“Every job is a service,” says meteorologist James Spann

“People are often afraid to find their purpose because they think it doesn't make sense to the rest of the world,” says James Spann, chief meteorologist at ABC 33/40.So what? he added. “Everyone has different gifts and abilities. There is something within them that they are called to do in their lives. That is their purpose.”

“I was so lucky to find out at age 6,” added Spann, who also serves as children’s ministry director at Double Oak Community Church in Mount Laurel and board president of Grandview Hospital.

Roll up your sleeves

Spann is best known as a meteorologist who takes off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves when conditions become dangerous. Early in his career, he had to stand for hours under scorching hot studio lights when reporting on threatening weather.

Although today's LED lights are cooler, he continues the tradition. After a severe tornado in April 2011, he learned from social scientists that people associate body language, eye contact and the way a person is dressed with the seriousness of an issue.

“That's when the joke turned into something serious. Now I'm really aware of it. I take off my jacket and roll up my sleeves because people read something into it.

“If we can issue severe weather warnings in this way, then that's great. I'm all for it,” said Spann.

Overcoming the “biggest lie”

Spann noted that he was very selfish at a young age. He believed the “biggest lie you'll ever hear” – that he only cared about himself. Everything revolved around him.

It was only an encounter in an Arby's near the television station that brought God to him.

“I was late. I got to the drive-thru and the lady said, 'You don't owe me anything. God loves you.' And I cried. To this day, I don't know who did that.

“But that was it. I was so caught up in my problems that I forgot the meaning of my life. When you remember that we are here to help other people, you are blessed,” Spann said.

Some are easy to help, like the children he works with every week in children's ministry. It's something he enjoys doing, something he knows God created him to do.

There are others with whom he didn't have it quite so easy.

He discovered this through another passion of his. Spann's 19-year tenure as CEO of Baptist Medical Center Montclair, which moved and was eventually renamed Grandview Medical Center, was never something he planned, but he knows God led him there.

It started when he was asked to serve on the board for a few months. Since one of his responsibilities is to “prevent tornado deaths,” he decided to use the time to learn about trauma from the emergency medical technicians.

He also visited patients – all except those on the mental health ward.

“I didn't want to. … I think, shame on me. I'm in the hospital once a week, talking to people, listening.

“You know, this is ridiculous,” he said to himself, and then resolved to do the same for the behavioral unit.

“These patients are entitled to the same clinical outcomes as in the surgical intensive care unit, in any other unit and in any of our services,” Spann said.

He began to realize the importance of mental health.

“If you peel back a layer or two, you'll find it in every single family. And the families who say they don't have mental health problems are blatantly lying.

“I – my family – and you and everyone else. We just sweep it under the rug, like it's not something you can talk about or it's embarrassing or a weakness or whatever. They're sick and they need help. There shouldn't be this stigma, so I'm doing everything I can to help.”

Everyone’s role

Spann works from 4 a.m. to midnight, speaking to groups and visiting the hospital in between weather reports. He attributes his ability to keep up this pace to the joy his God-given passions bring him.

Spann has advice for those who haven’t found their passion yet.

“I think the first thing to do as a believer is to ask God, 'What am I supposed to do here? Show me what it is.' Make sure it's something you love to do — and it will be,” he said.

Spann is sometimes asked how many ministers there were at Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover when he was president of the deacons.

He replied, “About 3,500. How many are in your church?”

“Of course I meant those who turn up on Hunter Street every Sunday. Everyone is a minister. Everyone,” he noted. “They may not get paid for it, but that's what we all do.”

“Those we pay are just training us to be clergymen. … There are so many; every job is a clergyman.”