culture | Craig T. Owens

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Links & Quotes

October 24, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Jesus wants us to experience all of His blessings, so He has gotten this amazing cycle of power started on our behalf. Don’t try to take this out of His hands, but keeping doing what He has empowered you to do.

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.

“An indifference of spirit between truth and error, good and evil, may be called charity and meekness, but it is not pleasing to Christ.” —Matthew Henry, commenting on the Nicolaitians in Revelation 2:6

J. Warner Wallace correctly says, “One non‑negotiable was this: if Jesus is anything less than God, Christianity collapses in all the places that matter most.” He then points to several places in the Bible that unravel if Jesus isn’t God.

“Stand your ground like an anvil under the hammer.” —Ignatius, writing to Polycarp

“Arguments about Scripture achieve nothing but a stomachache and a headache.” —Tertullian

T.M. Moore notes, “In this…question regarding taxes, Jesus laid down a fundamental principle concerning the relationship of human institutions—in this case, government—to the divine economy. He made two important points.” Read more about how Christians are to use the things of culture to glorify God.

Ryan Dembeck reminds us that Christians should have an impeccable work ethic. In this post he says, “Over the years, after hundreds of interviews and conversations, I’ve observed three qualities of people who glorify God in their everyday vocation: resolve in the calling, grit because of joy, and dedication to others’ flourishing.”

Melvin Hodges studied religious revivals throughout history. Even looking at the religious fervor at the dawn of the New Testament church. He said, “The New Testament Church gradually lost the purity and power that characterized her apostolic beginnings, and became adulterated by worldliness, greed and paganism as she increased in numbers and influence. … We dare not ignore the lessons of history.” He identified three characteristics of a declining revival movement: 1) a diminishing hunger for God; 2) a lack of concern for holiness; and 3) the loss of the sense of mission and destiny.

Ever since encountering honeybees as a kid on my grandparents’ farm, I have always been fascinated by these amazing creatures. This new finding adds more reasons to stand appreciate the genius of our Creator! For further proof of the genius of honeybees, check out the mathematical and engineering genius God has given them—

The Craig And Greg Show: Pace Your Change

October 15, 2026 — 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. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here.

Being the new leader of an organization is a difficult task. It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time leader or have decades of leadership experience, you’re still “the new guy” to everyone else in the organization. So when you step into your new role and have to begin making changes you will most likely encounter areas of resistance.

In this episode, Greg and I have a thought-provoking discussion on how to mitigate and confront resistance to change, as well as laying out why we think patience can often be your most important trait during a transition.

[0:00] Introduction
[0:18] Greg and I have a huge catalogue of videos for you to explore.
[1:01] Get your copy of Business By The Book Vol 1 now
[2:16] How quickly can a new leader start to affect change?
[4:57] I discuss what it’s like to enter a leadership role where change is expected from day one.
[6:32] Dealing with loyalists to the previous boss can be difficult.
[8:10] Be mindful of the pace of your change and respect the past experience of your team.
[12:17] Let your existing team be involved in your transition.
[14:46] Ask questions as opposed to making statements.
[16:19] Collect, prioritize, and over-communicate information.
[18:27] How do you respond to someone who is hesitating to accept your change?
[21:08] Journaling is a valuable tool for new leaders. Greg and I discussed this in a previous episode.
[21:43] If the previous leader left on good terms they can be a valuable tool to help you hit the ground running.
[23:50] No organization can stay the same, so continued change is necessary.
[26:17] A leadership coach can provide an objective perspective on the changes you need to make.

Check out more leadership videos from The Craig and Greg Show library.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Business by the Book, change, Craig And Greg Show, culture, leadership, team building. Leave a Comment »

6 Quotes From “Above The Line”

September 22, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Even a Wolverine fan can acknowledge the quality leadership lessons that Urban Meyer (the coach of that football team to the south of us) provides in his book Above the Line. You can check out my book review by clicking here.

Below are a few quotes that caught my attention. My Patreon supporters have access to all of the quotes from this book.

“We teach our players, in response to any situation they face, to press pause and ask: What does this situation require of me? Pressing pause gives you time to think. It gets you off autopilot and helps you gain clarity about the outcome you are pursuing, the situation you are experiencing, and the Above the Line action you need to take to achieve the outcome.”

“Under pressure, we do not rise to the occasion. We rise or fall to the level of our training. When contact is made, it is too late to train and build skill.”

“Every team faces some kind of adversity. Mediocre teams are destroyed by it. Good teams survive it. Great teams get better because of it.”

“Resilience is one of life’s most important attributes. Because nobody wants hardship or adversity, but everybody gets it. It’s inevitable. No one escapes pain, fear, or difficulty. In fact, a productive and successful life involves some amount of necessary pain. When it happens, don’t run from it. Learn from it.”

“Performance cannot be declared. It must be led. Great results are initiated and sustained by great leadership. Not just leaders at the top, but leaders at every level.”

“Culture is what leads when no one is watching.”

My Patreon supporters have all of my notes from Above the Line, including the six “R” factors Urban Meyer unpacks in his formula E + R = O.

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

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: book review, culture, difficulties, leadership, perseverance, quotes, resilience, training. 2 Comments »

Links & Quotes

August 15, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Jesus is still telling His story, and He wants to tell it through your life! See John 21:25, 14:12 and check out this encouraging sermon.

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.

“The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 a.m. for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.” —Timothy Keller

Abdu Murray addressed an audience about what it means to be human, and how modern culture has “began to under-spiritualize and over-psychologize what it meant to be human.” I found his history lesson and applications to be quite fascination.

T.M. Moore is presenting a series of posts about the use of our time. “The only time we ever have is the present moment, supplied as an act of free grace by the eternal God and His Word. He has a purpose for the time He gives us: to know Him, enjoy His Presence and blessings, do His work, express His glory, and spread His grace in every moment of our everyday Christian lives. … Time is precious. We can make better use of it than we do.”

“Remember that you can never be really whole till you are holy, for holiness is spiritual sanity; it is the curing of the mind and heart from the disease which sin brought upon them.” —Charles Spurgeon

“What we call ‘being in love’ is a glorious state, and, in several ways, good for us. It helps to make us generous and courageous, it opens our eyes not only to the beauty of the beloved but to all beauty, and it subordinates (especially at first) our merely animal sexuality; in that sense, love is the great conqueror of lust.” —C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity

“A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.” —Winston Churchill

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Abdu Murray, anger, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, culture, Heavenly Father, human nature, love, lust, personal holiness, prayer, quotes, T.M. Moore, Tim Keller, time, time management, video, Winston Churchill. Leave a Comment »

The Cure For Disintegrating Morality

May 6, 2026 — 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. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here.

Jesus spoke and people listened.

He taught “in the power of the Spirit” and “everyone praised Him” (Luke 4:14-15). Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah, and everyone’s eyes “were fastened on Him.” He declared that He was the fulfillment of the prophecies about the Messiah, and “all spoke well of Him” and were “amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips” (vv. 18-22).

(Check out all of these Scriptures here.)

So how is it that in just a few verses, this same crowd of admirers is now furious with Him and ready to throw Him off a cliff?

The people liked it when the words of Scripture suited them and seemed to be pointing to blessings that were coming their way. But when Jesus continued to quote Scripture in reply to their request to do something that thrilled them, they became furious.

God’s Word is unwavering in presenting the righteous standard to which all people are held, while the prevailing culture is always looking for a way to bend those standards to something more palatable and comfortable.

When culture gets a hold of it, morality always decays. As a result, those who cling to the the biblical standard become the problem and must be thrown off the cliff.

Jesus never compromised on truth. This is because He was “led by the Spirit” and walked “in the power of the Spirit”—the One Whom He would later call the Spirit of Truth (Luke 4:1, 14; John 16:13).

Jesus didn’t come to speak comforting words to comfortable people, but truthful words to desperate people.

Speaking comfort to people with morals far removed from the standard of Scripture is to condone them right into hell.

If Jesus was so reliant on the indwelling power and counsel of the Holy Spirit to live righteously as morality decayed around Him, what would make us think we could get by with anything less?! We need to allow the Spirit of Truth to search us for any areas where we may have compromised with culture, so that we can repent and return to the unwavering biblical standard.

This is the only way we can shine brightly for Jesus in a culture with disintegrating morality.

You may also want to check out:

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

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: culture, Gospel of John, Gospel of Luke, Holy Spirit, immoral, Jesus Christ, morality, testimony. Leave a Comment »

The Craig And Greg Show: Don’t Be A Poser

March 12, 2026 — 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.

Everyone wants to fit in—it’s an entirely natural human instinct to desire the approval of those around you. However, when this instinct causes us to change who we are it can become very destructive to us both personally and professionally. In today’s episode Greg and I discuss how being a poser is a sneaky leadership killer that can creep in without you even noticing.

[0:00] Introduction
[1:38] Posing is a leadership killer that might not be obvious to a leader.
[2:52] Why would a leader think they have to pose in front of certain groups?
[5:38] Leaders need to be cautious of thinking, “I have to fit in. I have to be liked by this group.”
[7:31] Posing isn’t changing a style of communication.
[8:26] Being misunderstood is very difficult for everyone, but we cannot fall into the posing trap in order to try to be understood.
[10:30] Our teams need to know what to expect from us.
[11:48] How does posing limit leadership effectiveness? How does authenticity launch a team?
[15:15] Posing leaders force their teams to think inside-the-box.
[16:54] Authentic leaders want to hire authentic team members to promote an authentic culture.
[19:40] Leaders need to be confident to be authentic, and that authenticity is incredibly freeing!
[23:40] Coaches who listen and observe and can help you spot the hidden areas of posing. Check out the Maximize Leadership coaching services.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: authenticity, blind spots, Craig And Greg Show, culture, leadership, thought life, video. Leave a Comment »

No Contention, No Compromise

October 20, 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.

As we continue our look at the Book of Jude, let me remind you that Jude calls Christians to contend for the faith with a servant’s attitude and with an all-in attitude that will not give in even when the going gets tough.

What exactly are we contending for? Jude calls it “…the faith once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3).

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

It might be helpful to look at this phrase in the AMPC: “…to contend for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints—the faith which is that sum of Christian belief which was delivered verbally to the holy people of God.”

During the Reformation there was a phrase that became prominent: “Sola Scriptura” which means the Bible is our authoritative guide for everything in our lives. Jesus addressed the religious leaders who added to the Scripture (Mark 7:8-9, 13), and here Jude is now addressing those who took away from Scripture (Jude 4).

We have to be so careful here. Contending doesn’t meet fighting for our traditions, nor does it mean compromising with the whims of culture. Jesus told us to preach the Gospel, not to argue nor give in to avoid problems. Jude says this Gospel message have been entrusted to us.

Ronald Reagan was talking about the freedoms in the United States of America, but his warning sounds like it originated with Jude: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

We don’t want to spend our sunset years telling our children and grandchildren how it used to be when we contended for the faith that was entrusted to us, but we want to tell them how we are still winsomely and consistently contending for this faith still to this day!

So how do we contend for this faith the right way?

(1) Study God’s Word and then study it some more. I like what Charles Spurgeon said of John Bunyan, “Why, this man is a living Bible! Prick him anywhere—his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his very soul is full of the Word of God. I commend his example to you, beloved.” May that be said of us!

James encourages Christians to receive God’s Word in their hearts. The Amplified Bible says it this way: “the Word which [is] implanted and rooted in your hearts.” But I really love the KJV rendering that calls it “the engrafted word.” We study God’s Word to us so that it can become a living, breathing part of who we are—the very fabric of our thoughts and attitudes.

(2) Wrestle with the whole counsel of Scripture. This is hard work, but it is the most rewarding work of all! Don’t stick with only passages of the Bible that are enjoyable to read, but consider the whole counsel of God’s Word. Ask yourself things like: What did it mean then? What does it mean now? What does it mean for me? Where can I cross-reference this with another place in Scripture?

(3) Make your “No” merciful, peaceful, and loving. This is how Jude calls us to live in v. 2, and the apostle Peter said something very similar in 1 Peter 4:1-5.

(4) Make your “Yes” compelling and attractive. Remember that we want to be known more for what we’re for, not for what we’re against. Again, Peter sounds this same note in 1 Peter 3:13-16.

As saints entrusted with the faith, we have to learn to contend for this faith without becoming contentious and without compromising the truth.

If you’ve missed any of the other messages in this series Earnestly Contend, 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: 1 Peter, Book of James, Calvary Assembly of God, Charles Spurgeon, Christianity, compromise, culture, Gospel of Mark, John Bunyan, Jude, quotes, Ronald Reagan, saints, sermon, Sola Scriptura, tradition, video. 4 Comments »

The Craig And Greg Show: First You Need Trust

September 18, 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.

In the wise words of John C. Maxwell, “He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.” As always Maxwell is right on the money. And the first step to getting others to follow you is trust. If you want to lead your team into uncharted territory they have to first trust that you’re not going to lead them off a cliff! In today’s episode Greg and I cover why trust is so vital and offer suggestions on how to build and maintain trust.

[0:42] People only listen to leaders that they can trust.
[2:03] Trust is an emotional glue between a leader and the team.
[3:03] Trust has to be built over time.
[6:07] Sometimes our teammates will test our trustworthiness.
[6:57] How leaders build trust.
[10:22] Phrases leaders should never use!
[12:07] Be careful of becoming defensive if someone questions your trustworthiness.
[13:26] Some people are unaware that they are not trustworthy.
[13:59] In building trust, be sure to extend grace to others.
[15:10] An external coach can help you spot the areas where you may be undermining your own foundation of trust.
[16:28] Trust builds culture and culture builds trust.
[18:04] Trusting cultures foster greater creativity and camaraderie.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Craig And Greg Show, culture, leadership, team building, trust, trustworthy, video. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

April 12, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Hey, leaders, let me ask you a simple question: Is your workplace a safe place for people to make mistakes? It should be or else we will be limiting the potential of both our teammates and our whole organization. Greg and I unpack this in greater detail in this episode.

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.

“You yearn for a simplified lifestyle, so that your communication with Me can be uninterrupted. But I challenge you to relinquish the fantasy of an uncluttered world. Accept each day just as it comes, and find Me in the midst of it all. … Remember that your ultimate goal is not to control or fix everything around you; it is to keep communing with Me. A successful day is one in which you have stayed in touch with Me, even if many things remain undone at the end of the day. Do not let your to-do list (written or mental) become an idol directing your life. Instead, ask My Spirit to guide you moment by moment.” —Sarah Young, Jesus Calling [1 Thessalonians 5:17; Proverbs 3:6]

“God is God, and since He is God, He is worthy of my worship and my service. I will find rest nowhere else but in His will, and that will is necessarily infinitely, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.” —Elizabeth Elliot

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” —Booker T. Washington

As I have mentioned previously, T.M. Moore and I share the conviction that pastors are called by God to shepherd the sheep God has placed under their care. Moore writes, “Jesus indicated six disciplines that shepherds must master in leading His churches.” Check out this post where he outlines these six disciplines.

Pornography adversely effects the viewer’s brain, leading to a growing list of physical and emotional problems. Check out this post from Fight The New Drug, in which they report, “No matter what you believe about porn, ‘what is undeniable is that we’re consuming far more of it than at any point in human history, and the effects of this are yet to fully register.’”

I have always loved the fact of God’s laughter—the perfect joy He has must be expressed in perfect laughter! David Mathis writes about the encouragement in God’s laugh: “One way to enjoy the smile of our fiercely happy Father is to tune your ears to the wonders of His laughter.”

Scientists took a cubic millimeter of a mouse’s brain and mapped out the neurons and connections. The result is astounding! In Nature, they wrote, “A cubic millimetre might not sound like much—roughly the size of a grain of sand—but to neuroscientists, it is enormous. One cubic millimetre of a mammalian brain contains tens of thousands of neurons with hundreds of millions of connections, or synapses, between them.” Can you imagine what the human brain is like?! How amazing is our Creator!

“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.” —G.K. Chesterton

Unity Is Not Conformity

August 21, 2024 — 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.

Unity is not conformity nor is it mimicry. The Holy Spirit unites Christians in their message of hope to the world, but He does this by empowering each of our unique testimonies to our culture.

This is a message I shared with the congregation at Country Chapel during their week-long revival meetings.