Rusty George Podcast

Leadership looks like getting comfortable with growth, taking risks, and appreciating the journey along the way. And this week, we have someone who is a living, breathing example of how to live that out that well. Dan Reiland is an author, leadership coach, executive pastor, and a legend when it comes to innovation in the world of ministry. He’s passionate about developing and empowering leaders; you can hear that passion come through in our conversation.You’ll get to hear Dan share about interning with John Maxwell, how he learned to live out his calling to reach people, and why focusing on the culture you’re building is a crucial part of leading an organization. I’m telling you, this episode is a masterclass in ministry and leadership no matter where you are in your journey.Special thanks to Stadia Church Planting for sponsoring this week’s episode!HighlightsWho is Dan? -  2:24 How Dan Reiland broke John Maxwell’s internship. The life lesson he applies the most to this day. How Dan started blogging before b

Jodi Tonarelli is my guest this week, and it's an honor to have her on the podcast.  Her background in broadcast journalism (and a lot of prayers) led her to the role of Executive Pastor at The Ridge Community Church, where Mark Weigt is the lead pastor. You can hear my conversation with Mark on the podcast here. I enjoyed hearing her take on what an executive pastor does and her journey navigating that role.There were some great takeaways from this conversation: From how to seek God before stepping into a new role to what leaders can do to create a more inclusive workplace. I'm telling you, what you'll learn from her when it comes to leadership will benefit you no matter what you do. Special thanks to Stadia Church Planting for sponsoring this week's episode!HighlightsAbout Jodi Tonarelli - 2:48 How she got started at The Ridge. Her background in Broadcast Journalism What the transition from working outside of the church to working in the church was like for Jodi. Being an Executive Pastor - 12:07 What goes

What do Notre Dame, the Coachella Valley, and John Adams have in common? Ricky Jenkins is the Senior Pastor of Southwest Church in Indian Wells, CA, a Gospel-Centered, Multiethnic, Intergenerational church. We had the chance to talk through what it’s like leading a church that has navigated difficult transitions and trauma. He also highlighted why authenticity is key to leading a multiethnic church. There were so many noteworthy moments in this conversation that I couldn’t even write all of them down. Trust me: If you’re leading a church or any organization and you’ve questioned how to support a hurting church or how to shift the culture of your church, you’ll love this episode.Special thanks to Stadia Church Planting for sponsoring this episode!HighlightsAbout Pastor Ricky Jenkins - 2:25 What brought Ricky and his family to Southwest Christian Church. The rewards and challenges of pastoring in the Coachella valley. Leading a church through crisis and trauma. Gospel Centered. Multiethnic Make. Intergeneration

90% of new churches in America are small churches, and there are some incredible lessons we can learn from what those are doing well. Our guest, Karl Vaters, is a champion for building a healthy small church, and I'm glad to have him back on the podcast. You can take a listen to the first episode we recorded here.Karl sheds light on small churches' advantages when connecting with new people and shares some essential tips that anyone can integrate into their organization. He also gives a behind the scenes look at his upcoming book, the process of writing it, and what it means to be a proactive leader rather than a reactive leader. Whether you're a business owner, a pastor, or a church leader, there's something for you in our conversation.Special thanks to Stadia Church Planting for sponsoring this week's episode!HighlightsLessons from small churches - 02:48 What every church can learn from navigating COVID. How churches can stand out in an increasingly digital world. The difference between visiting a small chu

Planting a church isn't easy. There are so many factors to consider, like where you'll plant the church and how to support the community you'll serve.Carl Kuhl knows a thing or two about that experience, and I'm glad to have him on the podcast this week to share his insights. He's a pastor, a church planter, and an incredible leader with a fascinating perspective on leading a church.Not only do we dig into the ins and outs of church planting, but I also had the chance to talk with Carl about his new book Blood Stained Pews and the life change that can happen when people in the church are less afraid to be honest about their struggles.Special thanks to Stadia Church Planting for sponsoring this episode!HighlightsAbout Carl - 1:56 Carl’s start in ministry. The benefits of growing up in a healthy church. How the seed was planted in Carl to start planting churches. Planting Mosaic Christian Church - 16:32 How Carl landed on Baltimore as the location to plant Mosaic. Learning the culture of the area. The toughest

Everyone has opinions, and as a Pastor, I have the pleasure of hearing a lot of them, particularly regarding my teaching style. You're not deep enough. You talk too much sports.We want more Bible.We want less Bible.How about some Greek or Hebrew.I wish you would __________________. (You can fill in the blank) For a long time, I didn't know what to do with that feedback. So I broke how I preach. Or, in other words, I broke myself trying to be someone else. Emulating what I thought people wanted, I looked at the success of other pastors and incorporated their style into what I did. It took me a while to learn the lessons I want to share with you on this episode of How I Broke This. 

Marty Lamb is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s signed some incredible talent from high schools and colleges. Learning how to spot talent early isn’t an easy feat, so I’m grateful to hear some of his insights on what it takes to do just that every day. We get a chance to talk about some of his learnings on the road and the highlights of his career so far. Marty also takes time to share about the incredible work he does with Refuge for Women, a non profit organization that supports survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Special thanks to our sponsor Stadia for sponsoring this episode!HighlightsAbout Marty Lamb - 2:11 Marty’s start as a baseball player. How he became a baseball scout. What Does it Take to Spot Talent? - 08:29 The qualities Marty looks for in an up-and-coming player. What makes an LA dodger different from other players? How do you balance the analytics with the classic way of scouting talent? Marty’s Work with Refuge for Women - 43:32 What is Refuge for Women? An in-dept

Some of the best leadership lessons I've learned have come from conversations I've had with sports legends like Ned Yost on the podcast (you can listen here as he talks about how to build a winning team culture). But there's nothing like learning alongside a friend. That's why I'm glad to have Brad Williams back for this episode of Leading Simple. Join us as we sit down to talk about the lessons on leadership we’ve picked up on throughout the summer, our hopes for the Lakers, and why magnifying the positive is crucial for any leader.Special thanks to Stadia for sponsoring this month's podcast.Resources ​​Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks - Chris Herring Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win - Jocko Willink and Lief Babin Discipline Equals Freedom - Jocko Willink  Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell - by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle  A Beautiful Constraint - Andrew Morgan and Mark Barden Ma

Kyle Idleman from Southeast Christian Church is my guest for this week's episode. What you may not know is that Kyle is the one who planted Real Life Church, where I am today. As we sat down, I learned a bit more about what it was like for Kyle to grow up under the microscope as a pastor's kid. (Something my daughters know a little something about. You can listen to their take on being a pastor's kid here). He shared with me how being open and authentic can be a catalyst for a better connection with your people. We also got to talk about his new book One at a Time. Kyle shares some great insights in this episode that I hope are helpful for you too.Special thanks to our sponsor for the month, Stadia Church Planting!HighlightsAbout Kyle - 2:05 Kyle’s start in ministry Planting Real Life Church From under the microscope to in the fishbowl - 20:28 Kyle’s experiences as a pastor’s kid How that helped him navigate being a pastor himself Understanding brokenness The importance of vulnerability in leadership Leading

The Kansas City Royals were a significant part of my childhood. So, imagine how excited I am to have Ned Yost on the podcast. Ned Yost was the manager of the Kansas City Royals in 2014-15 when they went to the World Series and won. Ned and I sit down and talk all things baseball, of course. I got to hear some of the lessons he’s learned as a coach, how he listened to his instincts and honed his ability to develop talent. Ned also talked about his faith journey: how he because a Christian and how his faith ultimately impacted his coaching. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to learn incredible lessons from Ned’s life and leadership. And if you are a baseball fan, I have to say that this will be a special episode for you.

Lance Witt joins me on the podcast this week, and we’re talking about burnout. Burnout is an issue that I think every person, no matter their industry, has had to navigate. Lance openly shares his experience as a pastor at Saddleback and the pivotal moment when he realized he needed a shift in his life. Lance also provides some helpful tips on combating burnout and increasing your self awareness, so that you can lead and work from a healthier place.

Savannah Kimberlin is the Director of Research Solutions at Barna Group, and I am honored to have her as a guest on the podcast this week. Sometimes, data and statistics can be a little intimidating to people (myself included). Thankfully, there are people like Savannah and the incredible team at Barna Group who are called to research so we can see how the numbers reflect the world around us.Join Savannah and me as we talk through what our culture and faith look like after COVID, how to use trends in data to inform how you lead your organization, and what the stats have to say about how different generations engage church and faith.Special thanks to Growmentum for being our sponsor this month.

Kye Chung and Lee Coate from Growmentum sit down with Rusty and share their insights on what it takes to grow your organization. Special thanks to Growmentum for sponsoring Leading Simple throughout the month of June.

There are so many great articles and podcasts out there about how to create a healthy staff culture.This is not one of them.This week, Rusty reflects on how he broke his staff culture, and what it took to repair it.

Paul Hicks joins Rusty on the podcast this week. He is a part of Search Ministries based in Texas, along with another Leading Simple guest, Bruce Matthews.When we think about evangelism, our minds can immediately go to planning some big event with a lot of people. But in Rusty's conversation with Paul, he breaks down a process to share your faith that is centered on one person, one day at a time.If you’ve ever wondered how to get more confident in sharing the gospel with people who may not believe in God, or you are curious about what it means to make disciples, then you’ll enjoy hearing Paul's insights.

Mark and Michelle McKinney are co-pastors, parents, and the first dynamic duo on Leading Simple. Rusty sits down with the two of them to talk about the ups and downs of being a part of a church community. Michelle shared her experiences as a pastor, a pastor’s wife, and with her children. Mark also gave some advice to husbands about what it can look like to support their partner through difficulty. Plus, if you are considering adoption, the McKinneys walk you through some things you should think about before starting the process.  Special thanks to our sponsor this month, Leadr.

For the 200th episode, Rusty’s daughters join him to talk about what it’s really like to be a pastor’s kid. Their perspective isn’t just helpful for pastors who are parents, but for anyone raising a child in this generation. Special thanks to Leadr for sponsoring this episode and to our listeners!

Holly Tate from Leadr joins Rusty for this week's episode to tackle some of the tough questions people may be having around their careers. Employees may be wondering how to discern the next best step in their career. Employers may be questioning how to help their teams feel supported and fulfilled in their roles. Across the board, people want to know how to develop as a leader. Holly breaks down 5 simple tools that you can utilize to help develop leaders in your organization.

This week's guest is author and leadership expert Brian Dodd. Rusty and Brian take this episode to make leadership simple. Take a listen as they discuss how to look at life through a lens of leadership and the best way to see growth in your leadership. Brian also shares the top 3 lessons from his new book, 2021: The Year in Leadership.

For this week's episode, Pastor Rusty George is at Real Life Church to celebrate Easter. You can listen here or watch here