7025 CR46A, Suite 1071 #388, Lake Mary, FL. 32746
The Compass Urban Story
About Ken Battles - Founder and President
Ken Battles did not grow up in a Christian household. He spent most of his youth and adult life as a prolific reader but never read the bible until 2012. Church attendance was very sporadic as he was disappointed and judgmental towards Christians behaving in ways more sinful than him. However, his natural gifts and thirst for information and knowledge allowed him to become a successful employee throughout his career and a good manager of his finances.
On October 21, 2007, he and his wife Sharon visited Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Oviedo for the first time. This provided a spiritual experience that led them to join the following Sunday. After months of regular worship service and Sunday School attendance, he learned about a biblical financial small group study to be offered in the spring of 2008. He decided to take the study, viewing it as another information and knowledge source on personal finances. After the study, he realized that:
- He did not have a personal relationship with God.
- He was a good money manager but not a faithful steward, especially in generosity.
- He was not using his time, talents and treasures to glorify God and serve others.
- He found his purpose. God provided for, protected, and prepared him with worldly experiences, information and knowledge about managing finances, administration and facilitation. He was now exposed to the biblical principles and a calling to serve.
Over the next couple of years, he facilitated the study at Antioch, expanded the study to multiple times a year, and assumed the Biblical Financial Study Church Coordinator role. He was also exposed to Dr. Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages of God and added it to the small group study offerings.
In 2009, Ken met Howard Dayton, co-founder, and CEO of Crown Financial Ministries and Founder/CEO of Compass – Navigating Finances God’s Way. They quickly developed a relationship that subsequently resulted in an offer for Ken to become his “Just One More” in 2012. This one-year discipleship journey exposed Ken to core teachings on discipleship, evangelism, trusting God, and spiritual leadership. Upon completing this journey, Ken accepted the call to become a deacon at Antioch and was ordained in December 2013 after one year of extensive training.
After Howard expressed the need for someone to provide more financial discipleship and generosity focus on the urban community, specifically the African-American community, Ken launched Compass Urban Stewardship Ministries in January 2014.
Ken transitioned from the marketplace to full-time ministry in July of 2020. He last worked as a Strong Authentication Service Manager for a global leader in digital transformation with approximately 100,000 employees in 72 countries and annual revenue of around € 12 billion.
As an affiliate of Compass – Navigating Finances God’s Way, he has full access to their vast product and service offerings and relationships.
Board of directors
Ken Battles - Founder/President
Sharon Battles - Secretary/Treasurer
Edward L. Brown Sr. - Vice-President
Ken Battles spiritual gifts of teaching, encouragement, problem solving and collaborative leadership are assisting churches and other organizations to address biblical stewardship needs.
With the foundation of a B.S. degree in Computer Sciences, Ken had a very successful career with almost 40 years of diversified Information Technology experience. His skills and expertise include global service management, process management, process improvement and optimization, project management, IT general controls, IT security, and collaborative leadership.
He described his corporate career as the "job that he is paid for" and Compass Urban as the "calling that he was made for".
Edward L. Brown Sr. - Vice-President
Sharon Battles - Secretary/Treasurer
Edward L. Brown Sr. - Vice-President
Edward L. Brown graduated from the University of North Florida in 1974 with a B.A. in Public Administration. He worked many years in his field of study, starting with a two year stint in Washington, D.C., on the staff of U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles, of Florida. Deacon Brown, for three years, then worked for the Seminole Employment and Economic Development Corporation (SEEDCO), as a Business Analyst.
Ed has also worked many years as a Directory Advertising Sales Representative for Southern Bell.
In August 1986, Ed Brown was appointed as an Agent for the State Farm Insurance Companies and continues in this fulfilling career.
He also serves as a Deacon and other leadership roles at at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Oviedo, FL
Sharon Battles - Secretary/Treasurer
Sharon Battles - Secretary/Treasurer
Sharon Battles - Secretary/Treasurer
Sharon Battles is the "virtuous woman" with the spiritual gift of discernment, providing a hedge of protection around founder Ken Battles. He relies on her as a key source for counsel. Her instincts about people and situations are highly accurate and provide a perfect balance against Ken's analytical, objective and logical bias towards problem solving.
Sharon has worked in many business sectors (manufacturing, banking, defense), leveraging her B.S. degree in Accounting in a variety of financial management roles for over 35 years.
She is very reliable in her role as a deaconess, showing grace and compassion.
Key servant leaders
Tina Darden - Advisory Board
Tina listened to Larry Burkett on the radio in the early 90s. The Lord put a burden on her heart about financial stewardship and managing God’s resources.
In October 1994, Tina hosted a 2-day workshop at her church, Shining Star Baptist Church of Middle River, MD, entitled Your Finances in Changing Times. In addition, she conducted workshops at Women’s Conferences using Larry Burkett’s videos and books. She also conducted workshops, seminars, and bible studies at her church and other churches and businesses based on Your Money Counts, Navigating Your Finances God’s Way, and Set Your House in Order.
She attended her first Compass – Finances God’s Way Friends & Family Gathering (Conference) in Asheville, NC, in 2018 and continued participating in the annual conferences in 2019 and 2021. At the conference held in Northeast Maryland in October 2021, the Lord confirmed that she would retire on 12/31/2021 from the Federal Government and that her next step would be with Compass and to enter Full-time ministry.
On February 21, 2022, she joined Compass. She began working closely with Ken Battles in support of Compass Urban nationally and opening opportunities for Pastors and churches in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area to become Financial Disciples. In addition, Tina works closely with the training, development, and support of Financial Discipleship Leaders globally.
Tina is committed to ONE MORE and currently takes three ladies through the program representing three countries.
God has been faithful since she transitioned from the marketplace. She prayed and placed on the altar that she would pay off her mortgage when she entered full-time ministry. The Lord blessed her by allowing that to happen on March 2, 2022, one week after she started full-time ministry!
Tina Darden’s corporate career spanned from 1985 until 2021, covering 19 years with FedEx Express Corporation and 17 years with The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in Baltimore, MD. Tina served in various management roles that utilized her strengths in Business Operations, Administration and Management, Influence/Negotiating, Financial management, and Audit and Compliance.
In her local church, Tina’s service has included Church Administrator, Single Women’s Ministry Leader, Sunday School Teacher, Audio/Visual Ministry, and Women’s Prayer Chain.
Chris Davis
Chris Davis has had a beautiful journey of financial discipleship. Although he had ten years of experience in banking and finance, he lacked proper understanding of how much the bible talks about finances. This all changed in September 2021, when Chris and his wife went through a “Building Your Finances God’s Way” study.
Since going through the study, Chris sold his home, moved into the community that he serves, and paid off all consumer debt. In addition, through his commitment to make financial disciples, Chris has led five Compass classes in the last year with Christ-centered organizations.
In his role as First Southern Outreach Vice President, Chris is responsible for building relationships with people and leaders in the West Louisville community of Kentucky. His background is in relationship banking and business banking, so he seeks to bring that expertise to the community. He also hopes to work on business development in the metro market.
Chris shares, “I plan to continue to equip individuals, organizations, and churches with the Compass materials to guide more financial disciples. Especially in areas of social issues, where the financial gospel can have a direct impact.”
Chris has been married for ten years to Danika Davis. They have three beautiful children, Micaiah (7), Eliana (5), and Jael (3). They have lived in Louisville, Kentucky for ten years and are active in leadership with various ministries, including a mobile prayer ministry, youth pastoring a small church plant, and supporting other parachurch ministries.
Michael Hopper
Michael Hopper is a pastor of a church in Los Angeles, California, and has spent over thirty years serving children, youth, and their families in various capacities. He was introduced to Compass after finding himself drowning in a cesspool of subprime loans totaling over $25,000. He was stressed out, overextended, and going down for the third time, with interest rates in the triple digits. Completely overwhelmed, he prayed to the Lord for help.
There were no small group financial bible studies in Los Angeles in 2008. So, he decided to start his own, with the help of Crown Financial Ministries. It wasn’t long before he began to gain control over his finances—come up for air, and learn to swim, rather than allow his finances to continue to drown him.
The process of paying off most of his debt took about two years. It was painful, uncomfortable, and more than a little embarrassing. However, once most of the debt was paid off, he began to gain confidence and peace. Eventually, he settled his student loan. Then, as he consistently followed the principles of the financial bible study, the most miraculous thing happened—for the first time in a long time, he had money left over at the end of the month!
In 2012, he needed a refresher financial bible study and reencountered the same challenge. Unfortunately, there were no existing studies in Los Angeles. He discovered this situation was prevalent in many American urban areas where it is most desperately needed.
In 2021, he was thrilled to learn that Compass Finances God’s Way had birthed Compass Urban and taken up the charge to create opportunities for urban areas to receive the same benefits he gained from the financial bible studies. Michael recently completed his master’s degree in Christian Leadership from SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary. His capstone project focused on a case study of financial discipleship in urban areas. The study examined consistent themes found in the lives of participants of financial bible studies held in urban areas through Compass Urban.
Michael is an advocate of Compass Urban’s mission to bring financial bible studies to cities across America and overseas. Thanks to applying the principles learned through the financial bible study, his monthly income has tripled. In addition, his credit score increased by more than 100 points, and his tithing and giving have expanded more than ever before. Michael is proud to be on track towards experiencing true financial freedom and feels privileged to be in the company of like-minded Christians within the Compass Urban family.
Melody Stampley
Melody Stampley is a gifted writer, editor, and financial coach. At a relatively young age, she discovered her God-given purpose: Encouraging others to learn and share how to handle money. God clearly orchestrated life events and people toward this purpose, placing her on a fast track to impact financial discipleship.
She discovered Compass through online research about financial coaching. In February 2020, Melody completed the Ramsey Financial Coach Master Training. Her first Compass study was Set Your House in Order (April 2020) with Doris Gumino (facilitator), who encouraged her to facilitate one of the week’s studies and consider facilitating a study in the future.
As a MoneyWise coach prerequisite, she took the Navigating Your Finances God’s Way (NYFGW) study with Brian Sigmon (facilitator) in June 2020, who also encouraged her to facilitate a study in the future. She then completed the MoneyWise (Connect Financial Ministries) coach training and started her LLC, Centsible Finance, offering personal, one-on-one financial coaching and writing a free newsletter, Making Cents.
In Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, Melody facilitated her first NYFGW studies with JoAnne Mbonigaba. Also in the Spring, Melody facilitated Financial Peace University with one of the ministers at her church and has faithfully pursued ways to bring BYFGW to the church ever since. She will be facilitating a BYFGW study with church members and friends this fall.
An invitation by Jim Whorton (Executive Director, Compass Florida) to attend the 2021 Compass Spring Team Meeting in Cordele, GA, revealed her natural and spiritual gifts, including her work as an editor for a private publishing company.
Melody began writing part-time for Compass in Summer 2021, now serving as an editor for Compass content, such as the Compass Blog with Howard Dayton (Compass Founder), Gwenda Jayawardhana (Compass Australia), Brandon Sieben (Compass CEO), and guest contributors, as well as a servant leader facilitator trainer for the BYFGW studies. She also joined the Compass Florida Board of Directors in December 2021.
Since completing graduate school in 2017 with a Master of Science in Mass Communication, Melody has served in copywriter, editor, corporate communication specialist, and managing editor roles. Her most recent assignment involved editing for a private financial publisher (The Agora) that sells investment ideas through e-newsletter subscriptions to the Main Street investor.
Melody met Nate Stampley in 2008, and they became best friends. That friendship turned to dating in September 2021 when she realized Nate met the five criteria she was looking for in a husband. They were engaged a year later. Now newlyweds, they live in Coconut Creek, Florida, and attend Abundant Life Church. In her free time, she attends church events and plays softball and kickball in recreational adult leagues.
We are excited about the opportunities that God will orchestrate for Melody in both the marketplace and ministry and are blessed to have her as part of Team Compass.