Dr. Bobby Hill Podcasts

Generosity isn't the problem—trust is. In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Bobby Hill sits down with David Goochee, founder of Redwood Stewardship, to pull back the curtain on the internal operations of the local church. From his roots being born on a Bible college campus to training Navy SEALs in high-stakes communication, David shares why many churches struggle to fund their vision.

We dive deep into the "boring" but vital systems—budgets, bylaws, and financial transparency—that actually fuel spiritual growth. If you’ve ever wondered why only 5% of your congregation is tithing or how to communicate financial needs without sounding "slimy," this conversation is for you. Learn how to stop leading from an Excel spreadsheet and start putting your money on mission.

Key Takeaways:
- Why "Systems" are the true backbone of discipleship.  
- The three biggest communication mistakes leaders make.  
- How to reduce thousands in processing fees with one simple announcement.  
- The "Stat, Story, Scripture, Stewardship" framework for offering talks.  

Being a leader in the church isn't just about a Sunday morning performance; it’s about the heavy, often unseen work of stewardship, mentorship, and emotional health. In this deep-dive conversation, Dr. Bobby Hill, Joseph Stallings III, and Krystle Talavera pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to "Learn to Lead."

From overcoming the "Identity Crisis" on the platform to navigating the "Brutal Truth" of burnout, this episode is a masterclass for any worship leader, pastor, or creative looking to lead with longevity and authentic presence.

In this video, we discuss:
✅ The difference between Performance vs. Presence
✅ Why your identity isn't tied to your platform
✅ How to build a healthy, sustainable ministry culture
✅ The power of stewardship over ownership

Watch until the end to hear the panel’s advice on finding a "Paul" (mentor) to help you survive and thrive in ministry.

If this conversation resonates with your journey, hit SUBSCRIBE and tell us in the comments: How do you keep your heart healthy while leading others?

#WorshipLeading #ChurchLeadership #MinistryBurnout #WorshipPastor #ChristianLeadership #SpiritualGrowth

How do you lead when no one is following? 🚶‍♂️💨

In this episode of the Learning to Lead podcast, I’m joined by Bob Freytag—a U.S. Navy veteran, organizational consultant, and co-author with Ken Blanchard. With over 50 years of combined experience in leadership and systems thinking, Bob breaks down the fundamental difference between being a leader and the act of leading.

We dive deep into:

⚓ The Submarine Lens: How 21 years in the Navy shaped a "system-thinking" approach to leadership.

🤝 Leadership as Partnership: Why "Results move at the speed of relationships, and relationships move at the speed of trust."

🔧 Helping vs. Fixing: The common mistake "fixer" leaders make and how to overcome it.

📈 Situational Leadership: Why treating everyone the same is actually a recipe for failure.

Whether you are a seasoned executive or an aspirational leader, this conversation will help you sharpen your "iron" and lead with purpose.

When facing adversity, it is often said that 80% of the outcome depends on how you respond, and only 20% is the problem itself. But how do you actually respond with joy when things go wrong?

In today’s episode, Dr. Bobby Hill concludes his series on the Book of James, diving deep into the famous instruction to "count it all joy when you fall into various trials." Using personal stories of rejection and family struggles, Dr. Hill explains that God’s purpose in our pain is not to destroy us, but to grow us.

In this message, you will learn:

• The True Meaning of "Knowing": The difference between knowing facts and spiritual discernment.
• The Purpose of Pain: How trials act like fire to refine faith and produce spiritual diamonds.
• Redefining Patience: Why the biblical word hupomoné means "steadfast endurance" and "refusing to quit," rather than just waiting passively.
• Real-Life Application: A powerful testimony of trusting God through job loss and financial uncertainty.

If you are going through a test today, remember: God is up to something greater.

📖 Scripture Reference: James 1:1–3

Welcome to Part 2 of our series on the Book of James: "Count it Joy." In this episode, Dr. Bobby Hill dives deep into James Chapter 1 to uncover the true meaning of biblical joy.

Life is filled with problems and adversities, but did you know that 80% of the outcome depends on how you respond, not the problem itself? Dr. Hill breaks down the original Greek definitions of "all" and "joy" to explain why happiness is circumstantial, but joy is a spiritual choice.

If you are facing "various trials" today, this message will equip you with the tools to choose whether you become bitter or better.

In this message, you will learn:

• The profound difference between "Happy Hour" happiness and biblical Joy.
• Why trials are a question of "when," not "if."
• How to give thanks in everything without having to be thankful for the bad things.

Can a Football Coach Change Lives Forever? Coach Lew Johnston on Discipline, Faith, and the Double Win

🔥 Hear the inspiring journey of Coach Lew Johnston, a championship-winning high school football coach who spent 43 years using the field as his ministry. Dr. Bobby Hill sits down with Coach Lew, a local legend better known as 'Coach Lou' in the Chesapeake community, to discuss more than just X's and O's.

Discover the tough love principles Coach Lew used to shape young men, not just into great players, but into great men of character. From demanding respect on the field (and making players run for unsportsmanlike conduct!) to seeing eight of his former athletes enter full-time ministry—his "coaching ministry" truly changed destinies.

What You'll Learn:
The "Double Win" Philosophy: How to succeed on the field and off, focusing on character, responsibility, and respect.

Culture Eats Vision for Breakfast: Why a leader must establish clear, non-negotiable expectations to transform a team, a business, or a family.

Faith in the Public Square: Coach Lew shares how he remained a strong Christian leader in a public school setting for 22 years without fear of pushing his faith—and why authenticity is the key.

Grief, Loss, and Perseverance: Hear a raw and intimate account of how his faith and community support carried him through the loss of his first wife to cancer.

The Power of Mentorship: Coach Lew shares his famous role models (Tom Landry, Joe Gibbs) and his passion for mentoring the next generation of leaders.

If you're looking for wisdom on leadership, the power of perseverance, or how to truly impact the next generation, this episode is a must-watch.

📖 Lew's Book & Connect:
Check out Lew's Book: "The Best is Still Yet to Come"

Mentor/Consulting Inquiries: Reach out to Coach Lew via email:  [email protected]

If you are facing a storm right now, this message is your lifeline. 🙏

In Count It Joy (Part 1), Dr. Bobby Hill reveals the radical truth from James 1:2 that changed his life: 80% of your problem is your RESPONSE to it!.

This isn't about ignoring pain; it's about shifting your mindset to ensure you get the testimony from your test.

In this powerful 21-minute teaching, discover:

The ACCOUNTANT’S Secret to Joy: Learn the Greek word for "count" and how to use it to mentally put ALL your trials in the ASSET column of your life ledger.

HEALED Before Surgery: Hear the unbelievable, personal story of Dr. Hill's wife, Kerri, who went in for gallstone removal, only for the doctor to find... NOTHING!. It proves God has it under control the whole time.

The Spurgeon Strategy: Why you must "kiss the wave that throws you against the Rock of ages".

The greatest rewards go to those with the faith to STICK IT OUT. Watch now, shift your perspective, and choose joy!

🤯 This family's journey through their daughter's cancer battle will leave you speechless! Jon and Ashley Carolino join me on "Learning to Lead" to share the raw, miraculous story of Autumn's fight against a massive tumor. From a terrifying diagnosis during COVID to life-saving surgeries and an unbelievable recovery, their faith was tested, but God's power prevailed! Prepare to be inspired by their honesty about fear, doubt, and the incredible support that carried them through. This isn't just a story of survival; it's a testament to unwavering belief, the impact of prayer, and a community that moved mountains. You NEED to hear this! 

As a pastor and teacher, I've had the privilege of sharing many messages rooted in Scripture, and in "Confident! A Christian Perspective pt4," I aimed to further deepen our understanding of what it means to truly live a confident life. I emphasized that our confidence isn't just about believing in ourselves, but fundamentally about believing in God's incredible abilities. He is, as Ephesians 3:20 reminds us, "able to accomplish infinitely more than we can ask or think." This includes having confidence in His boundless affection for us, knowing that "neither death nor life... nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." It's about recognizing His limitless abundance, trusting that "my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." And finally, it's about holding firm to His assurances, especially the promise in Philippians 1:6 that "he who began a good work in you is going to carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ."

Beyond having confidence in God Himself, I wanted to impress upon you the absolute necessity of being confident in God's Word. Just as rain and snow effectively water the earth to produce vegetation, God's Word, when it goes out, "will accomplish what I intend for it to accomplish." We often find ourselves believing the lies of the devil, our circumstances, or even the latest media report, rather than the unwavering truth of Scripture. But as Mary affirmed in Luke 1, "nothing is impossible with God," meaning "no spoken word from God is impossible." I shared a personal story from my early travels to Romania, where, facing arrest under a strict communist regime, the Holy Spirit reminded me of Isaiah 54:17: "No weapon formed against me will be successful." Clinging to that promise brought faith and ultimately led to my deliverance, demonstrating that we can truly take God's Word "to the bank."

The third dimension I passionately spoke about is confidence in prayer. It's easy to say we believe in prayer, but do we truly act with confidence when we pray? I reminded us that we have "promised access" to God's presence through the blood of Jesus, as Hebrews 10:19 declares: "we have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus." Furthermore, Hebrews 4:16 urges us to "approach the throne of grace with confidence" to receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need. I also highlighted "promised power" in prayer, referencing Mark 11:24, where Jesus says, "whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you've received it and it'll be yours." It's about knowing God hears us when we ask according to His will, and if He hears us, "we know that we have what we have asked for." I shared the testimony of how our church prayed against an eastern cult attempting to move into our small town, and God miraculously changed their plans—a powerful reminder that prayer works!

Finally, I spoke about confidence in ministry. Some might think ministry isn't for them, but every believer is called to be a minister. I pointed to the story of Peter and John in Acts 4, who, though uneducated, ministered with such confidence to the lame man at the temple, proclaiming, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" The religious leaders "noticed that these men... were uneducated, but they were confident." It was their unwavering confidence in what God could do through them that propelled them. I closed with the iconic story of David and Goliath. When the Philistine moved to attack, David didn't run away; he "ran quickly to the battle line toward the giant." He ran toward his problem with total confidence, knowing he was exactly where God wanted him to be, with a job to do. My question to you is: are you running to your problems with confidence, or away from them?

As a pastor and teacher, I've had the privilege of sharing many messages rooted in Scripture, but few are as crucial to our daily walk as the one I recently shared on confidence. In "Confident! A Christian Perspective pt3," I wanted to help you understand that confidence isn't just a fleeting feeling. It's a genuine "difference-maker" in your life, something you can see and feel in the way people carry themselves. I believe it's time we move past the world's definition of confidence and dive into what God's Word says. It's about an inward certainty that empowers us to be bold and unwavering, no matter what we face.

I've learned that true Christian confidence isn't the same as self-confidence. Self-confidence, as I often say, is based on our human effort—our training, our experience, our successes. Think of a professional golfer stepping up to the tee; they have confidence because they've practiced and honed their skill. That's a good thing, but it has its limits. The confidence I'm talking about is so much deeper. It's not based on your performance, your achievements, or your strength. Instead, it's rooted in something unshakeable, something that can’t be tossed aside: the promises of a God who never fails.

In my message, I went straight to Hebrews 10:35-36, which says, "So do not throw away your confidence." The writer's words are a powerful challenge to us. Why? Because that confidence "will be richly rewarded." When we hold on to our confidence in God, it builds our perseverance, helping us to stay in the race and not give up, even when the load feels heavy. David understood this when he wrote in Psalm 27, "Even though an army would surround me… my heart will not be afraid; even if I'm attacked, I will remain confident." That's the kind of faith I want you to have—the kind that moves you from passive to mighty, from mediocre to useful in God’s hands.

I want you to know that this confidence is a gift to you, available through Christ Jesus. It is a state of mind that is actually married to humility, which is a powerful and freeing concept. You can be confident without being cocky or conceited. By growing in your faith and trusting in an unfailing God, you can live a life full of purpose, a life that is bold and full of trust. My hope is that this message will empower you to embrace that God-given confidence and allow it to transform how you live, day by day.