The well-known Cleveland Clinic reported that an attitude of gratitude leads to overall wellness.  Here are five things you can start doing today that will increase your gratitude levels, enhance your Christian testimony, and generally improve your life. Check out the video version of this sermon.  Follow along with all of the messages in this series called Be Thankful by clicking here. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

This is a really cool cycle! I know I love God because I obey His command to love others, which I can only do because I love God and obey His commands. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

When we cross-reference biblical passages, the confirming details build both out trust in the divine inspiration of the Bible, but also its historical reliability. Check out one example that Luke gives us in the Book of Acts. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

In someways, my new book “When Sheep Bite” came out of my first book “Shepherd Leadership.” And yet, in many ways I consider “When Sheep Bite” to be the prequel of “Shepherd Leadership.”  In either case, you can find out more about both of these books at http://craigtowens.com  Check out the video version of this clip. 

We can learn about our giftedness on our own, but our involvement with other brothers and sisters in Christ will also help us see our gifts and soar in the use of our gifts.  Check out the video version of this sermon.  If you’ve missed any of the other messages in our Living in your gift zone series, you can check them all out here. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Make some time for face time, and you’ll be increasing both your joy and the joy of your friend as you talk with each other. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. You might be motivated by a feeling of limitation where you are, excited by a new opportunity, ready to retire and soak up some sun, or many other reasons. Whatever your reasons are, Greg and I would like to give you practical advice to apply when you’re considering moving on. Check out the video version of this conversation.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  

Successful ministry shouldn’t focus on bigger numbers, but on faster obedience to God’s voice. There is a short but invaluable biography from the Book of Acts that godly leaders would do well to study.  To order a copy of Shepherd Leadership, to check out some reviews of this book, and to watch some related videos about Philip, go to http://craigtowens.com. 

I’d like to ask you a simple but important question, “How are you doing?” Let me also give you a better way of asking and answering this question. Check out this episode of The Podcast. Check out the video version of this episode.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

What do you do that thrills you because you ran to it because it was killing you, and now it fulfills you to keep doing it? This is where you find your “sweet spot” in how God has gifted you.  Check out the video version of this sermon.  With all three of these circles, please take some time to ponder what your sweet spot is. And if you’ve missed any of the messages in this series, 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. ◀︎◀︎

Because Jesus overcame the temptations of satan as a human, you can too!  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

John Stonestreet used an interesting term (pre-political) that got me thinking about how many government programs would be unnecessary if the Church was doing what Jesus called the Church to do. Check out the video version of this episode.  If you would like to watch the full sermon from which I took this clip, you can find that here. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Be careful if you find yourself thinking, “Look what I have done!” Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

When unexpected difficulties crash into our lives, let’s re-frame our thinking. It may be that our greatest opportunities may come through our greatest hardships. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

The things that thrill us give us an indication of an area of giftedness, but so do the things that kill us. Our passion and our pain are frequently two sides of the same coin, so we need to pay attention to both of those things. Check out the video version of this sermon.  If you’ve missed any of the messages in our series Living In Your Gift Zone, 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. ◀︎◀︎

Peter summed up the ministry of Jesus: “He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil.” What kind of influence might we have if we were as missions-minded as Jesus was? Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

It’s good to be good, but good is never great. As leaders we have to consciously work to avoid the trap of good. Join Greg and me as we discuss how to make your good better, and your better best. Check out the video version of this conversation.  If you’d like help getting better in this or any other area of leadership, Maximize would love to help you! Head over to https://maximizeleadership.com and fill out the form at the bottom of the coaching page for more information on how a leadership coach can explode your growth. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

I want to give you some thoughts to take your Bible studies even deeper. Here are three strategies to make your Bible study time stickier—sticking in your heart and your mind.  Check out the video version of this episode of The Podcast.  On my blog I have numerous Study Bibles that I hav reviewed.  And iIf you are interested in the posts and videos where I talk about how to handle difficult-to-understand passages of Scripture, check out Handling Tough Texts and The Lens for Difficult Biblical Passages. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Ungodly leaders are also unsure and unstable. Here is a great case study for what godly leaders can and should avoid.  I talk more about a godly leader’s sure calling in my book Shepherd Leadership. And in this blog post, I give a three-word statement that can help godly leaders navigate through the toughest of decisions. This is part 79 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. ◀︎◀︎

I am deeply concerned about the words and actions of Christian saints during these past election cycles. Here is what I believe the Bible shows us our words and lifestyle should be. Check out the video version of this sermon.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Growth is not automatic; this is especially true for spiritual growth. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

In my book “When Sheep Bite,” I not only wrote about biting sheep, but I also wrote about wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing, and wolves who aren’t trying to hide themselves at all!  Watch the video here. I have a related blog post that may interest you as well: When Shepherds and Sheep Talk. And you can check out more of this podcast I interview I did here. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎  

The way Jesus gives commands to Christians is exactly the same way Christians understand and obey those commands. I discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life in much greater detail in my series called We Are: Pentecostal.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Would you like to be known as somebody who’s “full of it”? I know that phrase usually has a negative connotation, but I would like to make the case that this is actually a really good thing. Check out this episode of The Podcast. Check out the video version of this episode.  There are lots of supporting posts and videos available on my written blog. You can check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens 

We will be more likely to persevere through the challenging times when we are doing what we are gifted to do. One of the ways we discover our God-giftedness is by what thrills us. Here are three things to notice.  Check out the video version of this sermon. If you’ve missed any of the messages in our series Living in Your Gift Zone, 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. ◀︎◀︎

When Jesus proclaimed His “I Am” statements in the New Testament, He was tying Himself to all of the “Jehovah” titles of the Old Testament. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

The game-winning field goal, the bottom of the ninth home run, the last-second fadeaway jumper! In sports we are quick to recognize a clutch player. You might not perform in front of millions of fans, but you can be a clutch player for your organization as well! Join Greg and me as we discuss what it means to be clutch for your team, and lay out how your leadership can help empower others to do the same. Check out the video version of this conversation.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens 

The Bible calls on Christians to work with excellence, to be both efficient and effective in our daily lives. Let Regan Rose’s “Redeeming Productivity” be your guide to help you get started or improve what you’re already doing. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

God created you as a gift to the Body of Christ. Your gift is absolutely essential if the Body is going to grow into the vital, life-changing, God-glorifying force it is intended to be. Check out the video version of this sermon. If you’ve missed any of the other messages in this series, you can check them all out here. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Following rules just to follow rules misses the point.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Both mentoring and coaching are valuable skills in leadership development, but they are not interchangeable skills. Check out how Greg and I unpack this important distinction. Watch the video of this clip here, or check out the full conversation from The Craig and Greg Show here.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

I’d like to teach you an important lesson from 2nd Grade. I had the opportunity to interact with some young students, and I think we all learned something valuable. Check out the video version of this episode of The Podcast. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

The Church heard the threats from the Sanhedrin, warning them not to talk about Jesus anymore. Their first response was to go to God in prayer.  You may also like my blog post and sermon 4 Holy Spirit-Enhanced Habits, and my whole series on prayer called Be A First Responder.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

God has gifted us to soar, but we have mostly limited ourselves to our comfort zone. God is calling us to get uncomfortable with staying comfortable by confronting the lies that have kept us trapped. Check out the video version of this sermon.  How do you discover your gifts? That’s what we are going to unpack in this series over the next few weeks, I hope you will continue to follow along. And you can catch up on anything you may have missed in our series called Living in Your Gift Zone by clicking here. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Say what you mean and mean what you say. Jesus said, “Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

You might be checking out this episode with the hope of one day being a leader. Well, Greg and I have good news for you—you already are! Leaders are not just the person at the top, but if you have a leadership mindset you can be a leader in whatever position you currently occupy. Join us as we chat about how important it is to start being a leader before you have the “leader” title. Check out the video version of this conversation.  If you’d like help getting better in this or any other area of leadership, Maximize would love to help you! Head over to https://maximizeleadership.com and fill out the form at the bottom of the coaching page for more information on how a leadership coach can explode your growth. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens 

The first Church in the Book of Acts could have easily become the first two churches right from the beginning. It’s instructive how these groups were able to maintain the unity of just one Church. Check out the video version of this clip. This is a clip from a sermon I shared called Unity Is Not Conformity.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Jesus—the Good Shepherd—gives His sheep reasons to trust Him, and He gives His under-shepherds an example to follow. You can order my books, check out my other podcasts, and find other resources that I have available at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Both Christians and non-Christians alike quote the words, “Do not judge.” Is that in the Bible? If so, is that phrase being applied correctly? Check out the next installment in our series “Is that in the Bible?”  Check out the video of this sermon.  If you’ve missed any of the other messages in this installment of our series Is That In The Bible?, 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. ◀︎◀︎

Perhaps the best way to make your “Yes” mean “Yes” is to say “No.”  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

If you’re going through a dark time in your life right now, I’ve got a word of encouragement from you. Well, actually three words of encouragement! Check out the video version of this episode of The Podcast. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

In the middle of the horrific treatment that Jesus endured during His Passion, I found one of the silliest statements I have ever read in the Bible! But it’s a silliness that could easily apply to you and me still today.  You may also be interested in these related blog posts: The silence and the words of Jesus during this sham trial—Eloquent Silence and Respectful Boldness Some more thoughts about God’s rules versus man’s traditions—What Are Rules For? and Use The Right Term Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

There are some know-it-alls who want to tell pastoral leaders how they should have done things differently. Much like the “armchair quarterbacks” that seem to know all the right calls a team should make, even though they have virtually no experience. Check out the video version of this conversation.  Please check out both When Sheep Bite and Shepherd Leadership. And get in touch with me if you would like someone to talk to. You can check out the full conversation I had with John Opalewski and Jim Wiegand on their Leading From Alignment podcast here. ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

An important principle in biblical interpretation is learning the context of a statement. From Moses to Jesus, what is the context of the phrase, “An eye for an eye”?  Check out the video version of this sermon.  Check out all of the other topics we have covered in our “Is that in the Bible?” series.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Jesus talked a lot, but He never had to apologize. Is it possible for this to be said of us too?  Check out my video called Time To Check The Mirror where I talk about so-called Freudian slips, and my blog post A Leader’s Sincere Apology. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

In today’s episode we’re going to—IMPATIENCE! Yes, we’re talking about impatience. As a leader it can be hard to resist the temptation of impatience, but Greg and I believe that developing patience is a vital skill for leaders. In this episode we’ll explore some of the pitfalls of impatience, and share strategies for you to develop into a more thoughtful and patient leader. Check out the video version of this conversation.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens 

I would like to give Christians an apologetic about Christian apologetics. Check out the video version of this episode of The Podcast. Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Invaluable lessons from two lifelong friends on how to honor both those close to us and those who seem to be enemies. ou may also be interested in a related blog post: How to pray when you’ve been stabbed in the back.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎