The Craig And Greg Show: The Responsibility Of Power

January 11, 2024 — 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.

It goes without saying, but leadership positions confer a level of power to the people who occupy them. This power is necessary for us as leaders to do our job effectively, but if we’re not very careful it can begin to corrupt us and poison our leadership. Tune in as Greg and I tackle this tricky issue.

  • [0:22] Leaders need both enough power to get things done, but not too much that they crush people. 
  • [1:44] Power can corrupt us if we are unaccountable in the use of our power.
  • [3:12] We should always be thinking in terms of how our use of power can empower others.
  • [5:16] A leader’s power should always be linked to responsibility.
  • [6:27] We earn our power—we don’t grab it form others—to better serve.
  • [9:32] Greg says, “Leadership should be dangerous!”
  • [12:40] Sometimes we must use our power to protect those around us.
  • [16:00] Greg steps into “you know what”!
  • [16:27] Are power and serving compatible?
  • [18:25] What do powerful leaders not want to do?
  • [20:26] When it comes right down to it, the use of leadership really comes down to influence.
  • [22:02] Our coaching services can help you use your power more effectively.

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.

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Book Reviews From 2023

January 2, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

I love reading, and I love sharing my love of good books with others! Here is a list of the books I read and reviewed in 2023. Click on a title to be taken to that review.

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, And A Great War

Opportunity Leadership

Proverbs: Amplified and Applied

Sage Advice

Here are my book reviews for 2011.

Here are my book reviews for 2012.

Here are my book reviews for 2013.

Here are my book reviews for 2014.

Here are my book reviews for 2015.

Here are my book reviews for 2016.

Here are my book reviews for 2017.

Here are my book reviews for 2018.

       Here are my book reviews for 2019.

Here are my book reviews for 2020.

Here are my book reviews for 2021.

Here are my book reviews for 2022.

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

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Links & Quotes

December 23, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

King Solomon has two phrases that help us keep a biblical perspective. If we miss this, Solomon says, we are going to experience a lot of frustration. I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

The angel told Joseph what he needed to do, and Joseph responded immediately. This is how we should live too—No complaints, no excuses, just obedience. 

“If we as leaders do not model, we lose moral authority. … The goal of teaching and preaching is not to inspire, but to transform, and transformation at the spiritual and moral level can only be instigated and maintained if the speaker is authentic. We cannot call others to abide if we do not abide, to holiness if we are not holy, to sacrifice if we do not sacrifice, to evangelism if we do not evangelize, or to Jesus if we are not with Him ourselves. … The steady legitimacy of our deeds prove the worth of our words. We demonstrate our words are worthy by living them.” —Dick Brogden, in Proverbs: Amplified and Applied

T.M. Moore writes, “In ancient Israel the tithe was a uniform rate for all people, regardless of income, social standing, or need. Everyone was expected to bring a tenth of his wealth—much of this in the form of property (animals or harvests)—to be administered by priests and Levites for the upkeep of the spiritual life of the nation. In our country, graduated tax rates, accompanied by a variety of flat taxes, have become the means for creating an ever-expanding central government and an entitlement society in which nearly half the population pay no income taxes at all and, thus, receive many services from the State at the expense of those who do pay taxes. (As an aside, it’s interesting to note that one of the early arguments for a graduated income tax appeared not in The Federalist Papers but in The Communist Manifesto.) It’s not difficult to see how such a system of taxation can be used to curry favor and purchase political power.” Check out all of T.M.’s posts in this excellent series.

J. Warner Wallace proposes that we should look at the fact that our Earth is “just right” as evidence of an intelligent Creator.

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Tell Better Stories

December 21, 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. 

Telling stories will help your message “stick” better. To be a better storyteller, you need to learn to be a better story-listener.

Check out this episode of The Podcast.

Some resources to go along with this video:

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. Like this video where I explain what the Bible means when we “examine” our lives. ◀︎◀︎

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Obedience Helps Obedience

December 20, 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. 

The book of Judges in the Bible records a dark time in Israel’s history. There is a phrase that is repeated multiple times in that book, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25). The absence of godly leaders setting a God-honoring example for the people led to some ugly behaviors! 

The Book of Ruth (which is set during this same time period) opens with the words, “In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). This famine of both godly leadership and good harvests led Elimelech to leave Israel and allow his sons to marry women they shouldn’t have married. It also prompted opportunity seekers to seize Elimelech’s land, so that when his widow Naomi returned with her daughter-in-law Ruth, there was no source of income for them. 

One godly leader, a prophetess named Deborah, held firmly to God’s word. Her unwavering devotion to God was an encouragement to Barak to lead his armies to victory over their oppressors. In her song after the victory was secured, Deborah sang—

When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord! … My heart is with the rulers of Israel who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the Lord! (Judges 5:2, 9 NKJV)

Notice this vital principle: 

A mark of a godly leader is one whose obedience toward God helps others obey God.

Deborah’s obedience helped Barak obey God. 

We see this again in the Book of Ruth when Boaz obeys God’s command to fulfill his responsibility as Naomi and Ruth’s kinsman-redeemer. His obedience helped Ruth also obey God. 

Even in the New Testament, Joseph is a phenomenal example of this principle. Every single time the angel of God speaks to him about what he should do, Joseph’s immediate response is obedience. And then Matthew records that Joseph’s obedience is directly tied to prophecies about Jesus being fulfilled (Matthew 1:20-24; 2:13-15, 19-23). 

Godly leaders must go first! When we are the first in obedience—no matter how difficult it may seem in the moment—we make it possible for others to obey God themselves. 

This is part 75 in my series on godly leadership. You can check out all of my posts in this series by clicking here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. Like this video where I talk about the logic in Psalm 119. ◀︎◀︎

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The Craig And Greg Show: Christmas Traditions

December 7, 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.

Christmas seems to be the one time of year when everyone loves to share their traditions, both in their families and in their organizations. As leaders we should embrace organizational traditions, and use them to show our team the culture of our organization. We also need to be aware that the personal traditions of our team members might make their lives a bit more hectic, and understanding and flexibility on our part will go a long way for them.

Books make great Christmas gifts! Pick up a copy of my and Greg’s new books to give to the leader in your life. Greg wrote Sage Advice and I wrote Shepherd Leadership.

  • [0:22] Christmas has more traditions than probably any other holiday—both in our families and in our organizations. 
  • [2:22] Organizational culture isn’t written down, so holiday traditions can help us convey the culture to our teammates.
  • [3:28] I share one of my family Christmas traditions.
  • [6:00] What does generosity have to do with traditions?
  • [7:14] Greg shares one of his Christmas traditions with his family.
  • [9:02] Traditions bring comfort in uncertain times, but we can still adapt them as some situations change.
  • [12:25] Leaders need to be aware of the stress our teammates may feel during the holidays.
  • [15:17] Leader should be especially aware of our staff members’ needs during this time of year.
  • [18:00] Greg shares a mistake that his organization made that generated a lot of stress, and how they corrected it.
  • [21:18] We both share some fun stores about Christmas.
  • [24:23] Leader need to really leverage what Christmas really means.

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.

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Take A Breath

November 28, 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. 

Leaders earn some of their credibility when they lead through difficult or chaotic times. But it is also during these times that a leader can un-do all of the good things that he had already accomplished.

On a recent episode of The Craig And Greg Show, Greg Heeres and I discussed how leaders can learn to control their reaction. In this clip, I share one simple strategy that has been so helpful for my leadership growth.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Control Your Reaction

November 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.

As a leader, you have the great responsibility, and privilege, of setting the tone for your team. One of the biggest ways you set the tone for your organization is how you react to stressful situations. Remaining calm through adversity signals to your team that they can remain calm as well, and provides amazing stability to your organization. In this episode, Greg and I discuss this topic and give helpful tips that will enable you to better control your reactions.

  • [0:30] When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But what do leaders do during tough times?
  • [2:51] When a leader panics, the team cannot be calm.
  • [3:24] Greg has a great analogy for the world of nature that can help leaders.
  • [5:08] What happens if a leader’s anger erupts?
  • [7:53] Our teammates watch our responses closely in tense times and in our reflection times after the intense activity.
  • [10:15] Leaders have to learn how to control the emotional extremes.
  • [12:35] Insecure leaders tend to react a little too intensely, and their teams will learn to follow their example.
  • [13:28] Both pre-planning and reflection will help leaders avoid an over-the-top reaction.
  • [18:04] Reactions that are too quick usually create additional problems. Thoughtful responses are always healthier.
  • [20:22] Macro and micro situations require different responses from leaders, so leaders need to learn to quickly assess the situation.
  • [23:00] I suggest the most important thing for leaders to work on to avoid overreactions.
  • [25:16] Greg shares a quote with his own helpful modification.

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.

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Links & Quotes

November 18, 2023 — Craig T. Owens

On Veterans Day, Greg and I wanted to encourage you to ask a veteran to tell you their stories. Their stories are a vital link to our stories too! Watch this 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.

“When we are foolish and young, we need more rules. As we mature, we can be trusted with extended boundaries. The wiser we are, the more we appreciate those boundaries and the less they offend us. Offense at law, accountability, hedges, and boundaries is an indicator of immaturity. The wiser we are, the more unafraid and appreciative we are of those who hold us to account.” —Dick Brogden, in Proverbs: Amplified and Applied

“When public policy begins to encroach on the Christian’s freedom and duty to proclaim the Good News, or to bring the benefits of the Gospel to the community, believers must continue our mission nonetheless and be ready to bear whatever punishments those in authority may choose to inflict. Christians do not seek suffering, but we must not shun it, particularly when by our suffering we can work for public policies more in line with the centrality of the Gospel for the wellbeing of all people.” —T.M. Moore

The Golden Rule—treat others as you would want to be treated—applies to the way you treat yourself too. Stop beating yourself up when you make a mistake. You probably don’t beat up others when they stumble, so extend the same grace to yourself. Practice healthy, affirming self-talk. Check out this full conversation from episode 68 of The Craig And Greg Show.

“A thought, a sword, and a spade should never be allowed to rust.” —Irish Proverb

Dr. C. John “Jack” Collins uses some thoughts from C.S. Lewis to help us learn a little better how to read Genesis 1-11. He writes, “We should approach any biblical passage with the conviction that God inspired the Bible to be the right tool for its job. If we can get a good idea of what kind of tool our passage is, we can discern what job God intended it to perform. And that means we need to be willing to adjust what we’re looking for and be willing to find other ways of addressing some questions.”

Sunflowers have an amazing biomechanism called heliotropism that allows them to “see” the sun. They can literally turn their face throughout the day (even a cloudy day) to follow the sun and maximize their photosynthesis potential. What an amazing Creator our God is!

“Failure to pray is simple unbelief. We must repent of our unbelief and take up the work of prayer with greater devotion and dedication. We shall not be able to realize progress in Christ’s Kingdom, or in returning our nation to a greater experience of justice and goodness, apart from prayer. Prayer is the starting point for public policy. Prayer must be the sustaining power of public policy. And prayer in the form of worship will be the outcome of public policies, forged in prayer, which lead to a peaceful, godly, dignified, true, and Gospel-friendly society.” —T.M. Moore

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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.

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