What if the version of Jesus you’re following isn’t the real one? What if it’s a safer, more comfortable, culturally-approved Jesus—one who fits neatly into your ambitions, your lifestyle, and your schedule... but doesn’t call you to the cross, doesn’t ask you to die to yourself? In today’s episode of The Five Gifts Podcast, we’re diving deep into what it means to follow the crucified Jesus—not a culturalized one. And it just might change the way you see discipleship, leadership, and your walk with God.

You’ll discover:

• The traits of the “culturalized Jesus” we often follow unknowingly

• What "cruciform" leadership really looks like

• How brokenness, not performance, marks spiritual maturity

This episode is for every leader hungry to recover authentic, cross-shaped discipleship—and walk in the gifts of Jesus with integrity and power.

Before we DO for God, we must learn to BE with God.

This isn’t just spiritual theory—it’s foundational to healthy discipleship. Hustle and busyness WILL NOT make us holy and productivity doesn’t produce intimacy. If we want our lives and leadership to overflow with power and purpose, we have to start at the source: Communion with Jesus. So whether you’re an apostolic leader casting vision, a prophetic leader inspiring passion, a pastor pouring out, a teacher building disciples, or an evangelist gathering hearts—this episode is your invitation to breathe deep, be still, and rediscover the sacred rhythm of abiding.

We explore four powerful shifts every leader must make to move from spiritual exhaustion to abiding transformation:

• Striving to Abiding

• Performing to Resting

• Pace to Presence

• Impressing to Intimacy

To grow, you have to value yourself. But what if your inner narrative is quietly sabotaging your potential?

In this episode of The Five Gifts Podcast, we unpack The Law of the Mirror—a powerful principle that connects self-worth with personal and spiritual growth. Rooted in both Scripture and leadership wisdom, this episode will help you break the cycle of self-doubt and step boldly into your God-given purpose.

You’ll learn:

Whether you’re a leader, a creative, or simply someone longing to grow—this episode will help you see yourself as someone worth investing in.

Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this encouraged you!

Where Do I Fit? The Fivefold and the Marketplace | The Five Gifts Podcast

Are you called to the marketplace but unsure how your work fits into God’s plan? In this episode of The Five Gifts Podcast, we explore how apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers aren't just for the church—they're active in business, education, government, and everyday life.

Discover the six marketplace callings—Corneliuses, Craftsmen, Governors, Treasure Bringers, Marketplace Redeemers, and City Builders—and how they align with the fivefold ministry gifts from Ephesians 4.

Whether you're a CEO, artist, teacher, investor, or barista, your work matters in the Kingdom of God. Learn how your spiritual gifts operate in the workplace and how to walk confidently in your marketplace calling.

Resources Mentioned:

Learn more about Robert Fraser’s work: https://oasishouse.com/products/marketplace-christianity-discovering-the-kingdom-purpose-of-the-marketplace

Join our community and discover your fivefold fit. www.fivegifts.org

Like this episode or our podcast if it inspired you

Share it with someone walking out their faith at work

Subscribe for more episodes on faith, fivefold ministry, and the marketplace

Visit our websites: charlesrussellministries.com, charlesrusselltraining.com, coachingcardia.com

What if your business wasn’t just about profit—but about purpose?

What if your 9-to-5 could be the frontline of revival?

In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into a powerful truth that’s reshaping how we see business: There is tremendous kingdom potential in the marketplace. From developing life skills and raising up leaders, to discipling character, creating community, and advancing the gospel in hard-to-reach places…

💼 Business, ordained by God, isn’t just an economic engine—it’s a Kingdom vehicle. It equips people, transforms culture, and releases spiritual power right where people spend most of their time: the marketplace.

We’ll talk about how:

Strategic thinking and sound management reflect God's design for order and productivity,

Real-world workplaces become spiritual oases and mission fields,

Generous business models that fund Kingdom ventures.

🔥 Imagine millions of believers operating at full spiritual potential in the marketplace. That’s not a fantasy—it’s God’s strategy for revival. So whether you’re an entrepreneur, an employee, a manager, or just wondering what your faith has to do with your job…

👉 Stay tuned—because this episode might just redefine your calling.

For too long, the church has celebrated those in formal church ministry while overlooking the divine calling of believers in the marketplace. So many passionate followers of Jesus have felt like spiritual failures for pursuing careers in business, education, or homemaking, believing they've chosen a lesser path. But what if the marketplace is not a detour from God's plan but central to it? What if your boardroom, classroom, or kitchen table is as much a sanctuary as any church building? In this episode, we explore the profound truth that God's presence isn't confined to the four walls of a church. We'll uncover how biblical figures like Abraham, Joseph, and Nehemiah served God powerfully outside traditional religious roles. We'll confront the crisis of value many marketplace Christians face and reveal how embracing your vocational calling can lead to a fuller expression of worship and purpose. Join us as we dismantle the false dichotomy between sacred and secular, affirm the significance of marketplace ministry, and inspire you to live out your passion for Jesus in every sphere of life. Your work matters. Your calling is holy. It's time to awaken to your role in God's grand narrative.

You can't grow if you don't know where you are. In this episode, we unpack what it means to be self-aware; showing how clarity about your strengths, passions, and purpose unlocks your kingdom potential. Stop living on autopilot. Learn how to achieve greater self-awareness and start becoming the best version of you.

Are you waiting for growth to just "happen"? In this episode, we dive into intentional, strategic leadership development and why success demands more than good intentions. Learn how to overcome the gaps holding you back and start growing on purpose—because your best leadership won’t appear by accident! It’s time to break through the barriers and reach your full-kingdom potential. Your journey starts now!

Lean in close. We’re giving away the secret to your local church’s next season of growth. In fact, this secret already resides in your church and is the key gift for genuinely growing Christ’s body, yet this gift lies dormant in many local churches. Today we’re talking about the Gift of the Evangelist,

Teaching in the church can evoke the images of VBS and flannel boards, Sunday School, or a mid-week verse-by-verse Bible Study. The truth is that nothing transformative and edifying in the lives of people happens without Jesus’ ascension gift of the teacher. Today we look at that essential gift that Jesus gave the Church in His ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit – the Gift of the Teacher.