.He stepped into grief.The previous pastor had passed away—a beloved leader whose absence was still deeply felt. For more than a year, the congregation had existed without a shepherd. And anyone who has ever loved a church knows: when a pastor dies, the loss is not just professional—it’s deeply personal.“I walked into hurt,” Pastor Prescott shared.“And I had to work on the inside before we could ever focus on outreach.”That insight alone is worth sitting with.In a world obsessed with growth metrics, branding strategies, and outward impact, Pastor Prescott named a counter-cultural truth: sometimes the most faithful thing a leader can do is tend to wounds before chasing vision.In-reach before outreach.Presence before programs.Listening before leading.Authenticity Over PerformanceAt 147 years old, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church carries deep tradition—and with tradition comes expectation.Pastor Prescott didn’t dismiss that history. He honored it. But he also made something clear early on: authenticity matters more than performance.That means preaching with substance—not Saturday-night specials.It means sneakers with a suit when bunions demand it.It means sermons that can withstand Google fact-checks from the pews.“We’re in a generation that wants depth,” he said.“They want to know how this changes Monday.”It was ...
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    1 時間 3 分
  • Adam Harper: Protecting Us Online in the Age of Cybercrime & AI – Episode 67

    Adam Harper: Protecting Us Online in the Age of Cybercrime & AI – Episode 67
    2025/12/09
    There are certain episodes of The Town Square Podcast where you can feel — even before the mics get warm — that you’re about to learn something that will permanently change the way you look at the world. Episode 67 with Adam Harper, CEO and Owner of Relevant IT Services, is one of those conversations.It’s not often that cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and Newton County storytelling intersect, but when they do… man, buckle up. Because Adam doesn’t speak like the stereotypical IT guy hunkered over 12 monitors in a hoodie. He doesn’t talk down to people. He doesn’t hide behind jargon. He is, instead, one of those rare individuals who can take the incredibly complex world of digital threats, corporate hacking, AI evolution, and risk management — and translate it into stories, metaphors, and warnings that hit home for everyday people.This episode isn’t about selling IT support. It’s about keeping our community safe in a digital world many of us only thinkwe understand.And as Adam reminds us:“Cybercrime isn’t coming. It’s already here.”A Newton County Kid Who Grew Up to Secure the Digital WorldBefore we dove into ransomware and AI ethics, I wanted to know who Adam Harper is — and how Newton County shaped him.Adam was born in McDonough but spent nearly his entire life right here in Newton County. His first job was at Chick-fil-A (or as he called it, serving “Jesus Chicken” in Conyers). He graduated from Grace Christian Academy, attended church at Belmont Baptist, and grew up during a time when Covington didn’t yet have the restaurants, parks, and movie scenes we’re now known for.If you’ve ever wondered whether homegrown Newton kids can build nationally expanding tech companies — well, Adam is proof.He wasn’t the kid who dreamed of building servers in his basement. He wasn’t some coding prodigy. Like many of us, he grew up fixing his grandparents’ VCR, resetting the Wi-Fi, and helping his family with computers simply because he was “the guy who knew a little bit more than everyone else.”That little bit?It grew into a calling.From Sales to Cybersecurity: A Career That Found HimAdam didn’t begin in IT.He began in sales and account management, where he discovered something surprising:“A lot of people who can build and fix a computer can’t sell one.”That combination — the ability to understand technology and the ability to communicate with people — became his superpower.He eventually joined an IT company, learned it inside and out, and discovered that real IT isn’t about machines at all. It’s about people. Relationships. Trust.And trust is the currency of modern cybersecurity.IT isn’t just fixing printers anymore.IT is protecting:your bank accountsyour church databasesyour business operationsyour email and identityyour family’s digital footprintyour organization’s survivalWhen Adam realized he could build a company that prioritized people over products, solutions over sales pitch, and relevance over revenue… Relevant IT Services was born.And yes — I admit it right here in this blog — in the early days, I wasn’t sure about Adam. I thought he was trying to sell me stuff I didn’t need. I wasn’t sure if Relevant was relevant for me.Turns out, I was wrong.Turns out, he was exactly the guy we needed.What Makes Relevant IT Different? A Boutique Approach to Digital ProtectionOne of the most refreshing parts of this interview was hearing Adam explain why Relevant IT Services isn’t like other IT companies.Most IT providers:sell the same package to everyonepush products that give them higher marginsuse the same systems for every client (whether it fits or not)avoid small organizations because they “aren’t profitable”Adam does the opposite.Relevant IT Services:✓ builds tailored solutions✓ treats churches differently than healthcare clients✓ supports companies with 2 employees or 200✓ does not push unnecessary products✓ focuses on prevention, not emergency reaction✓ serves people firstAs Adam put it:“IT is trust. When someone hires us, they’re trusting us with their entire company.”That’s not just business.That’s stewardship.Cybersecurity: The Digital Crime Wave We Never Saw ComingThis is where the episode really lifts off.If you’ve ever wondered:What exactly is cybersecurity?Who’s trying to hack me?Why email scams seem to never end?Why criminals target small businesses?Why your grandma gets tricked by fake Amazon calls?You need to hear this.Adam boiled down the entire cybercrime world into one simple sentence:“Cybercrime exists for one purpose: to get your information so they can get your money.”That’s it.That’s the whole game.But the methods?They’re multiplying.Cybercrime is now the 3rd largest “economy” in the world.Let that sink in.If global cybercrime were a country, its GDP would rank:United StatesChinaCybercrimeIn 2023 alone:$10 trillion in cybercrime ...
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    52 分
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