Our Leaders
Bishop Willie L. Monnet, Sr. is the founding pastor of Smoking for Jesus Ministry originally located in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the husband of the Elect Lady Minister Claudette Monnet, father of eight children, 27 grandchildren and spiritual father to many.
Born and raised in Jeanerette, La., on January 8, 1952, Bishop Monnet was a clever and strong-willed child, not afraid to try anything at least once. As Willie became a young man, his philosophy was, “get all the gusto out of life ‘cause once you’re dead, you’re done.”
In the summer of 1976, while getting high on “angel dust,” Willie felt the life in him slipping away. Miraculously, he began to hear a voice speaking from a picture of the Christ in the house. The voice beckoned, “You’ve tried everything else, now try me.” That night, at the age of 24 years old, he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to be His Savior. Bishop Willie Monnet has been serving the Lord faithfully ever since.
He began his call to minister to men in 1990 teaching Sunday school, Men’s Bible study, Wednesday Discipleship class, Intercessory prayer, prison ministry, in rehab centers, and in-house marriage seminars.
In 1996, God called Bishop Monnet to become the founder and shepherd of Smoking for Jesus Ministry. This unique name and theme is derived from Revelation 316 where Jesus states, "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth." Smoking For Jesus Ministry quickly proved to be “On fire for the Lord!” as Bishop Monnet and his growing congregation reached out to lost souls through various outreach auxiliaries including street witnessing, tent revivals, and events in the parks and housing projects.
For nearly 30 years, Bishop Willie L. Monnet, Sr. has been teaching and preaching the uncompromising Word of God, while discipling men and women of all ages and nationalities. He models the example of how to live life selflessly, how to trust God faithfully, and pursue Him relentlessly- in his own words, to “Know No Quit!”
Bishop Willie L. Monnet Sr has been doing the work of the Lord for over forty years. In addition to twenty five years of faithful dedication to preaching the gospel to the next generation.
28 Years of Ministry
We believe that men and women can be transformed into vessels of righteousnes through the power of God's word and by the power of The Holy Spirit.
Min. Claudette Monnet
Minister Claudette Monnet, came to know the Lord in 1986 and understood what it really meant to be saved and put her trust in the Lord in 1988. In 1989 met and married Bishop Willie L Monnet Sr.,
Through the divine intervention of God their marriage brought together two broken families separated through divorce and hard times. (Four girls by Minister Monnet and four boys by Pastor Monnet) Minister Monnet immediately began her ministry of mothering to hundreds of young people that never truly knew the nurturing love of God.
Minister Monnet mentors women on a daily basis and twice weekly she teaches the “A Woman God Can Use” bible study class to every woman who is willing to receive what God has for them through a spiritual mother and a spirit of nurturing to be able to feed others. While she oversees the dance ministry, House of Leah (home for single women), and Administrative staff, she also undergirds her husband in all of the ministry affairs. She not only teaches how a woman can be used by God but daily exemplifies it in her Christian walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.