About the Ministry
Built by someone who has stood the watch.
Rising Lions First Responder Ministry grew out of years spent in chaplaincy and peer counseling with first responders and their families — and the conviction that no one should carry the weight of this calling without support.
Our Story
A ministry born on the front lines, not in a boardroom.
Rising Lions began with a simple observation: the people who run toward emergencies rarely have anywhere to run when the weight of the job catches up with them. Years of chaplaincy work and peer support with fire, EMS, law enforcement, corrections, and dispatch professionals revealed the same pattern again and again — strong people, quietly struggling, with few places built specifically for them.
This ministry exists to close that gap. Not with generic self-care advice, but with faith-grounded, practically-minded support from people who understand shift work, critical incidents, and the particular kind of exhaustion that comes from being strong for a living.
Norm Potter — Founder & Chaplain
Meet the Founder
A chaplain who has walked the halls, not just studied them.
Norm Potter served as a firefighter for over 20 years before founding Rising Lions, and presently serves as an Emergency Services Chaplain — walking alongside fire, EMS, law enforcement, corrections, and dispatch professionals through years of chaplaincy and peer counseling. Beyond the fire service, Norm has spent more than 30 years in various ministry and community service roles, a foundation that shapes the heart behind Rising Lions today. That firsthand experience revealed how rarely those who run toward emergencies have anywhere to run themselves.
That conviction, paired with a lifelong calling to ministry and leadership, shapes every program Rising Lions offers: faith-grounded, practically-minded, and built by someone who understands the weight of the badge, the radio, and the shift that never quite ends.
Jo Fernandez
Chaplain & Founding DirectorJo is a Chaplain, Support Firefighter and a Founding Director for Rising Lions. Jo’s entire life has been dedicated to ministry, serving others and, now, first responders — a calling that has spanned more than 30 years both internationally and domestically.
Douglas Fanning
Lieutenant, Lewisville Fire Department & Founding DirectorDoug has an extensive background in both law enforcement and fire/rescue. He presently serves as a Lieutenant in the Lewisville Fire Department. Christian ministry has been both a passion and vocation for Doug, spanning more than 30 years. He brings his ministry and first responder experience to Rising Lions as a Founding Director.
What We Believe
Three convictions guide everything we do.
Faith is not a footnote.
Scripture and prayer are woven through everything we offer — not as an add-on, but as the foundation of real, lasting resilience.
Strength admits it needs help.
Asking for support is not weakness — it is what allows first responders to keep showing up for others, shift after shift, year after year.
Support has to be specific.
First responder culture is unique. Our resources and care are shaped by people who understand shift work, critical incidents, and department life.
“The righteous are as bold as a lion.”Proverbs 28:1
Bring Rising Lions to Your Department