Greg Heeres | Craig T. Owens

January 2026
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

Links & Quotes

November 11, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

This is just one example of the power of a leader’s storytelling. Check the full conversation Greg and I had on The Craig And Greg Show. I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.” —Benjamin Franklin

George Jeffreys was born with a limiting speech impediment, but with the empowering of the Holy Spirit, George and his brother Stephen led incredible Pentecostal revivals in England and Wales. They were said to be the greatest evangelists since George Whitefield and John Wesley. Someone asked Jeffreys how long a revival should last, and he responded, “Thank God, a revival started in my heart 30 years ago, and it has never stopped; it will never end.” He continued by saying, “As long as Jesus is kept in the front, and made the center of fellowship and blessing and unity, the revival will never end.” Check out this mini biography about his life.

John Stonestreet uses the example of C.S. Lewis’ Aslan to talk about how God can speak to us through our pain. John writes, “Pain is never the point of God’s plans, any more than it is the purpose of physical exercise. Never pushing ourselves to the point that it hurts means never improving our health. On the other hand, seeking pain is more likely to do harm than to aid our wellbeing. In and of itself, pain is not good, but it is meaningful. Pain indicates that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.”

“The best way to make a dream come true is to wake up.” —Dame Anna Wintour

Because of the extensive prayer, research, and work I put into my book Shepherd Leadership, I am frequently drawn to passages of Scripture that reinforce the idea of pastors as shepherds. I was meditating on Hebrews 5:2 the other day, and I shared some of my thoughts with some of my pastor friends.

The Craig And Greg Show: Once Upon A Time

November 9, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the audio-only version of this podcast by clicking on the player below, or scroll down to watch the video.

Everyone loves stories! Whether it be a book, movie, or even a friend’s tall tale, we love hearing stories because they connect with us on a deeply personal level. As leaders, we can use stories as a powerful tool to connect with our staff and help reinforce the point we’re trying to make. Stories aren’t just for kids, they’re a vital part of effective communication.

[0:10] “Once upon a time there was a podcast…”
[0:48] Stories portray the point better than just telling someone what to do.
[1:30] We see an example of storytelling in the way Nathan confronted King David.
[2:30] Greg wrote a leadership book by telling compelling stories. Check out Sage Advice here.
[4:07] Telling people’s stories honor them.
[5:59] Vision casting sticks better with a story instead of a “talking point.”
[7:43] Stories are more compelling than facts. Leaders need to listen to the stories of their teammates.
[10:39] Stories are under-utilized by far too many leaders.
[12:04] Stories set the stage for everything else the leader is going to share next. But we better be sure the story is true!
[13:28] Paul Harvey illustrates how a good story can expand a leader’s influence.
[15:30] Stories get a reaction and lock it in our brains.
[16:48] Stories bridge the gap between people.
[17:28] Is storytelling a gift, a skill, or both?
[19:42] We need to tell our stories so that others can connect to their own stories.
[21:32] Leaders, you have a great story to tell! We can help coach you in how to tell your story even better.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Craig And Greg Show, Greg Heeres, leadership, podcast, story-telling, storytelling, video, vision casting. 3 Comments »

Links & Quotes

November 4, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Healthy leaders look in the mirror first before they confront a teammate on something that needs to change. Check out the full conversation Greg and I had on The Craig and Greg Show about defeating the two-headed leadership killer of ignorance and arrogance. I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

“I am often, I believe, praying for others when I should be doing things for them. It’s so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see him.” —C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” —William James

The most empowered and empowering person is the one who remains in Jesus.

“Whereas three or more incidents of intense stress within a year (say, serious financial trouble, being fired, or a divorce) triple the death rate in socially isolated middle-aged men, they have no impact whatsoever on the death rate of men who cultivate many close relationships.” —Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis & Annie McKee, Primal Leadership

T.M. Moore has an outstanding series of posts on how Christians should interact with the governments in the lands in which they live. I highly recommend this series to you. T.M. wrote, “We have seen that justice is a jewel of many facets. In its obligatory facet, justice requires that we love our neighbors simply because they are made in the image of God. We must regard them, and do with them, as we wish to be regarded and done with ourselves. In its preventive facet, justice demands that we use forethought in all our actions to make sure, as far as possible, that our neighbor or his property is not injured by what we do. Distributive justice encourages us to share generously with our neighbors and others in need. Restorative justice comes into play when the balance of neighbor love has become disturbed and the one guilty of disturbing it is required to set things right again. Each of these forms of justice, grounded in the Law of God, is very much a part of life in our society today. It is simply mindless or prejudicial to insist that we should have no input from Scripture or the Law of God, either in the public square or in the making of public policy. Our nation was founded on Biblical principles of justice, and to deny this is to rewrite history past and to put in jeopardy history to come.”

The Greek word translated as “consider” in Hebrews 3:1 means to observe closely, to consider attentively, to fix your eyes or mind upon it. In its context, this verb is usually directing us to the end result of being in awe, kindling a renewed faith, and being rejuvenated with a new resolve to move forward. This is what happens especially when we consider Jesus❣️

Links & Quotes

October 28, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

The Holy Spirit loves to give us those “lightbulb moments” when the Word of God almost leaps off the page! I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

It has long been believed that some migratory animals use the earth’s magnetic force to help them navigate. Some researchers discovered that moths can see both the magnetic fields and the stars to plot their course. The lead researcher wrote, “If you have this tiny insect with a brain a tenth the volume of a grain of rice and eyes smaller than a pinhead, that they can do this is surprising.” The protein in their eyes that allow them to do this is unevolved—it’s always been there, implant from the beginning by our awesome Creator!

In the God Speaks Science reading plan on YouVersion, John Von Sloten wrote, “Creation is God’s first book. To read it we need science. Science is not the enemy of the Christian faith; it’s an ally! … We need to read biblical creation references with the Author’s omniscience and original intent in mind. To do that, we need science. … What if you try to connect the next scientific truth you encounter to an attribute of our ever-near God? If everything comes from God’s mind, then everything has something to say about God’s nature.”

Competitive leaders need to keep both winning and losing in perspective. Check out the full conversation Greg and I had about competition on The Craig and Greg Show.

I love studying the archeological discoveries that confirm the historicity of the Bible. Check out this compilation of the kings of Judah and Israel from The Bible Archeology Report. You may also be interested in this side-by-side chart I created of the timelines of these kings.

“Men of peace must not think about retribution or recrimination. Courageous people do not fear forgiving.” —Nelson Mandela

“Leaders inspire others because they are inspired by others.” —John Maxwell

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” —Teddy Roosevelt

The Craig And Greg Show: Competitive Leadership

October 19, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the audio-only version of this podcast by clicking on the player below, or scroll down to watch the video.

Every good leader is competitive. From dollars earned to patients treated, there isn’t a leader out there who isn’t constantly trying to improve their numbers and outdo the competition. However, the wrong kind of competition can fester and create an unhealthy workplace. In this episode, Greg and I discuss how fostering healthy competition in your organization is vital to your success.

[0:14] I am the best host on this show!
[1:52] Leaders need to be competitive but also need to keep it at a healthy level.
[3:42] Not every team member will have the same competitive drive as you.
[4:35] Leaders need to be competitive with themselves.
[7:40] Too much internal competition can be detrimental to the organization.
[8:32] Greg tells a tee-ball story highlighting how your team members innately wonder, “How are we doing?”
[11:50] I have used Six Sigma initiatives to foster positive competition in my organizations.
[13:24] Resilience doesn’t show up until adversity appears.
[16:26] Make halftime adjustments.
[17:32] Cutthroat leaders get short-term results, but their organization suffers in the long run.
[19:53] Giving 100% and failing is difficult, but it’s worse to not know what you could have accomplished.
[21:04] When you win, act like you’ve won before. When you lose, act like you’ll win again.
[22:49] Compete for achievable outcomes.
[24:38] Greg likes to win, but he’s learned more from his losses.
[25:34] It’s impossible to grow without competition.
[28:10] We would love to coach you to help you be a better competitive leader.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: competition, Craig And Greg Show, Greg Heeres, growth mindset, leadership, podcast, Six Sigma, video. 1 Comment »

Trapped By Past Fears

October 18, 2023 — 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.

On a recent episode of The Craig And Greg Show, Greg and I were sharing with leaders how to reframe their fears. In this clip, I discuss the importance of making sure we aren’t hampering a new situation with an old fear.

You can check out the full conversation Greg and I had here.
You may also be interested in two blog posts I have already shared: The Tactics of Fear and How to Escape Your Fears.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. Like this recent post where I shared a map and an app to help with your Bible study time. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Craig And Greg Show, fear, Greg Heeres, leadership, video. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

October 14, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Leaders, you need to determine the coachability factor before you start trying to coach a teammate. Check out our full conversation on The Craig and Greg Show. I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

Sextortion is when someone demands money or other favors in exchange for not sharing an explicit photo or video of the targeted victim. The sextortion of minor children runs into the thousands every month. Axis reported, “Most targets of sextortion are teen boys, who seem to be more likely than girls to send an explicit selfie to someone they aren’t having a romantic relationship with. Anonymous scammers will reach out to their target over social media, engaging in a flirtation and eventually asking for nudes.” Axis also shared these helpful resources, “Families can prepare by telling their teens about resources like TakeItDown, a free service which will remove nudes from the internet within two days, and the 24/7 Crisis Text Line, which connects teens with professional counselors via text at any time.”

“First, government is not God; instead, government is God’s servant for the good of those served. And second, the people are not God, and therefore must not be allowed the last word on what defines the terms of ‘good’ public policy. Only God can define what is good for people, for He alone is good (Mark 10:18; Psalm 119:68).” —T.M. Moore

“Since the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision more than 50 years ago, almost 40% of all abortions in America have been in the Black community, resulting in erasing the lives and destinies of an estimated 23 million Black babies.” The National Black Fellowship is aggressively working to change this.

Can New Testament Christians claim Old Testament promises? Yes! John Piper shares 8 “filters” to help us with this application.

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

J. Warner Wallace uses forensic evidence to demonstrate why we should believe the New Testament was written much closer to the time of the actual event than most skeptics believe. Check out this video.

Links & Quotes

October 7, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

God made you uniquely YOU! You have been made on purpose and for a purpose. I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

This is an exciting archeological discovery: the first Koine Greek rendering of a psalm ever discovered inscribed on stone rather than on parchment or papyrus.

“The wise recognize before the fight that adversity will come and therefore are not surprised by it. The wise recognize in the fight that adversity is a formidable foe and thus steel themselves for a long, hard struggle to the death. The wise recognize after winning a fight that the war is not over and so never let down their guard nor release their weapons.” —Dick Brogden, in Proverbs: Amplified and Applied

Astronomers have discovered planet-sized objects that are puzzling the best minds. In fact, they have had to create a new category for these objects: Jupiter Mass Binary Objects (JuMBOs). What is baffling the brightest minds is that these planets don’t orbit a star but appear to be gravitationally bound to other JuMBOs. My favorite line is this one: “The new phenomenon challenges current frameworks explaining how stars and planets form within nebula, with astrophysicists claiming such objects should not exist.” There is at least one who isn’t baffled: The One who created JuMBOs along with everything else in our universe.

T.M. Moore is in the midst of a series of posts about the Christian and the government. They are excellent! Here is just a short sample—“The Christian understands that government is a servant of God for good, and that God, therefore, must define the terms of goodness by which a government fulfills its appointed task. As Paul reminds us, the Law of God is holy and righteous and good (Romans 7:12). It is important, therefore, that Christians understand the Law of God and consider the best ways of bringing its influence to bear in the arena of public policy. … Public policy is not about what governments can do, but what they should do, that is, if they are to fulfill their callings as God’s servants for good. When it comes to applying the Law of God to public policy, Christians must make this first principle foundational in the logic with which they approach the work of influencing and shaping public policy.”

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Leaders are naturally wired to be either confident or humble. Both kinds of leaders need to remain coachable. Greg and I unpacked this idea on this episode of The Craig And Greg Show, and I also discuss it in greater depth in my book Shepherd Leadership.

The Craig And Greg Show: Neutral Criticism

October 5, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the audio-only version of this podcast by clicking on the player below, or scroll down to watch the video.

Criticism is baked into leadership. Any change you make, whether good or bad, will be met with some level of criticism either internally or externally. Other times, you’ll be in the position of having to express criticism of a decision someone on your team made.

Navigating criticism in a productive way can be tricky, but luckily Greg and I are here to help! In this episode, we discuss how the right kind of criticism can be empowering for your organization.

[0:27] Leaders will always be criticized, even for the good things they have done.
[1:30] Leaders need both humility and confidence to process criticism in a healthy way.
[4:18] Is criticism different than an assessment? It seems like the word “critic” has been hijacked in a negative way.
[6:00] Defensiveness doesn’t help leaders, but we do need to protect ourselves.
[8:27] How do we give constructive criticism without putting others on the defensive?
[10:22] Why is it hard for people to receive criticism?
[12:55] How should we give feedback to others so that it will be received well?
[16:15] Is there a correlation between criticism and coachability?
[19:57] Let’s remember that many of our teammates have had negative interactions with a critical
leader, so we have to change the climate.
[21:28] What happens if a teammate won’t receive any feedback at all?
[23:20] Greg shares an insightful quote from Winston Churchill.
[25:26] As always, leaders have to go first!

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: coachability, confidence, Craig And Greg Show, criticism, Greg Heeres, humility, leadership, personal development, podcast, video. 1 Comment »

The Craig And Greg Show: Good Habits Make Great Leaders

September 21, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the audio-only version of this podcast by clicking on the player below, or scroll down to watch the video.

Automatic habits are an integral part of our everyday lives. From driving a car to the way we tie our shoes, these habits help us all the time with very little thought. Of course, habits aren’t limited to these mundane tasks, we also form them in other areas, like our leadership. As a leader, it’s important to be self-reflective of our habits and make sure they are taking us in the direction we want to go. In this episode, Greg and I discuss how cultivating the right habits will help you flourish as a leader.

[0:19] Aristotle said excellence is a matter of our habits.
[1:27] Our habits are mostly automatic—both the good and the bad habits.
[3:10] How do we keep our habits healthy during chaotic times?
[5:54] What about coping habits—should a leader use them or avoid them?
[7:15] My most beneficial leadership habit.
[9:13] Time-wasters are habits too.
[10:37] When we make changes in our habits, they should be incremental changes.
[12:17] We need to know why we want to make the change in a habit. The “why” determines the “what” and the “how.”
[15:24] How do leaders sustain their healthy habits?
[16:33] How can leaders regain their list momentum of good habits?
[19:27] Leaders need to be aware of the pull of their unintentional habits.
[22:23] How do we get our habits to serve us?
[23:30] I share two vital habits all high-performing leaders need.
[24:56] Leaders need to develop “muscle memory” to keep their healthy habits serving them.
[26:27] Greg shares some important quotes about a leader’s habits.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.