leadership style

There are no more controversial issues in our culture right now than the issue of sex and identity. We’re having those conversations at Real Life Church in our series Sex&Theology. And last month on the podcast, we got to hear Becket Cook’s experience (you can take a listen to his episode here)

This month, you’re in for another insightful episode. Sam Allberry is a pastor, speaker, and author of several books, including Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With? We get to sit down and work through talk through the theology behind the Christian sexual ethic and how to approach these conversations in real time with friends, family, and loved ones. I know you’ll get a lot out of this episode.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode. And you can access a free leadership resource here at belaysolutions.com/rusty. Or you can text RUSTY to 55123 to claim this exclusive offer.

Highlights

Sam’s Calling - 2:56

• About Sam Allberry
• The story behind “Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With?”

Wrestling with the Christian Sexual Ethic  - 13:17

• How the Christian sexual ethic has been viewed through history.
• Understanding God’s purpose for sex

What does this look like in real life? - 24:56

• How can the church love the LGBTQ+ community better?
• How to have conversations with your kids about their gender and sexual identity.
• Sam shares his personal experiences.

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With? By Sam Allberry
• Sex&Theology Resources

When you think of organizational research, the names that most readily come to mind are Gallup, Pew, and Barna Group. We've gotten to hear from Savannah Kimberlin as we talked through what a post-COVID world would look like (you can listen to the episode here). And it’s an honor to have David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group on the podcast this week. David helps shed light on what the data says about the future of the Church and shares his perspective on some of the trends we’re seeing in churches today. David was also gracious enough to share his personal experience navigating major life transitions and overcoming difficulties along the way.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode. And you can access a free leadership resource here at belaysolutions.com/rusty. Or you can text RUSTY to 55123 to claim this exclusive offer.

About David and Barna Group- 02:41

• David’s early days
• Being a public pastor as CEO of Barna
• About about Barna Group

The Future of the Church - 10:05

• Questions we should ask ourselves when we look at the data.
• Confronting our own assumptions about Christianity
• David breaks down church trends.

Transition, Grief, and Loss - 49:58

• The power of suffering.
• Learning from those who’ve suffered greatly.

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Barna Group’s Website
• 2 Corinthians 1:3

Information overload in this day and age is a real thing. And there is no silver bullet to make all the information make sense for how we lead. So how do we sort through it all? Who better to join me for this episode than leadership consultant and content curator Brad Lomenick? Brad shares his tips for getting the most out of the wealth of content available and shares some of his favorite podcast recommendations. We also talk about how leaders can leverage their influence for a more intentional impact on the people they lead. I enjoyed my time with Brad and I know you’ll enjoy hearing his insights.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode! I partnered with BELAY to bring church leaders a free resource that I think will really make a difference. You can access the resource here at belaysolutions.com/rusty.

Resources

• Connect with Brad
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
• The H3 Leadership Podcast
• H3 Leadership by Brad Lomenick (book)

Leading Simple has had some incredible guests this February. If you've got 15 minutes and want to hear some of the highlights from each episode, this is for you. If as you're listening something jumps out at you and you want to dig a little deeper, you can find the full episodes from this month here:

• Episode 239: Becket Cook makes identity simple.
• Episode 240: Ben Connelly tells us to stop asking for forgiveness.
• Episode 241: Gary McIntosh makes solo pastoring simple
• Episode 242: Brian Carpenter cures burnout through fly fishing.

Special thanks to our sponsor, BELAY!

If you're a church leader trying to do it all, you don't have to anymore. BELAY’s modern church staffing solutions have been helping busy church leaders delegate important the details for over a decade. And just for the incredible people who listen to Leading Simple, we partnered with BELAY to bring you a church leadership toolkit with some of the most essential resources to support you in your role. You can download the resource here.

If there’s one thing I’m passionate about, it’s supporting leaders. And Brian Carpenter shares that same passion. That’s why he started the Refuge Foundation and why we love sending groups to the incredible experiences that they create. The Refuge Foundation sets up experiences where leaders can not only grow but recover from the pains of leadership. Burnout is more prevalent in ministry and the statistics are stunning. 

Now, we’ve talked with one of the board members of the Refuge Foundation about how to avoid burnout (you can listen to my conversation with Lance Witt here). And it was great getting another perspective on how to prevent it. Brian and I sit down and dig into his heart behind the foundation, his experiences in ministry, and how fly fishing with friends can be one of the most restoring things you can do.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode! You can learn more about how they support pastors and leaders at belaysolutions.com/rusty.

Resources (links to books mentioned, websites, etc)

• You can reach Brian at brian@refugefoundation.org
• Refuge Website

Being a solo pastor is no walk in the park. Gary Mcintosh knows that firsthand and wants to help you manage the burdens of solo pastoring. That’s why he wrote, The Solo Pastor: Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges of Leading a Church Alone.

It was great getting to trade stories with Gary about our time as solo pastors, but it was even better to hear his heart behind the book and how he’s working to help resource pastors. This episode is not just for the pastor or church leader but also the small business owner or anyone doing solo life.

If you’re running solo and looking for an extra hand, check out BELAY Solutions.  BELAY is a great resource to consider if you're looking for virtual assistant services, bookkeeping, or social media management. Special thanks to BELAY for sponsoring this week’s episode!

Resources

• Connect with Gary:
  • @drgmcintosh on Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
• Churchgrowthnetwork.com
• The Solo Pastor: Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges of Leading a Church Alone by Gary L. McIntosh
  • Amazon
  • Baker Book House

“Should we keep asking for forgiveness? Rusty, what are you talking about? Isn’t that a commandment?”

Well, to answer that question, I sat down with Ben Connelly and it was incredible getting his perspective on it. We talked about his new book Reading the Bible, Missing the Gospel and dug into some of the ways that we may make scripture a lot more about us than we do about the God we’re reading about. 

If you’ve ever wondered about this question, I definitely encourage you to listen to our conversation and share this episode with somebody else as well.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week!

Highlights

About Ben Connelly - 3:03

• Early life in Texas
• How going into ministry saved Ben.

Reading the Bible, Missing the Gospel  - 6:31

• The process of writing this book and the inspiration behind it
• Reading scripture for what we want rather than what God is saying through it.

Viewing scripture through a different lens - 17:18

• Three lenses to view scripture through.
• What does Ben actually mean when he tell us to stop asking for forgiveness?

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Connect with Ben
  • Website
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
• The Equipping Group
• Reading the Bible, Missing the Gospel by Ben Connelly
• 1 John 1:9

I got to have an honest conversation with Becket Cook. Becket is a speaker and author who travels around to share his story of redemption and tackle the topic of homosexuality. I’ve gotten to know Becket over the years. Recently, he came to Real Life Church to speak. I knew that I had to have him share his experience with you as well.

Becket is open about his journey through being same-sex attracted and his encounter with God that set him on a new path. And I know there may be some of you who have family members and friends... maybe it's you who is trying to figure out what the truth is around identity and sexuality and where God stands on it. I think you're gonna be blessed by what Becket has to say, so listen to our conversation and feel free to share it with someone you know.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode!

Highlights

Becket’s Beginnings - 3:44

• Growing up in Texas
• Wrestling with his identity and sexual orientation

Becket’s Encounter with Jesus - 14:58

• Wrestling with the meaning of life
• A chance encounter in a coffee shop
• What Becket's encounter with God meant for his new life.

Walking Towards a New Identity - 31:10

• Processing through the questions people may have around homosexuality.
• Balancing grace and truth.

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Becket Cook’s Website
• A Change of Affection: A Gay Man’s Incredible Story of Redemption by Becket Cook
• The Becket Cook Show on Youtube
• Connect with Becket
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

We've got something new! We are taking the best moments from our guests on the podcast and putting them together in case you missed them! This month we have some great tidbits from Brian Dodd, Kyle Costello, Sean McDowell and Justin Knowles. Enjoy the best of Leading Simple for January 2023.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode!

If you've ever wondered what the deal is with kids today, then you aren’t alone. I’ve had parents ask me questions like, "How come they are so sensitive? Why are they so lacking in motivation? Why do they struggle so much with relationships"? Well, it just so happens they are dealing with anxiety and mental illness that we have never experienced in our lifetime.

I’m a dad, and I know that the teen years can be particularly rough on us as parents and on our kids. That’s why I’m glad Justin Knowles came on the podcast this week. Justin Knowles is a pastor who works in student ministry and elementary-age ministry at a very large church in Southern California. Whether you’re a parent, a youth pastor, or just someone who spends time around kids and youth, Justin’s insights will shed light on what’s happening, and how you can support the young people in your life. And I’d love to hear from you: What was the most helpful thing you learned after listening? Let me know in the comments below!

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode!

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Youth Ministry Hacks Podcast
• Justin’s blog on Download Youth Ministry (DYM)
• Sandals Church
• Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
• Saving the Saved by Dr. Bryan Loritts
• High Impact Teams by Lance Witt
• Springtide Research - the blog
• Connect with Justin
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

I got to have a fantastic conversation with Dr. Sean McDowell. Sean is an educator and speaker, the son of evangelist Josh McDowell, and he is passionate about helping people view all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. Sean shared so many great insights about some major questions the world is asking when it comes to why faith matters.

If you've ever wondered how to articulate your faith or answer the questions your kids are asking about the beliefs you've always had but now they don't. Or, if you've ever wondered what Iron Man has to do with Jesus, then trust me. This episode is for you. I'd love to hear your thoughts on our conversation. You can join in and leave a comment here: https://pastorrustygeorge.com/kLBsy

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week's episode!

It’s good to have Kyle Costello on the podcast this week. He’s a pastor, speaker, and church planter. Kyle grew up in the Mormon church as a sixth-generation Mormon, so he’s well-equipped to answer these questions and more. Kyle and I sit down to talk about his journey to faith and the upcoming church plant Kyle is building. It’s an incredible conversation, and I think you’re gonna learn a lot from Kyle. I know I did.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week's episode!

Resources

Kyle Costello's Instagram

My next guest needs no introduction. It’s always a great time when Brian Dodd is on the podcast. Brian’s got a knack for pulling leadership lessons from sports, which is one of the reasons we get along so well. You can hear some of his past episodes here, and here. And this time around was no exception. It was incredible hearing his insights from the football playoffs, the incredible team coaches, and Dolly Parton?

Well, you’ll just have to listen to the episode for that last one.

Special thanks to BELAY Solutions for sponsoring this week’s episode!

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Brian Dodd’s Website
• Gridiron Genius by Michael Lombardi
• The Cubs Way by Tom Verducci
• The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh
• Legacy by James Kerr
• How to Beat a Broken Game: The Rise of the Dodgers in a League on the Brink by Pedro Moura
• Brian Dodd’s Blog Post on Dolly Parton
• 2021: The Year in Leadership by Brian Dodd

Christmas movies are great, and of course, I have my favorites. If you missed last week’s podcast episode with Dan Angel, we discussed what makes a Christmas movie legendary. But regardless of who you ask, there is one that seems to be on everyone’s top five list, and this Christmas at Real Life, we dove into the themes behind this movie and how they can change our outlook on life.

If you’ve had a rough year or question your purpose, please take the time to listen to this message. God has so much more for your life than the lies you’ve told yourself, and with Him, you can live a truly wonderful life.

My friend Dan Angel is back on the podcast again, and it’s an honor to have him. It made sense to have such a great film producer and writer back on the podcast and this time, we’re talking about some of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. Take a listen as Dan and I go through our favorite Christmas movies and dissect what makes a truly wonderful film for the season. It was a great time recording this episode, so I hope you have just as much fun listening to it. And be sure to share your favorite Christmas movies with me in the comments below. 

Happy holidays from me and the Leading Simple team!

Highlights

A little about Dan - 2:44

• His early life in Orange County
• How he started making movies
• What Dan and Daniel have in common

Fezziwig Studios - 10:13

• Pitching Rescued by Ruby
• Building Fezziwig Studios

The best Christmas movies of all time - 17:42

• Dan’s take on It’s a Wonderful Life
• Dan and Rusty share their top picks for Christmas movies.

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Fezziwig Studios website

Today’s episode is a real treat. I had the chance to talk with Cheryl Ladd. You may recognize that name from several movies & TV shows, including the 1970s hit Charlie’s Angels. We sat down to talk about how she navigated through Hollywood as a young actress and how she landed her iconic role in the show.

We also had the chance to dig a little deeper as Cheryl shared about her experience with a marriage ending, as well as how she found a better work-life balance and how she came full circle to faith. Cheryl’s story is incredible. Whether you’re a fan of Charlie’s Angels, an entertainer yourself, or someone who’s figuring out how to fight workaholism, I can say that there’s something for you in this episode. 

Highlights

How Cheryl Ladd got her Start – 2:08

• Early beginnings in South Dakota
• Her faith background
• From singing in a band to acting in Hollywood

Finding Balance – 16:22

• Cheryl lands Charlie’s Angels
• On the hamster wheel of success
• Finding her purpose

A New Direction – 31:50

• Defining herself post-Angels.
• Cheryl shares some of her favorite moments from Charlie’s Angels

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Cheryl Ladd’s website
• Charlie’s Angels

It's the season for giving! The Christmas season has always been a time to reflect on our own sense of generosity. Generosity is something that my guest, John Rinehart, knows a little something about. John Rinehart is an author who found in his early working days that there was more to life than working to accumulate as much as possible. He had seen God’s faithfulness in his own life and took a leap of faith thanks to his wife that would change the trajectory of his entire life.

John and I sit down to talk about the Gospel Patrons and what it looks like to develop the gift of giving in ourselves. John is a fantastic guy, and I think you'll enjoy our conversation. So listen in, and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Resources

• Episode Transcript
• Gospel Patrons (book) by John Rinehart
• Instagram: @GospelPatrons
• Facebook: @GospelPatrons
• Website: www.gospelpatrons.org

This week’s episode was a dream come true for me. I had the chance to talk with Crawford Loritts, a pastor and evangelist with an incredible legacy.  Crawford also happens to be the author of one of the best leadership books I’ve ever read (you can see some of my other leadership book recommendations here), and we get the chance to talk a bit about it as well. 

We talked through his experience leading Fellowship Bible Church for 15 years, processed the effects of deconstruction on the church, and how we can impact the culture around us as Christian leaders.  I know you're going to appreciate what he has to say, whether you're a church leader or a leader in a church.

Special thanks to Serve.HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!

Highlights

Simplicity and Clarity - 1:34

• Crawford Lorrits’ background
• Becoming a cheerleader for leaders.
• Why simplicity and clarity are the keys to great leadership.

Church & Culture - 13:09

• Current trends in the church
• Crawford shares points of pride and heartbreak in the church

Getting back to basics - 28:12

• Rusty and Crawford talk through deconstruction & polarization in this age.
• Leadership as Identity
• Are we portraits of Jesus?

Resources (links to books mentioned, websites, etc)

• Leadership as an Identity by Crawford Lorrits

Dr. Shannon Bass wears a lot of hats in both her personal life and even more so in the veterinary field after working in almost every role in a hospital. She now holds the position of Director of Talent Acquisition, Specialty, for VCA Animal Hospitals. Knowing firsthand the challenges we face in the veterinary profession, Dr. Bass highlights the importance of developing and supporting hospital leaders.

Oftentimes promotion to a leadership or management role in a hospital comes from within the existing staff. Suddenly you're expected to manage your peers, which can be intimidating and overwhelming, especially when you’re not provided the training, support, or resources you need. You are not alone and don’t rush to leave your position. There is information and support available if you just ask!

If you’re new to a leadership role, expecting a promotion, or even a hospital owner looking for ways to build up your leadership staff Dr. Bass and I go over some key skills and competencies that we think are really important for leaders but may not always come naturally.

• Effective communication
• Self/Emotional Regulation
• Vulnerability
• Time management
• Organization
• Decision making
• Understanding your risk aversion
• Developing Staff

Consider these skills, work on them, and seek resources but understand that you will not have them mastered overnight. Applying these skills in your leadership roles will take practice, repetition, and your own leadership style.

Dr. Bass encourages new leaders to take self-initiative and start preparing or “self-rescuing” right away. She recommends checking out Dr. Brené Brown’s book, Dare to Lead but you can also start by utilizing free resources by searching online, there is tons of information out there!

If you want to contact Dr. Shannon Bass you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

What’s Inside:

• How to develop and support hospital leaders.
• Common challenges for new leaders.
• Important skills and competencies for leaders.
• Veterinary leadership resources.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Shannon Bass - National Director of Specialty Recruiting - VCA Animal Hospitals
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. 

I had heard incredible things about Tiana Spencer as a pastor, speaker, and teacher. And I’ve got to say, I learned so much from her in our conversation. We got to talk about her love of teaching scripture and the encouragement she found to pursue it. She shared how she developed a desire for a more holistic faith. And I was moved to hear her talk about her passion for creating an emotionally healthy church. Maybe you’re wrestling with your calling or your identity. Or you’ve experienced some traumas that you’re working through. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, I think you’ll love hearing my conversation with Tiana.

Special thanks to Serve HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!

Highlights

About Tiana Spencer - 2:47

• Tiana’s start leading bible study at 14
• Finding a starting point if you’re new to scripture
• What Tiana’s reading that’s impacting her
• How Tiana and her husband navigate ministry together.

Connecting with God - 12:59

• Tiana shares how her family connects with God
• Finding anchors to stay connected with

How Tiana found a passion for emotional healing in the church - 17:56

• How Albert Tate encouraged Tiana to teach
• Her own emotional journey
• Processing trauma and emotional healing in the church
• Developing her passion for holistic faith

Resources

• Tiana’s website
• Tiana’s Instagram
• The Other Half of the Church by Jim Wilder and Michel Hendricks
• Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas
• Children of Abraham Sermon by Tiana Spencer
• Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
• There are several resources around the Enneagram including but not limited to:
  • Enneagram Today (an InterVarsity Press website)
  • The Enneagram Institute (a focused view of the Enneagram)
  • The Enneagram in Business (specific to business and leadership)