Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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!

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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!

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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.

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!

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