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