What does it look like to lead as a shepherd?

In this episode of The Multiplication Factor, Scott Brown welcomes Holly Culhane, founder of Presence Point and a passionate advocate for Shepherd Leadership. Holly shares the deeply personal journey that transformed her understanding of leadership—from executive leadership and consulting to a calling centered on helping leaders provide, protect, and be present for those entrusted to their care.

Following a season marked by disappointment, loss, and questions about leadership in the Church, Holly was drawn into a profound study of Scripture's shepherding theme. What emerged was a life-changing conviction: biblical leadership is not merely about serving others—it is about sacrificially shepherding them.

Through compelling stories from ministry, education, and global leadership development, Holly reveals how God multiplies influence through leaders who embrace the example of the Good Shepherd.

In This Episode

• How adversity became the catalyst for a deeper understanding of biblical leadership
• Why shepherding is more than service—it includes sacrifice, presence, and care
• The leadership lessons found throughout Scripture's shepherding theme
• Inspiring examples of multiplication through Shepherd Leadership around the world
• How a group of students transformed the culture of their school by choosing to "leave no one alone"
• Why listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit remains the most important measure of leadership success

"The shepherd always leaves the ninety-nine and goes after the one."

This simple truth became a powerful lesson for students, ministry leaders, and organizations seeking to create cultures marked by care, belonging, and intentional leadership.

About Holly Culhane

Holly Culhane is the founder of Presence Point and co-developer of the Shepherd Leadership movement. Through training, coaching, and leadership development resources now used across multiple countries and languages, Holly equips leaders to model the provision, protection, and presence demonstrated by the Good Shepherd.

Listen and Share

If this conversation encourages you, share it with a fellow leader, ministry professional, pastor, educator, or anyone seeking to lead with greater faithfulness and Kingdom impact.

Subscribe to The Multiplication Factor for more conversations with Christian leaders whose lives demonstrate God's power to multiply influence, impact, and fruitfulness through faithful leadership.

What does it mean to multiply fruit in leadership?

For Dr. Julie Armstrong, it starts much deeper than productivity, influence, or organizational success. In this powerful conversation, she explains that lasting fruit begins with cultivating the fruit of the Spirit personally before attempting to lead others well.

Throughout the episode, Julie reflects on leadership as “a long obedience in the same direction,” emphasizing daily Scripture intake, practicing gratitude, humility, and dependence on both God and others.

She shares practical ways her teams intentionally cultivate healthy culture — including beginning every meeting with “good news from work and home” — and explains why joy must not be overlooked in Christian leadership.

The conversation also explores how loving people well creates unexpected ministry opportunities, even in secular workplaces, and how biblical leadership principles can transform organizational culture without compromising excellence.

One of the most moving moments comes when Julie describes hearing stories from listeners around the world engaging with Moody content — including prisoners serving life sentences, struggling single mothers, and individuals in nations hostile to the gospel.

As the episode closes, Julie offers a compelling challenge for the future of Christian leadership: pursue unity. In a divided world, she believes leaders must intentionally reflect the unity of the triune God through Spirit-led leadership and Christ-centered relationships.

GUEST BIO

Dr. Julie Armstrong served as Director of Operations for Moody Global Media. In her role, she oversaw organizational operations, culture, systems, leadership execution, and strategic implementation across the ministry. Julie is passionate about cultivating healthy leadership cultures grounded in biblical principles and the fruit of the Spirit.

KEY QUOTES

“Before we can multiply fruit in others, we have to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in ourselves.”

“The famous long obedience in the same direction.”

“There’s always something to be thankful for because God is always good.”

“The more I know, the more I know I don’t know.”

“There’s only one example of a sole leader leading God’s people — and that’s Jesus Christ.”

“The gospel is for everyone.”

“That one person risking their life to hear the gospel inspires me just as much as the millions.”

“We should not settle for anything less than unity.”

TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to the podcast and sponsorship

02:10 Julie Armstrong’s role at Moody Global Media

05:12 Defining the “fruit” of leadership

08:40 Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit

13:05 Practicing gratitude in leadership culture

16:20 Humility, repentance, and reconciliation

19:10 Shared leadership and dependency

23:45 Loving people well in leadership

29:15 Building joyful, flourishing teams

34:20 Global impact stories from Moody Global Media

40:10 Unity as the future challenge for Christian leaders

44:30 Final encouragement for leaders

RESOURCES & LINKS

• ⁠Christian Leadership Alliance⁠
• ⁠FaithSearch Partners⁠
• ⁠Moody Global Media⁠

🔊 Episode Summary

David Robbins, President of CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ), shares how God shaped his leadership through weakness, dependence, and deep intimacy with Christ. In this powerful conversation, he reveals why lasting fruit doesn’t come from strength—but from surrender—and how that truth is shaping a global vision for evangelism, discipleship, and leadership multiplication.

🔑 What You’ll Learn

• Why weakness is a leadership advantage
• How dependence on God produces fruit that remains
• The role of stillness, journaling, and community in leadership health
• How to lead authentically without posturing in new roles
• A global vision for raising next-generation leaders
• Why being a lover of God is the foundation of everything

⏱️ Key Moments

• 00:00 – Introduction & podcast overview
• 01:15 – David Robbins’ role and mission at CRU
• 02:30 – Life-changing moment: grief, family, and surrender
• 04:30 – “Weakness is an advantage” (2 Corinthians 12)
• 06:00 – Leadership rhythms: community, counseling, stillness
• 08:00 – Journaling & “zero-entry mornings”
• 10:00 – Leading without posturing
• 12:00 – Vision: first love, evangelism, and discipleship
• 14:00 – Building leaders for 2050 and beyond
• 17:00 – Personal leadership priorities
• 18:30 – Final encouragement: be a lover of God

✨ Key Quote

“If dependence is the goal, then weakness is actually an advantage.”

🙏 Why This Matters

In a culture driven by performance, this episode reframes leadership through a biblical lens—showing that God multiplies impact through surrendered lives, not self-sufficient leaders.

Christian leadership, David Robbins CRU, Campus Crusade for Christ, leadership development, spiritual growth, evangelism and discipleship, Christian podcast, faith-based leadership, biblical leadership principles, multiplication in ministry

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🔑 What You’ll Learn⏱️ Key Moments✨ Key Quote🙏 Why This Matters🔍 SEO Keywords📣 Call to Action

In this episode of the Christian Leadership Alliance Leader-to-Leader Podcast, Dr. Arthur Satterwhite, Vice President of Strategy at Young Life, shares how God multiplies fruit through intentional leadership. Drawing from his personal faith journey and his work with more than 3 million adolescents globally, Arthur explains how relational investment, spiritual preparation, and courageous stewardship shape lasting impact.

He introduces his practical framework for multiplication—Preparation, Partnership, Performance, and Platforming—and unpacks how each principle reflects the model of Jesus. Arthur also discusses how Young Life, founded by Jim Rayburn, is pursuing not just growth, but healthy growth in a rapidly changing culture.

This episode is a powerful encouragement for Christian leaders who want to move beyond addition to true multiplication—bearing fruit that is both good and lasting.

Timestamped Highlights

00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Arthur Satterwhite and his role at Young Life
03:10 – A millennial’s journey to personal faith and identity in Christ
07:45 – Biblical foundations of multiplication: planting, watering, and trusting God for growth
12:30 – The Four Ps of Multiplication framework introduced
13:10 – P #1: Preparation (spiritual disciplines and readiness)
17:20 – P #2: Partnership (why collaboration multiplies impact)
21:05 – P #3: Performance (servant leadership still delivers results)
25:40 – P #4: Platforming (giving away influence to grow others)
30:15 – Growing through health, not just numbers
34:00 – Creating “good soil” for lasting fruit

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Young Life

• Explore executive search services from FaithSearch Partners

• Visit the Christian Leadership Alliance

  
  

Connect with us

• 🎧 Listen to the full episode and discover how you can apply the Four Ps in your leadership today.

• ⭐ Subscribe to the Leader-to-Leader Podcast so you never miss an episode of The Multiplication Factor series.

• 🔁 Share this episode with a fellow Christian leader who is investing in the next generation.

• 🌱 Reflect this week: Where is God inviting you to prepare, partner, perform, or platform for greater multiplication?

In this episode of The Multiplication Factor, Stewart Severino—Head of Innovation at The Navigators—shares his personal journey to faith and how God uniquely prepared him for a calling at the intersection of discipleship, innovation, and ministry leadership.

Drawing from 25 years in marketplace innovation and his own late conversion to Christ, Stewart reflects on spiritual formation, legacy, trust-building in legacy ministries, and what true multiplication looks like when it’s rooted in stewardship rather than scale. This conversation offers deep encouragement for leaders navigating change, calling them to hold their roles loosely and steward God’s work faithfully for generations to come.

Highlights & Timestamps00:00 – Introduction to The Multiplication Factor and Stewart Severino 
01:15 – Stewart’s role as Head of Innovation at The Navigators
03:10 – The Four Soils and how God prepares hearts long before faith 
05:30 – Coming to Christ at 35 and the impact of intentional discipleship
09:00 – Spiritual rhythms, obedience, and formation beyond conversion 
12:20 – Redemption, family legacy, and modeling faith at home
15:40 – Marketplace experience and how it shaped ministry innovation 
19:30 – Translating venture-backed innovation into Kingdom impact
23:00 – Why trust is essential for innovation in legacy ministries 
26:40 – Building change through relationships, patience, and presence 
30:10 – Multiplication as sustainability, not duplication
33:40 – Digital tools as amplifiers—not replacements—of discipleship 
36:50 – Letting go of outcomes and trusting God with future generations 
39:20 – Encouragement for leaders: steward faithfully, hold it loosely 
41:10 – Final reflection: leadership as invitation, not ownership

In this Leader to Leader episode of The Multiplication Factor, Scott Brown sits down with Albert Reyes, President & CEO of Buckner International, a 146-year-old global ministry serving vulnerable children, families, and seniors.

Reyes shares how spiritual formation at home, a life of service, and intentional investment in people have shaped his leadership—and how culture, not strategy alone, fuels lasting multiplication.

1. A Legacy Rooted in Scripture (01:03–02:18)

• Buckner International was founded after the Civil War to serve orphans and widows

• Anchored in James 1:27 as a guiding vision for compassionate service

• Reyes serves as the sixth president in nearly a century and a half of ministry

2. Spiritual Formation Begins at Home (02:18–03:31)

• Faith was modeled daily by his parents—not outsourced to the church

• Scripture reading, discipleship, and service were woven into family life

• Leadership fruit flows from early, faithful investment

3. Serving Others as a Way of Life (03:31–04:34)

• Lessons from poverty shaped a lifelong commitment to humility and service

• Education and opportunity are meant to be stewarded for others

• Jesus’ model of servant leadership becomes the pattern

4. Feeding on Scripture Daily (04:34–06:14)

• A slower, more reflective approach to Bible reading and journaling

• Scripture as daily nourishment—“never miss a meal”

• Ongoing learning through sermons, podcasts, and trusted teachers

5. Multiplication Through Modeling (06:14–07:33)

• Values are more “caught than taught”

• Incarnational leadership—letting others observe faith in action

• Investment happens through proximity and example

6. People Before Programs (07:33–08:52)

• Staff treated as the organization’s “number one customer”

• Leading with care, prayer, and personal connection

• Healthy internal culture multiplies external impact

7. Culture Is the CEO’s Calling (08:52–09:19)

• The CEO as chief cultural architect

• Culture sustains vision when strategy alone cannot

• Christlike character fuels long-term growth

8. Honoring Past Leaders & Embracing the Future (09:19–10:45)

• Grace for previous leaders and their contexts

• Leadership transitions require patience and perspective

• Eighteen years of steady groundwork now bearing fruit

9. A Bold Vision for Growth (10:45–12:14)

• Board-approved expansion plans for retirement communities and family services

• Disruptive questions opened doors to national growth beyond Texas

• A season of execution, expansion, and renewed mission impact

Albert Reyes is President & CEO of Buckner International, leading one of the oldest and most respected faith-based human service organizations in the U.S. and abroad. His leadership is shaped by Scripture, service, and a deep commitment to multiplying leaders and mission impact.

Leader to Leader is a Christian Leadership Alliance podcast series highlighting transformational leaders and the ways God multiplies fruit through faithful leadership.

Follow and subscribe to the Leader to Leader Podcast on CLATV in the Godcaster.fm app or wherever you listen.

🔗 Learn more about the sponsor: faithsearchpartners.com

“Culture eats strategy for lunch—but Christlike character multiplies fruit for a lifetime.”

Key Themes & TakeawaysAbout the GuestAbout the Podcast

In this episode of the Leader to Leader Podcast, Dr. Justin Irving, Professor of Leadership at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, shares insights from more than 25 years of investing in and developing ministry leaders. He reflects on the mentors who shaped his own journey, the spiritual disciplines that sustain him, and the vital importance of community and friendship in leadership. Dr. Irving reminds us that thriving leaders never go it alone—and that effective leadership begins with pouring into others.

About ECFA:
We thank ECFA for sponsoring the Leader to Leader Podcast. Trust is the cornerstone of impactful ministry, and for over four decades ECFA has held ministries to biblical standards of financial accountability and governance. Today, more than 2,700 organizations display the ECFA seal, demonstrating their commitment to faithful stewardship. Learn more about ECFA and its new Standard for Leader Care at ECFA.org.

Key Takeaways:
• Leadership thrives in community—don’t go it alone.
• Mentoring others is at the heart of effective leadership.
• Daily engagement in Scripture, prayer, and worship sustains the soul of a leader.
• Every task—no matter how small—can be an act of worship.
• Biblical models like Barnabas remind us that encouragement multiplies impact.

Scripture References:
1 Timothy 4:15 – “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them.”
Psalm 90 – “Establish the work of our hands.”
Acts 4 & 11 – The example of Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement.

Memorable Quotes:
“Developing other leaders is the heartbeat of what effective leadership is about.”
“Leaders who go it alone tend to get isolated. Deep friendships are essential for thriving.”
“Even the mundane tasks of leadership can be doxological—acts of worship.”

Guest Bio:
Dr. Justin A. Irving serves as Professor of Leadership at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. His passion is to equip current and emerging leaders through teaching, mentoring, and writing that integrates biblical principles with practical leadership development.

Links & Resources:
Christian Leadership Alliance – ChristianLeadershipAlliance.org
ECFA – ECFA.org
Follow and subscribe to the Leader to Leader Podcast wherever you listen.

Margaret’s Story: From Survival to Thriving

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Margaret, who opens up about her powerful journey from simply surviving life’s challenges to stepping fully into a life of thriving.

Growing up in an unstable environment, Margaret carried many of those struggles into adulthood—impacting her career, relationships, and sense of self. But through intentional choices, faith, and supportive community, she discovered that breaking old cycles and creating a new path forward is possible.

🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How Margaret recognized unhealthy patterns and chose change.

• The role of faith and resilience in overcoming setbacks.

• Practical habits that fueled her transformation—journaling, setting boundaries, and rest.

• Why small daily practices can lead to lasting growth.

• The importance of surrounding yourself with people who encourage and uplift you.

  
  

✨ Key Quote

“I started to see challenges as opportunities to grow.” – Margaret

🕒 Episode Highlights

• 0:00 – Introduction & Margaret’s background

• 5:30 – Recognizing cycles of survival

• 12:15 – Faith as a foundation for resilience

• 18:40 – Small habits that bring big change

• 25:00 – Lessons for anyone seeking to thrive

In this episode of Journey to Thriving, Brian Taylor, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Cornerstone Management, shares his journey of integrating faith and investment management for over 30 years. Serving nearly 90 faith-based organizations, Brian reflects on his upbringing in a Christian home, his passion for missions and business, and how God reshaped his view of leadership.

He opens up about moving from control-driven leadership toward a surrendered, compassionate model that mirrors the Father’s heart. Through meditating on Scripture, engaging vulnerably in small groups, and cultivating prayer, Brian has discovered a thriving leadership rooted not in striving for God but in working with Him. His wisdom offers encouragement for leaders navigating loss, celebration, and the call to align with God’s larger story.

🔑 Episode Highlights

• Brian Taylor’s background and call to integrate faith with investment management.

• Cornerstone Management’s work serving ~90 ministries, including Samaritan’s Purse, Compassion International, Taylor University, and Columbia International University.

• His spiritual turning point—moving from “a form of godliness” to surrendering control and embracing God’s leadership model.

• Transformative disciplines: Scripture meditation, small-group vulnerability, and prayer.

• The importance of grieving losses and celebrating with others in leadership.

• Defining thriving as being fully engaged with the Lord’s work through us, living out God’s desired impact in His larger story.

In this moving episode, we sit down with Vonna — a woman whose story embodies the spirit of resilience, healing, and hope. From walking through deeply painful seasons to discovering renewed purpose, Vonna shares her powerful testimony of what it means to go from simply surviving… to truly thriving.

What You’ll Hear:

• 🌱 How Vonna found strength in the midst of loss and uncertainty

• 💡 The role faith and community played in her transformation

• 🔥 What it looks like to rebuild your identity after life falls apart

• 🙌 Encouragement for anyone feeling stuck, forgotten, or broken

Why It Matters:
Vonna’s journey reminds us that healing isn’t always linear — but with courage, support, and a faithful God, it is possible. Her vulnerability will inspire you to believe again, hope again, and take the next step toward your own thriving.