Wanted to let you know about an exciting announcement and ask a huge favor. Over the past 3 years, I have been working with the ministry Backstage Leadership. Our team has been working hard over the past months to find new ways to fulfill our vision to inspire, equip, and connect young leaders to change the world.

Many people wanted to join our leadership program, but couldn’t afford the $800 or the 8 month commitment. So, I am excited to announce our new website membership!

For only $20 you get the Backstage Leadership content any time that is convenient for you! Register here!

Here’s how you can help:
1. Please join today. This would be so encouraging to have you join the community of Backstage Leadership.
2. Please invite your friends to join. Invite them via email, Facebook, and Twitter.

In the coming months we’ll have Backstage sessions available with leaders:
- Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church and author of multiple books
- Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chick-fil-A
- Wess Stafford, President of Compassion International
- Jon Acuff, author of Stuff Christians Like
- Francis Chan, pastor and best selling author
- Jud Wilhite, pastor and multi-book author

Also, enjoy fresh articles from leaders discussing their personal experiences of leadership, innovation, and creativity. Follow up Backstage Q&A sessions with article authors too.

Thanks for your support and help!

Greg

By achieving a lot of smaller ones along the way.

That’s how all great businesses are built.

That’s how great churches grow.

That’s how a great novel is written.

That’s how a hobby turns into a career.

Don’t think you have to be hitting your huge goals right out of the gate. That’s a recipe for disaster and disappointment. This is not a pass to settle for smaller goals. Keep working towards the bigger goals, but remember it takes smaller goals to reach the big ones.

What is your huge goal? What is a small goal you can reach this week to get you closer?

Here are 5 areas I’ve been spending my time lately.

1. Old Testament:

I’ve been reading through the OT this past month. I made it through the Law and now into the King David stuff. The God of the OT was incredibly patience. That is good news for me.

2. Finish Line:

Should be sending final package to the printer for Passion is Not Enough in the next week! So thankful for everyone that has been a part of this project for me. Couldn’t have done it alone. I love crossing finish lines. Being more of a self-proclaimed starter, I want to shift to being a finisher. It’s way more rewarding.

3. Hand Written:

I’m trying to write more hand written notes to thank people and encourage them. I found a few that people had written me and they are way better than an email. You should try it.

4. Tim Keller:

If you are not listening to his podcast, you are missing out. My time in the car lately has been so enriching because of his teaching. His teaching is so different from what I normally listen to. Maybe that’s part of why I love it so much. It’s worth your time.

5. Jud Whilhite:

I’ve gotten a lot of Jud lately, which is a very good thing. Jud was our speaker for our latest Backstage Leadership session. My favorite parts of the session were: he laughed a lot, he was humble enough to say  he didn’t know to a few questions, he gave great insight when he did answer questions, and when he was done I felt like we could have talked more for hours.

Bonus:

For all church planters (or those that have ever considered planting), we are having a special Backstage Church Planters session with Mark Batterson and Pete Wilson. Signups are underway.

This past week on a visit to Las Vegas to take part in the Idea Camp, I had the opportunity to connect with Jud Wilhite, the pastor of Central Christian Church. We were scheduled to talk for about 30 minutes and I had tons of questions I wanted to ask. Jud is a phenomenal leader and communicator. His church is doing amazing ministry in one of the toughest cities in the world.

I arrived a little early for the meeting and Jud was in the lobby. I knew I would only have a short time and so I was anxious to get started. As we started to walk towards his office, he went over to say hello to all the people working in the coffee shop. He hugged a few workers, smiled, and thanked them for their great work. As we walked out of the coffee shop, Jud stopped and spoke to each of the three people working the information desk. We headed down the hall towards his office when he stopped to thank a few people for some work they’d finished some where on the church grounds. We rounded a corner and Jud asked a gentlemen how he was doing. It seems there were some medical issues or something, and he wanted to check in.

At this point, all I could see was the seconds ticking off of “my” time to learn about leadership and to ask my questions.

Read more »

Just a friendly reminder that the registration deadline for the upcoming season of Backstage Leadership is in 2 weeks. Now, I know that is also the start of college football, but I know you can focus on 2 things at once.

Who’s your pick to win the BCS?

Have you signed up for Backstage Leadership yet?

Jud Wilhite serves as Senior Pastor of Central Christian Church. Thousands attend Central’s campuses along with a global community who attend online. Jud is the author of several books including Eyes Wide Open, Uncensored Grace and Uncensored Truth. Under Jud’s leadership, Central is dedicated to helping people find their way to God. He is known for his conversational approach to teaching the Bible and his passion to help others know God and love him more. Jud and his wife, Lori, reside in the Las Vegas area with their two children and a slobbery Bulldog named Roxy.

Backstage Leadership is a chance to get behind the scenes with today’s top influencers and ask the questions you want to.  Learn how they communicate, how they make decisions, how they lead their ministries, churches and businesses.  Backstage Leadership is about building and replicating leaders.  If you’d like the chance to learn from Wess and other amazing leaders this year, sign up today.

There are few organizations I love as much as Compassion. My wife and I have been sponsoring kids through them for years. It has been an extremely rewarding experience. I love getting letters from Vika and Ricardo and to see how much they’ve grown. That is one reason why I am so excited that Wess, the president of Compassion is allowing us backstage to learn from him. He’s an amazing leader with an amazing heart. You will surely be blessed to learn from him.  I will send a copy of Wess’ book to the first person that signs up today.

Backstage Leadership is a chance to get behind the scenes with today’s top influencers and ask the questions you want to.  Learn how they communicate, how they make decisions, how they lead their ministries, churches and businesses.  Backstage Leadership is about building and replicating leaders.  If you’d like the chance to learn from Wess and other amazing leaders this year, sign up today.