Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Sermon on the Mount is beautiful. It’s also hard. On this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss welcomes his friend, the pastor and author Rich Villodas. The two discuss Villodas’ new book, The Narrow Path, which focuses on the Matthew text. Villodas and Cuss discuss false needs, the longing for the good life, and what it means that God only dwells in reality. Resources mentioned during this episode include: New Life Fellowship Church The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas Good and Beautiful and Kind: Becoming Whole in a Fractured World by Rich Villodas The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Soulsby Rich Villodas God, Christ and Us by Herbert McCabe Faith Within Reason by Herbert McCabe The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning Pete Scazzero Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the gospel primarily preventative or redemptive? What did Jesus emphasize between the two?  In this episode of Being Human, Steve is joined by his wife, the Friendly Neighborhood Therapist, Lisa, to consider these questions. They talk about faith gaps, how human development affects the ways we approach faith, and comparing ourselves to the pillars of the faith. Cuss also reads from his upcoming book, The Expectation Gap, which releases on May 28th. Listeners can preorder here. Get your preorder bonuses here! Resources mentioned in this episode include:  The Gap “Grieve, Breathe, Receive” with Steve Carter Camino De Santiago John F. Kennedy, Jr. playing under the Resolute Desk  The Crown Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me & Cheryl to the Mall: A Parent's Guide to the New Teenager by Anthony E. Wolf Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs and Experience of God by Steve Cuss Preorder bonuses for The Expectation Gap “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve starts a series on Differentiation, first focusing on detachment. What it is, what it feels like to the other and tips to move toward the other when you want to detach.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lisa Nichols is the CEO and co-founder of Technology Partners (TPI), a Women-Business Enterprise and provider of premier IT staffing, solutions, and IT leadership development. Named among the Most Influential Business Women (by St. Louis Business Journal) this year, Lisa’s influence has been recognized by her peers and greater St. Louis community. Lisa and her husband, Greg, founded Technology Partners in 1994 driven by their passion to revolutionize the staffing industry with their transparent business model. They co-lead the business today. Greg and Lisa have made it their priority from day one to create mutual wins for their employees, clients, and the communities in which Technology Partners operates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amie Patrick has served in a wide variety of ministry roles and contexts for almost 30 years. She planted The Journey church in St. Louis, Missouri alongside her husband Darrin in 2001, and walked alongside Darrin in a restoration process after he was removed from leadership at The Journey in 2016. Since Darrin's sudden and tragic death in 2020, Amie has been navigating a new path of grief, single parenthood and living a meaningful life in the midst of unexpected loss. Amie is a mother to three daughters and a son, and is passionate about spiritual formation and equipping leaders for emotionally and spiritually healthy lives and ministries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clare Steele is the CEO of Compassion Australia and has worked for over a decade in Christian ministry, following a successful business career. As both a professional and a mother, she has a passion for helping vulnerable children living in poverty and encouraging families in their walk with Christ. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd Hunter is the founding bishop of The Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others, founder of The Telos Collective, and founder of the Center for Formation, Justice and Peace. He is past president of Alpha USA, former national director for the Association of Vineyard Churches, and retired founding pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Costa Mesa, CA. He is the author of Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others, Giving Church Another Chance, The Outsider Interviews, The Accidental Anglican, Our Favorite Sins, Our Character at Work and Deep Peace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Originally from Australia, Mandy Smith is pastor of St Lucia Uniting Church, Brisbane, Australia and the author of "The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry" (IVP) and "Unfettered: Imagining a Childlike Faith Beyond the Baggage of Western Culture" (Brazos). Mandy and her husband, a New Testament professor, live with their family in a little house where the teapot is always warm. Learn more about Mandy’s work at www.TheWayisTheWay.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group. She is also an Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University and host of Viral Jesus, a podcast with Christianity Today. She is passionate about supporting women, and runs an online community called I’m That Wife which has over 200k followers.  Heather’s writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and has been featured in Forbes.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches for young people. She is the author of 7 books; including It’s Not Your Turn, and Confessions of a Christian Wife. She resides in Michigan, with her husband, Seth Day, and their three children, London, Hudson, and Sawyer Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Casey Tygrett has been involved in the work of spiritual formation for nearly 25 years. Through various positions in churches, seminaries, and para-church organizations, Casey’s work in writing and speaking have aligned to create content that is wise and helpful for the journey of life and faith.  He completed the Tending the Holy spiritual direction training program in 2015, and since then has provided spiritual direction to individuals both privately and as the Director of Spiritual Direction at Soul Care. He is the author of two books, Becoming Curious: A Spiritual Practice of Asking Questions and As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life. The book As I Recall was awarded the 2020 Award of Merit in Spiritual Formation by Christianity Today. Casey is the host of the otherWISE Podcast, collecting wise conversations for living well on the journey with Jesus.  He and his wife Holley have been married for over 20 years and have one daughter named Bailey. They live in south suburban Chicago, IL.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Carter is a pastor, speaker, author of The Thing Beneath The Thing, podcast host, and the former lead teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. He hosts the Craft & Character podcast where he helps people get better at the art of communication while ensuring their character always leads the way. His desire is to bring Jesus into every conversation and space he occupies. Steve co-hosts one of the top sports podcasts called The Home Team Podcast with ESPN sports anchor Sam Acho and NFL player Trey Burton which unpacks the intersection between faith, culture, sports and family. With a degree in Biblical Studies from Hope International University, Steve has a heart for the local church. Currently an itinerant preacher and teacher for churches, conferences, events, camps, and retreats all over the country, Steve lives in Phoenix with his wife, Sarah, and their two kids.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Cuss has a special burden for pastors and church staff. As someone who spent 27 years in such roles, he knows the unique challenges personally. On this episode, Cuss shares some of his own journey, including how he struggled with conflating his identities as a child of God and what felt like being an employee of God. Cuss talks about the gap between what we believe about God and what we experience from God. He guides listeners through the story of Peter walking on water (Matt. 14). Cuss discusses peace, freedom, and love, inviting us to help our body align with our head beliefs so we can relax into God’s presence. Cuss also reads from his upcoming book, The Expectation Gap, releasing May 28, which listeners can preorder here. Preorder bonuses are available here. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs by Steve Cuss “From a Distance” Matthew 14 The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs and Experience of God by Steve Cuss Preorder bonuses for The Expectation Gap “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Cuss takes an intriguing look at the show Ted Lasso through the Systems Theory lens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Winn Collier, a pastor for 26 years, was the founding pastor of All Souls in Charlottesville, Virginia. Winn now serves as Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology & Christian Imagination and director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Winn has a PhD in religion and fiction from the University of Virginia and is the author of multiple books, including Love Big, Be Well: Letters to a Smalltown Church and A Burning in My Bones, the biography of Eugene Peterson.   Bliss describes himself as unremarkable, Pastor with All Souls Charlottesville, looking for signs of new creation, and a wannabe spiritual poet & theologian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Virtue is a Professor at International Graduate School of Leadership living in Manila. He is a fan of Servant Leadership, Congregational Systems, and Cross-Cultural Training. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"If we want to be well as human beings, we need to become aware of what's bubbling the surface in us." In this new episode, Steve Cuss is on the mic by himself giving us some basic tools for managing leadership anxiety.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Corporate business leader Preston Poore has more than two decades of upper-level management experience, including as director of franchise leadership at The Coca-Cola Company. He has also worked for The Hershey Company, Dale Carnegie Training, Ralston Purina, and AmSouth Bank. In addition, Preston is a minority shareholder and small-business owner of Numerica Corporation, an air, missile, and space defense company based in Fort Collins, Colorado. He serves on the board of directors and as corporate secretary. Preston is a certified John Maxwell Team coach, speaker, and trainer. He served on a Young Life committee, was an elder and member of Fellowship Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, was a facilitator for Christian Leadership Concepts, and serves at Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Preston holds an MBA from Samford University and a BS in management from Colorado State University. His corporate work has been recognized through many awards such as the Dale Carnegie Sales Talk Champion award; The Hershey Company’s President’s Cup, a coveted national sales award that Preston won twice; and The Coca-Cola Company’s Woodruff Cup, a global top performance award. Preston is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and the Sons of the American Revolution. His wealth of hard-won experience and training in both personal and professional development inspired Preston to transfer his business leadership acumen to the Christian community. Through the Discipled Leader book, blog, and podcast, he seeks to increase the discipleship and leadership skills of Christians across the country.  Preston and his wife, Carla, daughter, Caroline, and son, Benton, live in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Costello studied law and worked as a lawyer, later studying theology in Switzerland. He's a Baptist Minister living in Melbourne, Australia who has a high profile given his years of work on Social Justice and Mission. Presently Tim is a Senior Fellow with the Centre for Public Christianity and the Executive Director of Micah Australia. He's written several books including his memoir, A Lot with a Little. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve wraps up the season with a personal update and a couple of tools for the summer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greg Holder is author of Never Settle, The Genius of One, co-creator of Advent Conspiracy and a contributing writer for The Voice Bible. He serves as lead pastor at The Crossing, reaching nearly 10,000 people in person and online, calling people from an unlikely mix of spiritual backgrounds to consider what it means to follow Jesus in today’s world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John and Amber Carroll have been partners in ministry and life for nearly 20 years. During that time, they have discovered the depths of God’s love and the breadth of God’s grace. They’ve also learned a lot about each other, as well as the beauty and challenges of working side-by-side in the local church.  Amber holds a Master of Theology degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. Since 2003, she has served the church in a variety of roles, including youth, worship, executive director and lead pastor. Amber’s heartbeat is to see the local church thrive wherever and however it is planted.  John holds a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. His church roles include youth, spiritual formation and teaching pastor. John currently serves as the Director of the School of Kingdom Living for Dallas Willard Ministries. His heartbeat includes the two “ships” in life: DiscipleSHIP and RelationSHIP.  John and Amber belong to the Evangelical Covenant Church. They have two wonderful teenage kids and currently live in Melbourne, Florida. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Did you have integrity today?” That’s the question that Steve Carter, author, podcaster, and former lead teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, pictured his son asking him when allegations of sexual harassment against Bill Hybels emerged. Carter realized he couldn’t go “play church.” He had to take the allegations seriously and act with integrity, which, for him, looked like resigning. On this episode of Being Human, Cuss and Carter discuss what it looks like to have integrity when mentors and institutions fail us. They talk about the heartbreak of losing beloved communities, navigating relationships when people feel betrayed, and how difficult it is to see broken systems when inside them.  Carter shares how he has dealt with the weight of being misunderstood, the way some of his highest values were wielded against him, and what it was like to deal with public loss and accusation as an Enneagram Three. He and Cuss talk about the power of the resurrection and the two Greek words that became an anchor for Carter. And they discuss what propelled Carter to write Grieve, Breathe, Receive—a stunning memoir on grief and healing that recounts Carter leaving Willow Creek Church, entering a wilderness season, and enduring loss upon loss upon loss, from income and reputation to precious family members and more. Resources mentioned in this episode include:  Luke: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching by Fred B. Craddock Steve Carter Craft & Character with Steve Carter Grieve, Breathe, Receive: Finding a Faith Strong Enough to Hold Us by Steve Carter The Thing Beneath the Thing: What's Hidden Inside (and What God Helps Us Do About It) by Steve Carter Willow Creek Community Church “Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs”  “Cadet Prayer” Annie F. Downs Ira Glass Camino De Santiago “What Is a Verbatim?” Compassion International “Welcoming Practice” The Worst James Harden Flops “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a former convict who found God and reaped the benefits from an aftercare program in Arizona, Matt saw the great need for a similar kind of program here in the Midwest after moving to Wichita in 2011. After two years of prayer, planning, brick walls, and dead ends, God’s spirit began to move in a mighty way. An unlikely team of people was brought together, and doors that had been closed for years began to open.  Matt and his wife Christina live in Shawnee, KS. with their two young sons. They have also been blessed with three grandsons from their older daughters. Matt is as a published author, preaches, and consults with organizations focusing on re-entry programming and church planting. As the Executive Director, Matt provides visionary leadership and oversight for the ministry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Arndt is the Lead Pastor of New Life East (one of seven congregations of New Life Church in Colorado Springs), where he also hosts the Essential Church podcast, a weekly conversation designed to strengthen the thinking of church and ministry leaders. Prior to joining New Life’s team, he served as Lead Pastor of Bloom Church: a neo-monastic, charismatic, liturgical, justice-driven network of house churches in Denver. He received his MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and has written for Missio Alliance, Patheos, The Other Journal, and Mere Orthodoxy. He lives in the Springs with his wife Mandi and their four kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The amazing Rich Stearns (online @RichStearns) joins Steve Cuss to talk about being fired as CEO twice in a year, rapidly learning while leading, global poverty, and his excellent new leadership book! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve finishes his recent conversation on the dynamics of criticism as a follow-up to the previous two episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Criticism is a given for leaders, but that doesn't make it less painful. Criticism comes in all forms, some from inside us, like the inner critic, and some come at us. This is the second of a 3-part series where Steve gets personal and talks about the various forms of criticism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Criticism is a given for leaders, but that doesn't make it less painful. Criticism comes in all forms, some from inside us, like the inner critic, and some come at us. This is the first of a 3 part series where Steve gets personal and talks about the various forms of criticism. Today: The Inner Critic and Giants On Your Shoulders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Glenn Packiam is an Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Lead Pastor of one of its congregations, New Life Downtown. He is the author of six books, including “Worship and the World to Come” (IVP Academic, 2020) and “Blessed Broken Given: How Your Story Becomes Sacred in the Hands of Jesus” (Multnomah, 2019). Glenn earned a Doctorate in Theology and Ministry from Durham University, and is a Visiting Fellow at St. John’s College at Durham and an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary. Glenn was one of the founding worship leaders for the Desperation Band and has written over 65 worship songs published with Integrity Music, including “Your Name" (co-written with Paul Baloche) and "My Savior Lives" (co-written with Jon Egan). Glenn and his wife Holly and their four kids enjoy life in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack Shitama is an author, teacher, speaker and coach. His family systems approach to leadership helps congregational and nonprofit leaders achieve their best spiritually, physically and professionally.  Jack is the author of Anxious Church, Anxious People: How to Lead Change in an Age of Anxiety and One New Habit, One Big Goal: Change Your Life in 10 Weeks. Jack and his wife of 37 years, Jodi, have four children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walt Rakowich is a leadership speaker and former executive of Prologis, a global real estate company that was near collapse when he took over as CEO in 2008. During the economic downturn, the Prologis stock had dropped from over $70 per share to approximately $2 per share in 10 months, making it the third-worst performing company in the S&P 500. After Walt joined as CEO, he quickly implemented a change in culture through transparency, orchestrating a dramatic turnaround and restoring its position in the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A systems theorist walks into an organization and orders playfulness and earnestness. This isn’t just a silly take on a joke format—it’s a tested method of determining whether or not teams have what it takes to go the distance. As host Steve Cuss explains on this episode of Being Human, too much seriousness on a team tends to lead to rigidity, but playful teams tend to be able to handle ambiguity and challenges.  Could the same be true for worship? Sometimes we get too earnest and everything gets rigid. In this episode Steve looks at the power of playfulness in your people, how ot notice when things are getting too earnest and stuck and the relationship between playfulness and worship. Steve also teaches us how to use a Life Giving List to help us relax into God’s presence. You can download a life giving list template here.  Tune in for an episode that invites us to treasure our faith through playful presence with God. Click here to pre order Steve’s new book. Resources mentioned in this episode include:  Bowen family systems theory Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable About Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business by Patrick Lencioni Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton “Letter XLVI” by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs and Experience of God by Steve Cuss Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue by Edwin Friedman “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve is joined by guest AJ Sherrill, as well as Capable Life coach Jimmy Carnes. We chat Enneagram, anxiety, Anglicanism and of course we survive the gauntlet together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's guest: Jared Patrick Boyd is a pastor, spiritual director, and founder of the Order of the Common Life, a missional monastic order for the 21st Century. He is author of Imaginative Prayer: A Yearlong Guide to Your Child’s Spiritual Formation (IVP 2017). He and his wife have 4 girls and live in the west-side neighborhood of Franklinton in Columbus, OH. Jared chats with Steve about formation in kids, how you help a kid encounter God rather than just telling them about God. They also discuss urban ministry and systemic injustice and of course, as per usual, the Gauntlet. This episode also features a bonus case study from capablelife.me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Alvin Sanders is President of World Impact and author of Uncommon Church as well as a pastor and urban leader. Dr Sanders talked systemic racism, the distraction of CRT and why a healthy, holistic local church is the best asset for an urban neighborhood. Of course, Dr Sanders gleefully submitted to the gauntlet of anxiety questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jenni Catron is a powerhouse because she helps people cultivate whole heart, high competence leadership. I loved this conversation with Jenni as she chatted 2021 leadership pressure, time management and of course, the Gauntlet. Jenni consults with teams and individuals to build team health and clarity. She founded the 4SiteGroup and has authored several books including her most recent, The Four Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Todd Lollar describes himself as a wheelchair-rolling, speech-impeded, cerebral-palsied minister of the gospel. He is author of 'Weak Is The New Strong' and founder of mobilizeministries.com. He joins Steve to talk overcoming weakness, how he disarms people to engage them and of course he gleefully submits to Steve's gauntlet of anxiety questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode the mics are turned as Aaron Keyes interviews Steve and two of his staff on how they integrate MLA into their staff experience and church life.' And yeah, the audio is a little funky as we're sharing the audio from the 10,000 Fathers Podcast (with permission of course) and the audio is sketchy and it has Aaron Keyes as the host wrapping it up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jon Chasteen is president of The King’s University and lead pastor of Victory Church, a multi-campus church based out of Oklahoma City. Passionate about empowering and equipping the local church through the preparation of Christlike servant-leaders, Dr. Chasteen desires to lead TKU’s faculty and administration with transparency and authenticity. Prior to arriving at TKU in 2018, his experience included seven years of pastoral leadership and six years of administrative leadership in Christian higher education. Dr. Chasteen has three earned degrees, including a Doctor of Education from Oral Roberts University. He and his wife, Michele, are blessed to enjoy life with their two children, Corey and Jace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rusty George is the Lead Pastor at Real Life Church in Southern California; a multi-site church with campuses in Canyon Country, Lancaster, Simi Valley, Valencia and a large online community. Rusty is a global speaker, leader and teacher focusing his message on helping people find and follow Jesus. Rusty has also written several books and writes regularly on his site. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wade Mullen is an advocate, assistant professor, and author working to bring clarity and freedom to the confusion and captivity that marks abusive situations. His personal experience and ongoing scholarly research enables him to write with both care and expertise. He directs a Master of Divinity program that equips future leaders to emulate the Great Servant, who came not to be served but to serve.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Jesus cares for our troubles, but they don’t worry him.”  So says Alan Fadling, who joins host Steve Cuss on this episode of Being Human. Fadling is an author and the leader of Unhurried Living, a non-profit that trains people to rest deeper, live fuller and lead better. His latest book, The Non-Anxious Life, draws from spiritual formation and touches on systems theory, as well.  Cuss and Fadling discuss the ways that anxiety is not just a personal dynamic, but an organizational one. They consider what Dallas Willard had to say about anxiety and peace, how anxiety communicates that God is not there for us, and what it may look like to remember that Jesus is present with us. They talk about the differences in believing that “I am anxiety” and “I have anxiety.” And they consider how anxiety influences leadership, our sense of connection with Jesus, and our engagement with culture.  Tune in for an episode that sheds light on the way of peace. Resources mentioned in this episode include:  Alan Fadling The Non-Anxious Life: Experiencing the Peace of God's Presence by Alan Fadling Unhurried Living George Doebler Bowen family systems theory Edwin H. Friedman Dallas Willard Viktor Frankl “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tod Bolsinger, MDiv, PhD, is the Executive Director of the De Pree Center Church Leadership Initiative, a Senior Fellow of the De Pree Center for Leadership, and Associate Professor of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Tod was the founder of the Fuller Leadership Platform, an innovative approach to online formation and leadership development and served as a Vice President of Fuller Seminary for six years.    He is the author of four books, including the Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year in pastoral leadership, Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory, Leadership for a Time of Pandemic: Practicing Resilience and Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change. He served as a pastor for 27 years. Bolsinger speaks, consults and is an executive coach for corporate, non-profit, educational and church organizations in transformational leadership. His blogs and other resources can be found at depree.org/church.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Angie Ward and Emilie Knuass join me to talk about being a woman in church leadership. I learn what I need to know as a man, we talk gender dynamics and the pressure to diminish. Angie is a leadership veteran, author of I Am A Leader and Assistant Director of Denver Seminary's Doctoral program. Emilie Knauss is a preacher at our church, a former intern and is currently studying for her MDiv at Denver Seminary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean Palmer is Teaching Pastor at Ecclesia Church in Houston. He has authored several books including his most recent, Forty Days on Being a Three. A brief daily reader for Enneagram Threes. Sean took us deep into the vital topic of friendship and loneliness in ministry among other things. A delightful chat full of great wisdom. For those wanting more on these tools, Capablelife.me is now collecting interest for Beta membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich Villodas, Lead Pastor of New Life Church, Missio Contributor, and author of this MUST READ book, "The Deeply Formed Life," joins me to talk politics, leadership in COVID, the broad aspects of formation, and of course my gauntlet of anxiety questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve continues unpacking the exciting announcement from last week–don't miss out on this chance to learn more about how you can get an invitation to the 2021 initiative! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Brendan announce some new tools coming in 2021. They also chat genograms, second order change, and verbatims. For more info on the 2021 initiative, email steve@stevecusswords.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Deborah Smith Pegues is a CPA/MBA, certified John Maxwell Leadership Coach and Speaker, certified behavior consultant, Bible teacher, and international speaker. She has written 17 transformational books, including the bestselling 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue (over one million sold worldwide) and The One-Minute Money Mentor for Women. She and her husband, Darnell, have been married for more than 40 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices