Eric Geiger joins Rusty on the podcast to share his insights. Eric is the Senior Pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, California. He's also authored several books, including Simple Church (co-written with Thom Rainer). Rusty and Eric talk about what it was like for him to take over for Kenton Beshore, a pastoral legend, and how he led Mariners through the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, they discuss the research that prompted him to write Simple Church and the one thing Eric hopes to change about how the Church does discipleship.

"How do I start something and do something that gives my life tremendous significance?" Years ago, Scott Harrison asked himself that question. It led to him finding his purpose. He decided to start Charity: Water, a nonprofit with a mission to provide clean water to every person on the planet. Scott sits down with Rusty as they talk about the lessons he's learned while leading Charity: Water. He also shares three dos and don'ts when talking to high-capacity givers that will simplify the way you approach potential donors.

Pastor Brian Tome joins Rusty to talk about a question that so many pastors are wrestling with: "How do we connect men to the church?" Brian is a pastor out of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has a podcast called The Aggressive Life, he’s had a motorcycle show on Amazon Prime called Phantom Lake, he’s broken horses on stage. He has gone above and beyond to really connect with guys far from the church. Brian shares more about his passion for reaching men both in and out of the church and his insights on how to think outside of the box when it comes to doing ministry.

At one point or another, we've all asked ourselves how we can figure out God's will for our lives. If you've been wrestling with the question of how to follow God's will, whether that be in marriage, work, or any other facet of your life, then you'll want to hear Chris VandeLinde's insights on this episode of Leading Simple. Chris VandeLinde is a pastor out of St. Louis, Missouri, and leads Cornerstone Christian Church. Rusty and Chris sit down to talk about family and sports team loyalties. But more importantly, they talk about how to make finding God's will simple and what it looks like to trust in the Lord wholeheartedly when faced with major life decisions.

2021 has been a wild year. It left a lot of people with a lot of questions. "What does this mean for us? "Where's God in all of this?" "Where's the Church in all of this?" Mark Moore, a previous guest on the podcast, has written Core 52. In this book, Mark took the 52 core principles out of the bible that you need to know. Each one helps you to understand what the bible is about. Follow us on this journey over the next 52 weeks, starting in January 2022. We also want to take the time to thank everyone who has helped make Leading Simple happen from week to week. From my co-host, Brad Williams, to everyone working behind the scenes to Charisma for partnering with us. And last but not least... thank you all for listening, sharing, and supporting Leading Simple.

Merry Christmas from Rusty and the entire team at Leading Simple. Rusty joins you this week from the stage as he delivers Christmas Eve Service at Real Life Church.

Leading Simple is all about simplifying faith and inspiring leaders. But what does leadership look like when you’re leading through a crisis? This is a question so many of us have had to ask in the past year, including guest, Joel Thomas. Joel sat down with Rusty to chat about what it was like to be a part of Andy Stanley’s team during his time at Northpoint. Joel also shares his insights on leading a church through crisis, obedience when things are unclear, and why he ultimately returned to Northpoint.

We’ve spent time each month talking about mental health, and the holiday season is a critical time to do so. Every one of us has felt the impact of suicide in some capacity. Dr. Matthew Sleeth is our guest this week. Newsweek named him as one of the premier thinkers in America. And his new book, Hope Always: How to be a force for life in a culture of suicide, gives Christians a necessary look at how we can offer hope to those who are struggling. Take a listen as Rusty & Matthew discuss how he came to know Christ, warning signs we can look out for in our loved ones, and what the Church can do to better support those affected by suicide.

Today's episode is right on time. Rusty is joined by Michele Benedict. Michele is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 27 years of experience. She's helped people from all walks of life navigate their mental and relational health. She values the integration of faith into her practice as a Christian therapist, and you can hear that in our conversation. Listen as Michele and Rusty discuss setting healthy boundaries and prioritizing self-care. Michele also shares some simple tips to help take care of yourself during the busy holiday season.

If you’ve ever wanted to know just how to create bridges in a world where there seem to be so many cultural divides, then you won’t want to miss this episode of Leading Simple. Rusty sits down with Dr. Michelle Ami Reyes, an author, speaker, and activist passionate about the relationship between culture and faith. Take a listen as they chat about German folklore, being all things to all people, and her personal experiences as an Indian American woman.