We’re passionate about helping you grow and make an impact.

Brad Leeper

Founder/Principal

With over 30 years of financial stewardship experience, Brad has devoted his career to helping churches and nonprofits cultivate and strengthen their stewardship culture. For 23 years, he was a key leader at Generis, serving as both Principal and President for 11 of those years. Now, as Principal with Ministry Essentials, he continues to coach organizations to build strong stewardship cultures and fulfill their God-given missions.

Passionate about helping churches accelerate their visions, particularly during times of change and financial complexity, he takes a forward-thinking approach to guiding congregations of all sizes and forms across the U.S. His focus is on enhancing both the practical and spiritual aspects of stewardship, supporting leaders as they grow and evolve.

Brad holds a Master’s in Theology and brings a wealth of expertise in areas such as stewardship coaching, capital projects, major gift development, and giver communication.

Dave Ronne

Consultant

Dave Ronne has been leading churches in the areas of teaching, worship, arts, and communication for over 30 years. He has served in several roles, including senior leader, teaching pastor, worship leader, and next gen mentor. For the past 26 years he has served as Creative Arts Lead at 12Stone Church outside of Atlanta. Dave has extensive experience, from serving churches as small as 120 people to presently serving at one of the largest multi site churches in Atlanta. He has led churches through all the changes that have come over the past three decades, from different worship styles to navigating advances in technology and more. Dave loves helping churches think through and problem solve the frequent complexities of communicating, worship, and spotting and developing talent.


Steve Widmer

Consultant

Steve Widmer is a seasoned Church Development Executive with over two decades of corporate leadership experience and a deep passion for helping churches and schools achieve their vision. Transitioning from a successful corporate career, Steve served as an Executive Pastor for over 12 years, leading transformative initiatives. During his tenure, Steve spearheaded multiple capital campaigns and oversaw the completion of three significant building projects.

For the past five years, Steve has brought his expertise to the Catalyst Construction Team, specializing in guiding churches through the visioning stage of their projects. Steve has worked with over 50 churches in that time, providing clear direction and actionable strategies. He helps lay the groundwork for successful project launches.

With a heart for ministry and a proven track record in leadership, vision casting, and project management, Steve is dedicated to empowering churches to reach their goals and create lasting impact. In every project he undertakes, Steve works to bring hope, ensuring that each organization’s vision becomes a source of inspiration and transformation.

Melissa Tidwell

Operations Coordinator

Melissa joined Ministry Essentials as Operations Coordinator in early 2023, just as we began expanding our services. With over 26 years of ministry experience across various roles, she brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to supporting impactful leadership. She was also a founding team member of BELAY, a pioneering virtual assistant and bookkeeping service.  There she served in sales and operations.   When she's not empowering leaders to achieve their vision, Melissa loves spending time outdoors—whether hiking and camping with her husband or playing with her grandchildren. And when it’s time to unwind, there’s nothing better than a good book!