Simple Faith with Rusty George

This is a crazy time in the world, one we'll surely all remember for the rest of our lives. Many of us are experiencing confusion, stress, anxiety, and so much more. What can we do to get through COVID-19? Today, in listening to this episode, I encourage you to join me in speaking Psalm 91 over your life.

Join me this coming Monday as we journey through the book of John together for 21 days of devotionals leading up to Easter Sunday. My prayer is that these 21 days of reflection and meditation on scriptures would leave you all encouraged and strengthened in your faith, and that you would, then, use these devotionals to encourage those around you. I cannot wait to see what God does in us all as we grow together studying this powerful book of the Bible. Take a moment today to listen to my introduction of this series here, and then make sure to sign up for daily devotional notifications at pastorrustygeorge.com/21daystoEaster In Christ, Rusty George

Do you struggle to hear God when you pray? How do you know if it's God speaking, or just your own thoughts? In light of all that is happening in the world with COVID-19, we wanted today's episode to focus on how to talk to God in difficult times. So, we're releasing this episode early: Jan Johnson (spiritual director and author) joins us to discuss "How to Hear God When We Pray", and the message she has to share with us is so powerful. While we originally had this episode scheduled for a few weeks out, we pray that releasing it today gives you the encouragement and support that you need to talk to your Heavenly Father in the midst of confusion and anxiety.

Do our smartphones simplify our lives, or do they make things more complicated? If Jesus were here on earth today, how would he behave with a smartphone? Join Brad Williams and I as we discuss these questions and how we can all better balance our relationships with our smartphones as disciples of Jesus.

So many of us are living anxious lives and looking for the answers that only God can give. "Be anxious for nothing" (Philippians 4:6)is one of the most highlighted verses in the Bible for a reason. My personal journey with anxiety started when I was young and has taught me so much throughout the years. Join me in this episode as I conclude our anxiety series and share with you the letter I wrote myself during my most anxious season of life.

We follow Jesus… But, sometimes we need to be inspired by someone who looks a little more like Jesus than we do. Filmmaker David Schultz is a faith superhero that we can all be inspired by. David joins us in this episode to discuss his career in filmmaking, his faith, and more.

In celebration of President's Day, Rusty George & Brad Williams discuss some of the greatest acts of leadership from the people who have held the greatest seat of power in our land.

In this episode Brad Williams and I discuss the worst Valentine’s Day ideas… and the best!

Assistant Coach to the Lakers, Mike Penberthy joins us to discuss the life, legacy, and loss of the legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant. In this short conversation, we discuss his favorite memories with Kobe, how to lead in grief, and sharing your faith when people question tragedy.

"I'm Not Racist"... Have you ever thought or said these words yourself? What if there are small, maybe even subconscious things in your life that say that you are? In honor of February being Black History Month, Brad Williams joins Rusty in this episode to ask these important questions.

It’s time for the Super Bowl! But what if your team didn’t make it? What if you don’t even like football? Why should you care? In this interview with Brad Williams we discuss the reasons we believe it's important for every Christian to care about the Super Bowl.

"Dear White Christian": An interview with author Aaron Layton on what every white Christian needs to know about how black Christians see, think, and experience racism in America.

Is it possible to get out of debt, especially if you live in California? This year at Real Life Church we’re going on a debt diet at all of our locations. Will you join us?

Is the Bible all Greek to you? What can you do this year to make sense of it all? In this episode, Rusty sits down to interview the author of Core 52, Mark Moore.

In this week’s episode, Rusty finishes talking about simple systems leaders can use every day to help make following Jesus uncomplicated. Building from last month’s discussion about time management, today Rusty talks about information management. In today’s world, we have access to more information than we can ever consume or use. Is it possible to collect and retain the information that is important to us? Rusty and Brad share strategies they’ve found to manage the information they've found vital to a productive life.

In this episode, Rusty sits down with Star of iCarly, Nathan Kress, to discuss being a Christian in Hollywood and being a dad.

When planning for the New Year it's not always about 'what' we need to do, but more about 'who' we need to be. In this episode Rusty and co-host, Brad Williams, dig into how to look into this season of your life to help you plan your next year and achieve your goals.

How do you tell a story that everyone knows, in a way that no one's ever heard? In this episode, Rusty and Brad Williams dig into the different ways to hold the attention of your family and ministries as you tell the story of Christmas over and over again.

During the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" some of us are experiencing the hardest time of the year. In this episode, Rusty discusses the real and heavy emotions that can reveal themselves during the holidays and how to best cope with them.

In this episode, Rusty sits down with Pastor and Author Tim Harlow to discuss his book "What Made Jesus Mad?" They uncover the righteous anger of Jesus towards the church leaders of His time for blocking people from the Kingdom of God and the importance of preventing your church from doing the same. Tim Harlow is the senior pastor of Parkview Christian Church, a multi-site church of nearly 10,000 in the south suburbs of Chicago. Tim and his family moved to Chicago in 1990, when it was a church of 150 people in a heavily unchurched area. Now the church is an indispensable part of the community, made up of former gang leaders and business owners, ex-strippers and soccer moms alike, all who are excited about Jesus and involved in doing ministry in the greater Chicago area and around the world.

When tragic events happen, especially involving innocent children, the first question many of us ask is "Why?" or "How could God let this happen?". In this episode, Rusty addresses these questions and guides us with steps on how to grieve and heal.

How do Christian leaders not only manage our time well but get the most out of our time? In this week’s episode, Rusty addresses some often neglected strategies leaders need to be aware of to help you move forward toward reaching your goals in life and vocation.

In this episode, Rusty answers a couple of listener questions and talks about prayer. Specifically, what happens when our prayers go unanswered. What do we do then? Our churches have been in a series called “Darkroom” where Rusty and others have taught about how we work through the dark rooms of our life. On today’s podcast, Rusty addresses the role prayer plays in our lives and why it’s vital.

On this episode of the Rusty George podcast, Rusty talks with Mac Lake on the importance of developing leaders on your team. Mac is a church consultant who has pastored, planted churches, lead mission boards, and helps churches develop a leadership pipeline that grows individuals in their walk with Christ and their service in and to the church.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty and Brad Williams touch on being stuck in the middle age and how to deal with the finish line getting closer when you aren’t any clearer about what to do next in life.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty and Brad Williams talk about fear of the future, anxiety over your career, not knowing what is next, and making the darkroom of your 20s simple.

What’s the deal—I prayed for healing and got nothing—he prayed for a parking spot and got a front row? On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty discusses dealing with God’s unexplainable silence.

Can worship be more simple than we make it out to be? In this episode of the podcast, Rusty sits down with worship leader, Todd Fields to answer just that. Todd has over 25 years of experience as a worship leader. He loves to help lead pastors and worship pastors problem solve and come up with solutions to help their worship ministry be the best it can be for the glory of God. He started out in a youth group band with his friend Andy Stanley in the 80’s, partnered with Louie Giglio in the 90’s and early 2000’s in Atlanta with a ministry called 7:22, traveled will the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and worked contractually and on staff as a worship pastor at North Point Community for 21 years.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits with new host Brad Williams to continue talking about managing your inner demons.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits with new host Brad Williams to talk about managing your inner demons.

Big changes in the podcast, a special invitation and a devotional thought for the day. As well as Rusty is going to Israel and you can too. Learn more at rlc.is/israel.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits down with Jim Smith to discuss making discipleship a lot more simple. James Bryan Smith is the author of The Good and Beautiful God and the Apprentice series. He earned his MDiv at Yale and his DMin at Fuller and is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. He also serves as the director of the Apprentice Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation at Friends University.

In this "Best Of" Episode, Rusty revisits a conversation with Karl Vaters, the author of two books about small churches: Small Church Essentials and The Grasshopper Myth. On his blog Pivot, he writes about Innovative Leadership from a Small Church Perspective for ChristianityToday.com several times a week. He’s also the founder of NewSmallChurch.com, a ministry that encourages, connects and equips innovative small church pastors. Karl’s heart is to help pastors of small churches (up to 90 percent of us) find the resources to lead well, and to capitalize on the unique advantages that come with pastoring a small church – something virtually every pastor will spend at least some of their ministry years doing. He also believes that big and small churches can and should work together more often – to the benefit and blessing of everyone. Karl has been in pastoral ministry for over 30 years. He is the teaching pastor of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, a healthy small church in Orange County, California, where he has ministered for over 25 years with his wife, Shelley.

In this "Best Of" podcast, Rusty revisits a conversation with Brian Dodd, Director of New Ministry Relationships for Injoy Stewardship Solutions, where they dive into Leadership Insight. Besides helping churches fully-fund their mission and vision, over the last 15+ years Brian spends each day having one-on-one conversations with many of the greatest church leaders in America. He also has over 30 years of church volunteer and staff experience.

In this “Best Of” podcast, Rusty revisits a conversation with John Burke, Pastor at Gateway Church and author of "Imagine Heaven," where they engage in a Q&A with the audience at RLC after delivering a message based on his book. If you've ever pondered the afterlife or the specifics of heaven and near-death experiences, check this out!

In this latest episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty talks about a very emotional issue that is plaguing our country. When a mass shooting happens, how should Christians respond? Beyond how we should respond, Rusty talks about why bad things happen to good people and what can we do after tragedy strikes.

In this “Best Of” podcast, Rusty revisits a conversation with Larry Osborne, more affectionately known as "Yoda" among Christian Leaders, to discuss what it means to Lead Like A Shepherd. Larry Osborne is a pastor at North Coast Church in Vista CA. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 128 to over 13,000 on a weekend. Larry has a passion for leadership, spiritual formation, and discipleship. As a nationally recognized trainer of leaders and pastors and church planters, he travels extensively, speaking at conferences and mentoring events.

In this “Best Of” podcast, Rusty revisits a conversation with Lee Strobel on 'The Case for Christ' and just how searching for evidence that He didn't exist, brought Strobel straight to Jesus. Atheist-turned-Christian Lee Strobel is the former award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune and best-selling author of more than twenty books. His classic, The Case for Christ, is a perennial favorite which details his conversion to Christianity. His recent release, The Case for Grace, won the 2016 Nonfiction Book of the Year from the EPCA. For the last twenty-five years, his life’s work has been to share the evidence that supports the truth and claims of Christianity and to equip believers to share their faith with the people they know and love.

In this “Best Of” podcast, Rusty revisits a conversation with John Ortberg on 'Soul Keeping'. John Ortberg is a popular author, speaker, and pastor at Menlo Church in Menlo Park, CA. Back in 2014, John released a book entitled "Soul Keeping" where he discusses the nature of the soul and its relationship to the Christian life through the medium of his relationship with popular author Dallas Willard. Rusty interviews John on the ins and outs of the book as well as his personal relationship with Dallas.

In this “Best Of” podcast, Rusty revisits a conversation with Jim Beebe, regarding dating, marriage, and how relationships are affected by culture and media. If you're married, dating, or even interested in either, this one's for you! Jim Beebe is a marriage and family therapist that has been working with individuals and couples from a faith-based approach for 34 years. In addition to couples therapy, he has experience in men's issues and codependency.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits down with Mark Moore to discuss the ends times, Jesus and much more. Mark used to be a professor of Rusty's during his tenure at Ozark Christian college where he taught for 22 years. Mark is now on staff at Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Peoria, Arizona as a teaching pastor. CCV currently has eight locations and 28,000 in weekly attendance. Besides being on staff at CCV, Mark is also an online professor for Ozark as well as an Adjunct Professor at Hope International University in Fullerton, California and Haus Edelweiss, Vienna, Austria. Mark has also authored and co-authored many books mostly on the Life of Christ, book of Acts and Revelation.

In this “Best Of” podcast, Rusty revisits his discussion with Kristina Kuzmic to understand what it is like to go through a divorce, be a single mom and become an overnight sensation. Kristina Kuzmic joins the podcast to talk about a variety of topics ranging from social media, divorce, and getting her own show then starting a YouTube channel. All this within her personal journey toward a more authentic motherhood that has inspired millions of moms around the world. No matter what walk of life you're coming from, give this a listen and you'll be sure to take something away.

In this episode, Rusty sits down with Zach Zehnder to discuss The Red Letter Challenge, a creative and engaging way to read The Bible. Zach Zehnder completed his undergraduate work at Concordia University Wisconsin. It was there that he met his wife Allison, married in July 2004. From there, Zach earned his Masters of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in May 2010. In the same month Zach accepted a call as Associate Pastor/Church Planter at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Lake Mary, FL. As part of that call he has planted theCross in Mount Dora, FL. Through Zach’s leadership, creative ministry, and community outreach theCross has seen tremendous growth since its inception! When he’s not doing ministry, his hobbies include playing with his boys Nathan and Brady, travel, reading, volleyball, golf, basketball, ping-pong, eating Chipotle, cheering on Cleveland sports teams, and entrepreneurial ventures.

In this "Best Of" podcast, Rusty revisits his discussion with Kara Powell to discover the secrets of parenting. Kara E. Powell is the executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and associate professor of youth and family ministry. Prior to coming to Fuller, she was an assistant professor of youth ministry and practical theology at Azusa Pacific University. She completed her PhD in Practical Theology from Fuller Seminary with a focus on pastoral role expectations in 2000, an MDiv from Bethel Theological Seminary in 1994, and a BA in human biology, graduating with honors from Stanford University in 1991. In addition to her roles at Fuller Seminary, Kara serves as a Youth and Family Strategist for Orange, and volunteers in student ministries at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena. She was also college pastor at Lake Avenue Church (1995–1998) and was the associate youth minister at San Diego First Assembly of God (1991–1995). During college, Kara began her ongoing commitment to church/parachurch partnerships during her time on Young Life Student Staff in the Stanford area. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women to Watch,” Kara is the author or coauthor of Growing Young (2016), 10 StickyFaith books or curriculum (2011–2016), Right Click (2015), Can I Ask That? 2: More Hard Questions about God and Faith (2015), Essential Leadership: Training Onramps for Your Youth Ministry Team (2010), Deep Justice Journeys (2009), Good Sex Youth Ministry Curriculum (2009), Deep Justice in a Broken World (2008), Deep Ministry in a Shallow World(2006), Help! I’m a Woman in Youth Ministry (2004), and Mirror, Mirror (2003). Kara is also a regular speaker at Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Conventions, the Orange Conference, the Simply Youth Ministry Conference, as well as retreats and conferences across the country. Powell lives in Pasadena with her husband, Dave, who is a medical device engineer, and their children, Nathan, Krista, and Jessica.

Rusty sits down with Carey Nieuwhof to discuss his new book, "Didn't See It Coming" and the top three leadership tips he's learned over the course of his career. Carey Nieuwhof is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church. He’s the author of several best-selling books and speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change and personal growth.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits down with Christine Caine the founder of the A21 Campaign and author of several books to talk about what humility looks like in her life. Christine Caine is an Australian born, Greek blooded, lover of Jesus, activist, author and international speaker. She and her husband, Nick, founded the global anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign. They also founded Propel Women, an organization designed to activate women to fulfill their God-given passion, purpose and potential. Christine is the author of several books including her most recent updated and expanded release: Undaunted: Daring to Do What God Calls You to Do.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits down with Brian "Head" Welch the co-founder and lead guitarist of the Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum metal band KoRn to talk about the mercy of God in his life. In 2005 Brian had a life-changing spiritual awakening that freed him from a life of drugs and alcohol which prompted him to leave his band KoRn. Following the departure from KoRn, Brian went through a decade-long trial of parenthood, a solo career and betrayal of a trusted friend to come out the other side drug-free, with an amazing relationship with his daughter and back in the band KoRn.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty and his daughter, Lindsey, sit down with Bob Goff to discuss Rusty's new book "Justice. Mercy. Humility." Bob talks about loving others and changing the world from your very own neighborhood. Bob is the Chief of Fun & Whimsy! He's a New York Times Best-Selling Author of "Love Does" and "Everybody Always", as well the founder of Love Does, a nonprofit human rights organization operating in Uganda, India, Iraq, Nepal, Afghanistan and Somalia. Bob is a sought after speaker for conferences, churches, and universities, inspiring current and future influencers.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits down with Justin Moxley to discuss the need and the value of church planting. Growing up in a rural church, serving in a mega church and leading a new church, Justin has been involved in nearly all aspects of the church and church planting. Justin is on the teaching team of his local church, has served as an adjunct professor and currently serves on the board of a local non-profit. He has been married to Tiffany for over 23 years, has a son Zane and a daughter Savannah. He loves the beach, Kansas City BBQ, and watching his kids play college soccer.

On this episode of the Rusty George Podcast, Rusty sits down with Larry Osborne, more affectionately known as "Yoda" among Christian Leaders, to discuss what it means to Lead Like A Shepherd. Larry Osborne is a pastor at North Coast Church in Vista CA. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 128 to over 13,000 on a weekend. Larry has a passion for leadership, spiritual formation, and discipleship. As a nationally recognized trainer of leaders and pastors and church planters, he travels extensively, speaking at conferences and mentoring events.