The Christian Leader Made Simple Show

Exploring the importance of effective communication in marriage; practical tips and strategies for improving communication skills; active listening, conflict resolution, and healthy dialogue. Tune in to an insightful interview featuring Adam and Karissa King with Dear Young Married Couple as they delve into the intricacies of communication in marriage and leadership. Discover the vital role effect...

Join us for a tremendous conversation with Pastor Evan Grizzle, a successful leader and diligent scholar in leadership development within the church context and in the business environment. With his deep passion for service in the Kingdom of God, Evan serves as the Lead Pastor of the Apostolic Tabernacle in Wilmington, NC, alongside his wife and three kids. Drawing from his Master of Arts in Execu...

Join us for an inspiring and empowering interview with Dr. Brian Epperson, renowned expert in helping individuals believe in themselves. In this engaging conversation, we delve into practical strategies for overcoming self-doubt, beating impostor syndrome, and building unwavering self-belief. Dr. Epperson shares his valuable insights, drawing from his extensive experience in guiding people towards...

In this thought-provoking interview, join us as we delve into the fascinating world of ministry and leadership in the age of AI. Our guest, Steven Guttridge, offers his unique insights on the effects of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence on ministry and leadership. Drawing from his years of experience, Steven discusses the potential benefits and ethical considerations surrounding the integration...

Garen Stanley, a student pastor with over a decade of experience, shares his insights on building a successful student ministry leadership team. He explains how he got started in ministry years ago and what inspired him to become a student pastor. With 35 volunteer team members on his leadership team, Garen shares his approach to building a strong team, including the qualities he looks for in pote...

Raymond Woodward considers all pastors to be “interim pastors.” He goes on to explain just what that means and how important it is to prepare early for our successor in leadership. In this interview, we get to hear some of the inside thoughts and process on his own personal transition at Capital Community Church. Pastor Woodward shares the six stages of leadership empowerment and the seven success...

When a family is not balanced and in good rhythm, a mom or dad will sometimes pursue ministry at the expense of a healthy family. This can wreak havoc on the cohesiveness of that family unit. If you have kids that still live at home or hope to have kids in the future, this session with Connie Bernard is one that you don’t want to miss! It’s power-packed with a wealth of knowledge from someone who...

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is a famous quote by Peter Drucker. No matter how great your strategy or plan is, your culture will control the tempo and success of your organization. In this session, Pastor Aaron Soto and I unpack the difficult subject of culture. He defines culture, discusses its importance, and processes through some of the components. Then Pastor Aaron gives his wise rec...

Have you ever wondered what separates good leaders from great leaders? Aside from spiritual matters, I would say the greatest difference is emotional intelligence. This is why businesses are spending billions of dollars on developing their leaders in EI. In this session, DJ Hill and I explore the fundamentals of emotional intelligence and the impact it can make on a leader’s life and relationships...

Have you ever felt gifted or called to do something significant; yet you found yourself lost in the “woulds” of life? You were stalled at the starting line, or you just didn’t have the energy to continue the race and it left you feeling frustrated with life. Whether the underlying cause was due to procrastination, fear of failure, insecurities, or some other reason, Clifton LeJeune knows what it’s...

Pastor Andrew Cox was the leader and mastermind behind the creation of what is now known as POA Groups. This organized system of community has well exceeded the original projected pace and has become a catalyst in helping to make a large church “feel” smaller. In this session, Andrew joins Ryan in POA’s studio to discuss what community means to Andrew personally and corporately. Then the conversat...

Jathan Maricelli has a story of brokenness, redemption, and hope. He wrote a book called Better After Burnout that is connecting with so many who find themselves in the middle of a dark place in life. This book (and our interview) provides a glimmer of hope to individuals who may have felt like their best days are behind them. I encourage you to grab a pen and paper and get ready to take notes as...

Brandon Cowden made the tough transition from music minister to senior pastor. In this interview, we discuss what led to this drastic change in careers, the fear of failure that he fought so hard, and the things that helped him through the process. He shares insights that made his pastoral transition a great experience, including a glimpse into his first year. Then we wrap up the conversation with...

Rev. Stan Gleason, Senior Pastor of The Life Church and Assistant General Superintendent of the UPCI, and Ryan sit down to discuss his recent book The Unflawed Leader: Creating a Culture of Christlike Wellness in the Local Church. They discuss some amazing nuggets within the book, including topics on humility, leadership blind spots, culture, self-care, and so much more. This interview is loaded w...

Jason Staten and I are discussing the leadership challenge of doing something big in life and in ministry. In this session, Jason allows us to explore the inside of what it takes to run a big initiative such as Fowntn as he’s also pastoring a church and raising a family. He is transparent with his challenges, but also offers great advice as to how to navigate through those tough things. This is su...

Michael Ensey and I continue discussing the subject from last week, increasing capacity as a leader. Pastor Ensey shares the backstory of how he, Adam Shaw, and I connected on this subject a few years back. He gives his unique perspective on capacity and what it means to him. Then, he unpacks a simple 6-part framework that he evaluates his life through on a daily basis. It’s a framework that could...

Based on a story of the widow in 2 Kings 4, my guest, Adam Shaw, dives into the subject of increasing capacity as a leader. The widow in this story borrowed as many jars as she could and then God performed a miracle. Adam explains that the miracle was the Lord’s, but the capacity was her responsibility. We talk about how capacity comes from a place of pain, how we put limits on God, some practical...

For many years, my morning routine was to sleep as late as possibly, rush to the shower, and then rush out the door to work. My prayer time and all the important things in my life had to be worked in at some other part of my day. That time of my life was challenging. I would often have a disoriented frame of mind to start my day. There were many days where I didn't accomplish all that I neede...

There’s a ton of ways to grow. I can watch a video on YouTube, listen to a podcast, and resource from mentors and people much smarter than me. However, without a doubt, the most consistent and most effective method of growth in my life is from reading books. Here’s the problem: most people don’t take advantage of the power of book reading because most people don’t know how to read a book. So, they...

What goes through your mind when you think about the words “Be Disciplined”? My immediate thought is, "Yeah we have to be disciplined… it's a very important part of doing something significant… to figure out how to BE disciplined to BE successful." But then at a second glance when you separate the two words, “Be” and “Disciplined,” they seem to sort of contradict one another right?...

Have you ever walked through your church or your ministry through the eyes of a first-time attendee?  If you haven’t, I think you should. I think everyone should from time to time. You may be amazed at what you’ll see.  We as leaders get desensitized to what the experience is REALLY like.  Recently, I walked through a church as a brand new person on a Sunday morning… a secret shopper. And today, I...

Everyone wants to be understood. When you take the time to truly listen to a person and tune in to their needs and understand them, you can create a dynamic level of connection. Listening is the foundation of empathy. Empathy promotes growth and healing like no other relational tool. With this post, I want to discuss how practicing empathy can help you produce great leadership growth and powerful...

There’s nothing worse than someone talking at you instead of to you; it’s hard to even get a word into the conversation. On the other hand, there’s nothing better than having a good conversation where the exchange of information flows freely between two people and both parties actively listen to each other. This kind of conversation actually creates a very powerful connection and bond where leader...

What are you looking for? That is the question Jesus asked His disciples in John Chapter 1. In other words, He asked, “What are you looking for in life? What is motivating you to do what you do?” This is a tough question, but it is a question we should ask ourselves periodically. Today, I want to examine this question and discuss why it is so important to our lives and ministries. Work with me (1:...

One of the most common things I see in even the strongest and most effective leaders is the fear of failure. It doesn’t matter how competitive or self-confident a person is, the fear of failure can still be debilitating. When the fear of failure is overwhelming, people can lack motivation to move forward. In fact, the fear of failure can cause a person to give up their entire career or ministry. ...