Craig T. Owens

December 2025
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Links & Quotes

October 4, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Have you felt under attack spiritually lately? Especially when things are going well, we need to stay on guard because the enemy of our soul is always looking for an opening. Don’t give him any opening at all—stay vigilant!

I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

“All men are ordinary men; the extraordinary men are those who know it.” —G.K. Chesterton

I thoroughly enjoy reading the words of Oswald Chambers (check out my lengthy Thursdays with Oswald feature). Dr. Steve Nichols shared a mini-biography about this extraordinary pastor on his 5 Minutes In Church History podcast.

Over a week before the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Abdu Murray had a chilling prediction in his commentary From Cancel Culture to Assassination Culture.

“Practice, which some regard as a chore, should be approached as just about the most pleasant recreation ever devised.” —Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Using a question about the recreational uses of marijuana, John Piper notes something deeper: “The church for a long time has leaned too heavily on the overlap between the state and the church for the strength of our conviction concerning what is right and wrong.” This post is a call for Christians to dig into the Scriptures for what we believe, and not just follow what society says.

“The man who thinks he can live without others is mistaken; the one who thinks others can’t live without him is even more deluded.” —Hasidic Proverb

This 12-minute video from Daniel Pink has some solid insights on higher productivity.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Abdu Murray, Bible study, biography, Charlie Kirk, Daniel Pink, friendship, G.K. Chesterton, John Piper, marijuana, Oswald Chambers, practice, productivity, proverb, quotes, spiritual warfare, video. Leave a Comment »

The Craig And Greg Show: Leading Generations

October 2, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

“Kids these days just don’t understand!”

That’s probably a phrase you’ve heard more than a few times from members of generations your elder, and there is some truth to it! Each generation has very diverse experiences which make them unique from the groups before and after them. In today’s episode, Greg and I want to encourage you to understand and embrace generational differences to make your team stronger.

[0:00] Be sure to pick up Greg’s new book Sales Armageddon.
[0:32] I got called a Boomer!
[1:18] Communicating with a multi-generational team requires different approaches.
[2:52] Many from the Boomer generation are past retirement age, but still enjoy the work they do.
[4:09] Boomers tend to respect authority, where Gen X might be more skeptical.
[4:42] Boomers value formality, but Gen X have embraced a more relaxed work culture.
[6:01] “Put in the time” versus “the value I bring” mentalities.
[6:59] Boomers have a very work first mentality, Gen X embraced more of a work-life balance.
[8:33] Newer generations are much more likely to work multiple jobs in their career.
[9:43] Motivations and loyalties across different generations.
[12:31] Generation iY.
[13:32] The learning and work styles of different generations.
[14:39] Gen Y are heavily influenced by internet and social media thought.
[16:01] Gen Y are very well informed, but sometimes lack practical experience.
[16:44] Desire to collaborate varies across generations.
[17:33] We like to lead in our preferred style, but that isn’t always the best approach.
[20:18] Gen Z have in many ways begun to mirror Boomers.
[21:18] The top line takeaway is respect.
[22:51] I share my biggest lessons learned growing in the workforce.
[24:14] Greg shares his final thoughts on generational divides.
[26:43] Maximize coaching can help you learn to better connect with your team.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Baby Boomers, communication, Craig And Greg Show, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z, leadership, millennials, video. 1 Comment »

May I Be Called Servant

October 1, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

We are getting ready to kick off a new series at Calvary Assembly of God based on the Book of Jude. When I read the opening line of this letter, it makes me pause. Jude writes, “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James” (v. 1).

Men like Peter and John had spent years in Christ’s company, and they called Him Lord and said they were His servants. Paul had supernatural encounters with the risen Savior, and said that he was a man devoted to His service. James and Jude shared a home and family with Jesus, and they call themselves His servant.

**How could I ever claim a title any higher than servant?**

Even if Jude didn’t say it in a bragging fashion, if he simply stated, “Jesus is my Brother,” I am pretty sure that has got to be a door opener for him! People would probably give him an audience and an opportunity—perhaps they would even give his words greater weight—simply because of the fact that they were brothers. But Jude uses this open door to point people to Jesus, not to himself.

So that got me thinking, “What will I do with the open doors, the opportunities, and the listening audiences that are before me? Will I use those things to promote my own agenda or will I use those things to promote Jesus? Will I speak what’s on my mind or what the Holy Spirit puts in my mind?”

I pray that I may use every opportunity to turn as many eyes and hearts as I am able to Jesus. May I use every open door to invite others to come closer to Christ. May I never promote my agenda, but merely be a servant who is speaking the words which I’ve been instructed and anointed to share.

May I only be called a servant of Jesus Christ.

I get much deeper into this topic of biblically-grounded leadership in my book Shepherd Leadership: The Metrics That Really Matter.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apostle James, apostle Paul, apostle Peter, Jude, servant-leadership, servanthood. Leave a Comment »

Earnestly Contend

September 30, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote a letter to the church. He said he was hoping to write about salvation, but looking at the conditions in the culture around him, he felt urged by the Holy Spirit to challenge Christians to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.”

What does this word “contend” mean for us today? Are Christians supposed to be combative about sharing their faith? Are they supposed to argue with anyone and everyone who disagrees with them on any point?

Jude gives us Holy Spirit-inspired wisdom to understand how to deal with those who have departed from the purity of biblical truth.

I hope you can join us at Calvary Assembly of God for this timely series of sermons. Here’s what we have covered:

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: biblical truth, Calvary Assembly of God, Jude, sermon. 13 Comments »

Don’t Fall For This Lose-Lose Gamble

September 30, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah). —Galatians 1:10 AMPC

Trying to please men ultimately becomes a lose-lose attempt.

First, people are fickle and I cannot please all of them all of the time. Second, in attempting to please some people I would have to compromise the truth of the Bible.

The only favor I should seek is the One who saved me and sent me. It is Christ’s voice alone that I long to hear say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Related blog post: Impressing People

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Galatians, God's blessing, integrity, people pleasing. Leave a Comment »

Community Involvement

September 29, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

The letters we’ve looked at so far—B, A, S, and I—are bringing about greater fruitfulness and joy-fullness in our lives, which is then enhancing our personal testimony. So the B, A, S, and I all lead up to the C—community involvement.

One of the first things we need to consider about our community is our role—both what the Bible says is and isn’t our area of concern. Jesus helps us with a parable about wheat and weed and its explanation a few verses later (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)

From Jesus we learn that the world was created good—that’s what God said at each day of Creation. Since the fall of man, satan has sown his evil seeds alongside Christ’s good seeds.

Our responsibility isn’t about pointing out what’s wrong in the world
It isn’t about rooting out the evil in the world
It isn’t about judging the evil or even the evildoers in the world
Our responsibility is to proclaim how good our God is
Our responsibility is to bear as much God-honoring fruit as we can
Our responsibility is to embody biblical principles and proclaim the benefits of God’s Kingdom to others

The apostle Paul helps us see our role in our community with his payer in Ephesians 1:17-20. Paul desires that we know…

The hope to which God has called us. A rock-solid, irrevocable, eternal hope!
The riches of His inheritance in His saints. The treasure is in us. We get to be God’s blessing to those around us.
God’s incomparably great power for us. We’re never lacking anything because His power is for us—God Himself is for us!

When our eyes are opened to this, we can see better how to live in our communities. God has placed us and equipped us to proclaim His glorious Gospel in our Personal Mission Field. The PMF includes places like our:

Family—John 1:35-42
Friend group—John 1:43-46
Neighborhood—Colossians 1:3-8
Workplace—Ephesians 6:5-9

How do we do this?

We talk about the daily interactions you have with Jesus—make it clear that He is a real Person with Whom you have a relationship.
We live out our biblical worldview.
We stay in fellowship with out saints so that we are sharpened and prepared to give an answer for the reason for the hope we have.
We continually monitor our conversation and attitude to make sure they are Christ-like.

Let us saints be known for what we’re for more than for what we’re against!

Instead of railing on the evil, proclaim the favor of God, proclaim the soul-satisfying joy of a relationship with Jesus, and proclaim the advantages of the Holy Spirit’s continual counsel.

If you’ve missed any of the previous messages in our series B.A.S.I.C. Christianity, you can find them all here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, Christianity, Colossians, community involvement, Ephesians, evangelism, family, friend, Gospel of John, Gospel of Matthew, Great Commission, Holy Spirit, parable, sermon, video. 2 Comments »

Links & Quotes

September 27, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

When leaders come into a new organization, they need to be aware that they have to overcome the expectations—good or bad—that others have from their former leader.

I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

Greg Morse has an intriguing question for preachers: “Lawyers, politicians, celebrities, actors, podcasters, YouTubers all train to improve their voices—why not those who speak the very oracles of God?” But he also concludes, “Yet the aim is to speak like you—not like Chrysostom, Whitefield, Spurgeon, or your favorite preacher, though we learn from them. God made you to sound like you.”

J. Warner Wallace makes the case for why we can trust the “chain of evidence” that speaks to the reliability of the Bible.

Researchers discovered tree amber where it shouldn’t be: deep within the ocean! “These sedimentary rocks contain more than amber. The researchers found abundant plant debris, including pieces of large tree trunks, some longer than four feet, mixed into the layers. The tree trunks showed no sign of erosion from transport or borings from shallow marine organisms, indicating they moved fast out to the deep water and were quickly buried.” This is more evidence for the worldwide Flood described in the Bible.

Axis’ Culture Translator shared this important note especially for parents: “In his book Achilles in Vietnam, Veterans Affairs psychologist Jonathan Shay unpacks the psychological devastation of war and the causes of PTSD. He makes the argument that PTSD isn’t just caused by witnessing trauma, but by seeing people in authority choose not to act against evil—what he calls a ‘moral injury.’ War correspondent Sebastian Junger takes this research a step further. In his book Tribe, he concludes that being exposed to a traumatic event without any resilience training, and without a strong, cohesive community to help us process violence, are two strong risk factors for PTSD—stronger even than experiencing prolonged, bloody, hand-to-hand conflict. We see evidence for this theory in emerging research about drone operators and intelligence officers, who appear to experience PTSD at higher rates than other veterans. When our kids open their social media feeds, they encounter a war zone, and they haven’t even had basic training. They are looking to those in authority to help them understand what they just saw. But instead, they often get a cacophony of competing voices and no clear answer. They get a moral injury. Our broken society makes cult heroes of deeply disturbed individuals who are controlled by evil forces and motivated by their own pain. But Proverbs 3:31 is absolutely clear that we are never to envy those who do violence, and not to choose any of their ways. His private counsel, His intimacy, His secret—lies with the upright, and we can have it. But only if we dare to make distinctions, refuse to celebrate wrongdoing no matter the circumstances, and unapologetically stand up for human life.”

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apologetic, Flood, Greg Morse, Institute for Creation Research, J. Warner Wallace, leadership, parenting, preaching, quotes, video. Leave a Comment »

Shepherd Your Family

September 25, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

One of the most important boundaries that shepherd leaders need to establish—especially when contending with biting sheep—is the protection of their family. Check out this clip from The Craig and Greg Show.

You can watch the full episode in which Greg and I talk about some of the principles in When Sheep Bite by clicking here.

Please pick up a copy of When Sheep Bite for yourself by clicking here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Craig And Greg Show, family, Greg Heeres, leadership, video, When Sheep Bite. Leave a Comment »

Impressing People

September 24, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

Near the end of his letter to the saints in Galatia, Paul takes a minute to talk about “those who want to impress people” (Galatians 6:12). Check out how some of the other translations render this phrase—

NLT: want to look good to others
AMPC: make a good impression
NASB: make a good showing

There’s only one way that I can think of for men to look good to other men, and that is to create a man-made program that plays to my strength so that others are impressed with how good I am. It’s only playing a game.

Paul calls out this foolish pursuit, saying, “the only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the Cross of Christ” (v. 12). In other words, they think that if they are popular with men, men will leave them alone, not troubling them for their belief in Jesus.

In Paul’s letter to the saints at Philippi, he says that these earthly-minded people might make themselves look good to other earthly-minded people, but they really “live as enemies of the Cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18).

Doesn’t this put my desire to look good to other people in a different light when I realize that earthly popularity may make me an enemy of the Cross?

People pleasing is a deadly trap! The approval of Jesus eternally outweighs the approval or even the persecution of men.

I only want to look good to my Savior!

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Galatians, God's approval, people pleasing, people-focused, persecution, Philippians. 1 Comment »

“Every Spiritual Blessing”

September 23, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)