Rusty George Podcast

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!HighlightsA little about Dan - 2:44His early life in Orange CountyHow he started making moviesWhat Dan and Daniel have in commonFezziwig Studios - 10:13Pitching Rescued by RubyBuilding Fezziwig StudiosThe best Christmas movies of all time - 17:42Dan’s take on It’s a Wonderful LifeDan and Rusty share their top picks for Christmas movies.ResourcesEpisode TranscriptFezziwig Studios website

Today’s episode is a real treat. I had the chance to talk with Cheryl Ladd. You may recognize that name from several movies & TV shows, including the 1970s hit Charlie’s Angels. We sat down to talk about how she navigated through Hollywood as a young actress and how she landed her iconic role in the show.We also had the chance to dig a little deeper as Cheryl shared about her experience with a marriage ending, as well as how she found a better work-life balance and how she came full circle to faith. Cheryl’s story is incredible. Whether you’re a fan of Charlie’s Angels, an entertainer yourself, or someone who’s figuring out how to fight workaholism, I can say that there’s something for you in this episode. HighlightsHow Cheryl Ladd got her Start – 2:08Early beginnings in South DakotaHer faith backgroundFrom singing in a band to acting in HollywoodFinding Balance – 16:22Cheryl lands Charlie’s AngelsOn the hamster wheel of successFinding her purposeA New Direction – 31:50Defining herself post-Angels.Cheryl

It's the season for giving! The Christmas season has always been a time to reflect on our own sense of generosity. Generosity is something that my guest, John Rinehart, knows a little something about. John Rinehart is an author who found in his early working days that there was more to life than working to accumulate as much as possible. He had seen God’s faithfulness in his own life and took a leap of faith thanks to his wife that would change the trajectory of his entire life.John and I sit down to talk about the Gospel Patrons and what it looks like to develop the gift of giving in ourselves. John is a fantastic guy, and I think you'll enjoy our conversation. So listen in, and let me know what you think in the comments below.ResourcesEpisode TranscriptGospel Patrons (book) by John RinehartInstagram: @GospelPatronsFacebook: @GospelPatronsWebsite: www.gospelpatrons.org

This week’s episode was a dream come true for me. I had the chance to talk with Crawford Loritts, a pastor and evangelist with an incredible legacy.  Crawford also happens to be the author of one of the best leadership books I’ve ever read (you can see some of my other leadership book recommendations here), and we get the chance to talk a bit about it as well. We talked through his experience leading Fellowship Bible Church for 15 years, processed the effects of deconstruction on the church, and how we can impact the culture around us as Christian leaders.  I know you're going to appreciate what he has to say, whether you're a church leader or a leader in a church.Special thanks to Serve.HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!HighlightsSimplicity and Clarity - 1:34Crawford Lorrits’ backgroundBecoming a cheerleader for leaders.Why simplicity and clarity are the keys to great leadership.Church & Culture - 13:09Current trends in the churchCrawford shares points of pride and heartbreak in the churchGetting bac

I had heard incredible things about Tiana Spencer as a pastor, speaker, and teacher. And I’ve got to say, I learned so much from her in our conversation. We got to talk about her love of teaching scripture and the encouragement she found to pursue it. She shared how she developed a desire for a more holistic faith. And I was moved to hear her talk about her passion for creating an emotionally healthy church. Maybe you’re wrestling with your calling or your identity. Or you’ve experienced some traumas that you’re working through. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, I think you’ll love hearing my conversation with Tiana.Special thanks to Serve HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!HighlightsAbout Tiana Spencer - 2:47Tiana’s start leading bible study at 14Finding a starting point if you’re new to scriptureWhat Tiana’s reading that’s impacting herHow Tiana and her husband navigate ministry together.Connecting with God - 12:59Tiana shares how her family connects with GodFinding anchors to stay connected wit

We’ve had some great guests come on the podcast to talk about their experiences with church planting, like Carl Kuhl, Tim Celek, and Joseph Barkley. You can listen to their episodes here, here, and here respectively. And we’re keeping that train going with our guest today.Clint Dupin co-leads Eastown Church with his wife in San Jose, California. He gets honest with me about his experience going from a mega church to planting a church, leading that church plant during the pandemic, and the wisdom he’s gained along the way. Special thanks to Serve HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!About Clint Dupin - 01:44Clint’s ministry backgroundClint shares about “the broken road” that led him to ministry.Highlights and Lowlights  - 13:53Planting a church: How do you know whether it’s from God or you?The highlights and lowlights Clint’s experiencedClint keeps it real - 30:00 Clint shares his COVID experience as a church planter.What it’s like co-pastoring with your spouse.ResourcesEpisode TranscriptEastown ChurchThere a

I had the chance to sit down with Shawn Lovejoy, an incredible leader and former pastor who shifted his focus from vocational ministry to developing a coaching program sure to change the lives of so many leaders. Shawn was coached by Dan Reiland, a guest on the podcast (you can listen to his episode here), and is now coaching pastors and business leaders on how they can make the days between their Sundays even better.Shawn and I chat about how to have hard conversations with staff and what the best coaching clients he's taken on all have in common. Shawn also digs into his books Be Mean About The Vision and Building A Killer Team Without Killing Yourself or Your Team. You won’t want to miss this episode full of incredible insights.Special thanks to Serve.HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!

It’s not often that we talk politics on this podcast, so I know this will be controversial. I wanted to sit down with Theresa Brennan to help make sense of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, what it means for us, and how to better understand the variety of perspectives on this issue. I’m grateful that she took the time to sit down with me and process not just what happened, but what our responsibility is now as Christians. Take a listen to our conversation with an open heart and an open mind.Special thanks to Serve.HQ for sponsoring this episode!Highlights About Theresa and the Right to Life League - 2:21Theresa shares about how she got started.The beginnings of the Right to Life League.Making Sense of Current Events - 5:16Understanding the overturning of Roe v Wade.Answering some of the biggest questions surrounding abortion.The spiritual implications around abortion.Practical Steps - 19:41The best way churches can support pro-life initiatives.Creating a healthy community for post-abortive women.What are the be

How can you prepare for sabotage?What does it look like to build resilience as a leader in a time of conflict and controversy? Tod Bolsinger explores these questions and more in his book Tempered Resilience, which I loved. Now, I hadn’t had the chance to meet Tod before we recorded this episode, but I learned so much from his input into how people can lead through uncertainty. Tod is a seminary professor, author, and leads a leadership coaching and consulting firm dedicated to helping faith leaders thrive as change leaders. That passion is evident in our conversation, and I’m so glad we had a chance to sit down together.Let me know in the comments how you’ve been leading your church or your family through the unfamiliar. I’d love to hear some of your stories.Special thanks to Serve HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!HighlightsAbout Tod Bolsinger - 1:26How Tod started in ministryThe differences in ministry when Tod started versus now.Digging into Tod’s books - 15:45Tod asks the question: how do you lead whe

Drew Moore is my guest this week, and I’m so glad to have him on the podcast. Drew is the lead pastor of Canyon Ridge Church, a church in Las Vegas that has an incredible legacy. The founding pastor is my friend and friend of RLC, Mike Breaux (you can hear Mike on the podcast here). Watching Drew's journey, I can say that I've learned so much from him about what it means to make disciples and I hope you'll appreciate his insights too.Drew and I talk about his journey becoming lead pastor, leading a church through a transition to a new direction, and practical ways to make discipleship simple for your church.HighlightsAbout Drew Moore - 1:55Drew’s backgroundWhat it’s like leading a church in Las Vegas, NevadaForging a new path - 10:39Following Mike Breaux and leading Canyon Ridge in a fresh direction.Drew’s goal and how his church got there.How to make disciples in this day and age - 21:48How to approach discipleship with your average, first time attender.Assumptions we make about the impact of a weekend servi

If you've been listening to the podcast for a while, then you've heard me speak to some incredible pastors who have led their churches through different tragedies and transitions. Navigating through a crisis is no easy feat. I know on our end, we've done some things right and we've done some things wrong. But through it all, we've had these experiences that we don't feel like we should keep to ourselves. That's why I’m grateful to Fred Gray, the executive pastor at Real Life Church. Fred and I designed a course called Leading Through Crisis. Our hope is to equip you with ways to lead through a crisis as healthily as possible, so you don’t have to become one.Now, I’d love for you to check out the course. There are so many great resources available including how to address a national loss, how to work with the press, and the preventative measures you should take before a crisis ever happens. If you’re curious and want a deeper dive into why we created this course, join my conversation with Fred Gray as we talk

My guest this week is Andrew Stanley.  If his name sounds familiar, it’s just might be. His dad is Andy Stanley (you can listen to Andy on the podcast here), and his grandfather is Charles Stanley, both well known pastors. And Andrew’s carrying on the torch of on-stage communication in a different way as a stand up comedian.I had a chance to sit down with Andy to hear more about how he got into stand up and nerd out about the ins and outs of being a comedian. Andy also shares his tips for how you can find the funny in your own life.

I love getting to talk sports on the podcast, and man, have we had had some incredible guests this year, including Ned Yost from the Kansas City Royals and Marty Lamb from the LA Dodgers. (You can listen to my episodes with Ned and Marty here). Today, you’ll get to hear from Kevin Burrell. Kevin is a talent scout for the Chicago White Sox. I sit down with Kevin to talk shop as he takes me through what day-to-day life as a talent scout looks like. Kevin also shares his passion for discipleship, and how he lives that out in his career today. If you are a baseball fan, you’re in for a great episode. But you don’t have to be a baseball fan to get some incredible value from what Kevin has to share this week.Special thanks to Serve.HQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!HighlightsAbout Kevin Burrell - 2:26Kevin’s start as a baseball player himself.What scout life looks like for Kevin.A few things Kevin knows that he wishes he knew when he started.What do scouts look for in a team player?  - 8:11The three intangible

Monte Wilkinson is a pastor, a mentor, and one of my closest friends. I have to say that I wouldn’t be the pastor I am today without his example. He’s the lead minister at NorthEast Christian Church out in Lexington, Kentucky, and has seen a thing or two when it comes to leading a ministry. I can’t wait for you to hear the wisdom Monte shares.Take a listen to our conversation as Monte talks about what it was like having me as an intern, the lessons he learned transitioning into a new church, and how the golden rule influences the way that he leads.Special thanks to ServeHQ for sponsoring this week’s episode!HighlightsAbout Monte Wilkinson - 2:59A bit about MonteHow he came to ministryMeeting Rusty as an internLeading simply from internships to lead pastoring - 05:41The value of internshipsTransitioning from Southland to NorthEastBuilding up disciplined time with GodMore life wisdom from Monte - 37:40How to transition healthily from a staff role to a leadership position.Righting the ship after a difficult tran

Volunteering at church looks different in today’s landscape. How do you navigate those waters? I had the chance to sit down with Scott Magdalein for this episode to tackle that issue. I know leaders are trying to figure out how to recruit and support their volunteers. I hope this episode is a helpful resource for you. Listen in as Scott and I talk about how to find healthy spiritual rhythms after COVID. Scott also shares how ServeHQ can help leaders train their volunteers better, and we talk through the question that churches can ask themselves when they see volunteerism down.

Podcasts have been such a valuable part of my life. From Craig Groeschel and Andy Stanley to Annie F Downs and my friend Michael Hinton, I’ve been able to learn from the things they’ve shared over the years. And when I started sharing my own experiences and conversations with different leaders on Leading Simple, I had no idea where we would be 217 episodes later. I’m grateful for every person who’s listened, left a comment or review, or shared an episode with someone. So today, I want to shift my focus to you: the listener. I’ll be announcing the winner of the listener giveaway. You’ll get to hear some exciting news about something special I’ve been working on behind the scenes. You’ll also get a preview of some of the great episodes coming up this month.Thanks for listening, and a special thanks to this month’s sponsor, ServeHQ.-------------------------Here’s where you can find some of Rusty’s favorites:Skyline ChiliThe Road Less Stupid by Keith J. CunninghamKansas City Chiefs Jersey

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? -  2:24How Dan Reiland broke John Maxwell’s internship.The life lesson he applies the most to this day.How Dan started blogging before blog

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 - 2:48How she got started at The Ridge.Her background in Broadcast JournalismWhat the transition from working outside of the church to working in the church was like for Jodi.Being an Executive Pastor - 12:07What goes into

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 - 2:25What 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. Intergenerational W