Lee Sandwell is a native southwest Missourian, growing up on a dairy farm near Elkland and graduating from Fair Grove schools. After graduating from Missouri State University, Lee worked in the feed and farm supply business for 34 years. Lee served his home church in many roles, serving as a Sunday School teacher, church treasurer, Board chairman, and as a supply minister. He began doing supply ministry, serving churches in need of a pastor in 2023 and felt God was pulling him to do something different with his life. He accepted the position of Senior Pastor at Bolivar First Christian Church and began on April 1, 2026.

Lee’s ministry is grounded in lifelong church involvement, personal study, mentorship from pastors and a lived experience of walking alongside a congregation through both growth and failure. His calling is based on his personal experiences, his faith in both his family and the family of God, and a deep understanding of the challenges and blessings our churches face today. Lee and his wife Chris are blessed with four children and have moved to Bolivar to become a part of this church and the wider Bolivar community.