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Building People, Life Vision, and Leadership with Ryan Allmon

In this episode of The Christian Leader Made Simple Show, we sit down with Ryan Allmon, pastor, church planter, and North American Missions Director of Louisiana. Ryan shares his powerful insights on building people, staying focused on life vision, and leading with purpose. Drawing from his extensive experience in ministry and his structured approach to leadership, Ryan discusses how understanding your God-given purpose can transform the way you serve and lead. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting out, this episode offers practical wisdom on balancing structure with spiritual guidance to make a lasting impact in your ministry. Tune in to be inspired and equipped to lead with intention and clarity.









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Transcript


Board I need insight to where you're taking them. And maybe I'm just the water or the planter, but whatever it is you want me to do in their life or wherever you would like me to like me to take them to, make it known to me. And if it's 1 of those situations where I'm seeing through a glass dark because God doesn't want me to see all of that, just tell me what my next step is. And so when God gives me I'm like a shark in a pool of blood. If I get any inkling that this is what God wants to do.


I'm in. That's all I'm focused on. Welcome to the Christian leader made simple podcast. I really hope this episode helps you learn. And master the skills you need to grow your leadership effectiveness and enjoyment.


Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get notified as soon as I post a new session so you don't miss a single episode. I'd also greatly appreciate any reviews, likes and shares that you can give me. It just helps me extend my reach to more people. So leaders, I know just how frustrating it can feel when you're in the weeds of work or diminish. Street and life is chaotic, you're struggling to fill effective and you're just not enjoying leadership as much as you could be.


And so to help you after many years of leadership and executive coaching, I've developed a framework called the Christian leader blueprint that'll guide you to find clarity in your life and leadership. It'll help you gain a better rhythm of life. It'll help you see yourself more clearly to leverage your strengths, and you'll produce more productive relationships. It's a step by step guide to leadership transformation. And I have that in 2 formats now.


I have a free short guide that you can find on ryan Franklin dot org, and I have a book, the Christian leader blueprint, and you can find that in any format, including an audiobook wherever you buy your books. I have a few more things on my website that you may be interested in, so just head on over to ryan franklin dot org and check it all out. And now, let's get to our session. Welcome to the Christian leader made simple show. We're joined today by a tremendous man of God.


He's a pastor, a couple of hours south of me in Baton rouge, Louisiana. Where the home of the fighting Ls u tigers are. His name is pastor Ryan Au, senior. He pastors full gospel United pent a coastal church. He is also the North American commission's director for the state of Louisiana.


He has a phenomenal first name by the way. His name is Ryan. What Ryan welcome to the Christian he'd made simple show. Thank you so much, brother Ryan. I am honored to be here and excited to share and to just have this conversation with you this dialogue.


We talk all the time, but it's good that we can do it now in front of the camera. Absolutely. We I've been looking forward to this ever since we sort of bumped 1 another on it in camp meeting. I think we, talked for more than we listened at camp meeting for that particular session. I won't even name the person that was that was teaching or preaching, We won't do that, but we did have a good time unpacking some tremendous things and I just knew that we needed to have you on this show.


And to kick us off, why don't you tell us a little bit about where you are already mentioned Baton Rouge, but where you are, what you're doing? And what got you here? Maybe a little bit of your bow if you don't mind. Yeah. So...


Yeah. So thank you again, well, I am the pastor of full gospel Baton Rouge. We have a few campuses in Louisiana, in some other cities. And, of course, I get to serve the privilege of serving as the Louisiana North American commission's director, helping plant churches and reach the nearly 4600000.0 people that are in our state, and so I absolutely love church planning, soul winning, bible study teaching all things people. It's interesting that Ryan and I have a degree from a a similar university.


We're both Alumni of a similar university. And so I am a people person and a love of all things people, value relationships Highly, which is why me and brother Ryan probably was enjoying each other's company. So when we have that moment to kinda just talk and chat. Yeah. You are definitely a people person, a people magnet.


I would say, I I have been, I guess, attached to you ever since I've known you? And, glean from you, your your tremendous man of God. We also share a common hobby, and, Counting down. Counting down. Yes.


We're counting down to the day that we can do a little deer hunt. Right? Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah.


I try to... I try to count down. I... I'm an abbott outdoors. I can literally hunt all year long if I had the time.


And and so I don't, I... But I could. And so definitely enjoy that hobby and Yeah. And and where I'm glad that you don't. I'm glad that you don't since you're a man of god.


Right. All things in moderation. That's right. That's right. Well, let's jump into this interview a little bit We...


There's a lot of things that we could talk about here, and and we've discussed several things that we could talk about. But I wanna kinda narrow the focus a little bit. We... I don't know where we're gonna go with this. But I wanna narrow the focus a little bit to your life vision.


Can you tell me a little... We've talked about this briefly and and and got into some details, but can you tell me a little bit about what that is to you and about what yours... Your life vision actually is, Absolutely. So I believe just like the scripture states in Jeremiah 1, verse 5 when God speaks to Jeremiah and God tells Jeremiah, his reason. For existing, and he tells Jeremiah, I'm acquainted with what I purpose you to do before, your mother even knew what you were.


So before Jeremiah had a form, he had a function And so I believe every believer has a function before their form. He said before I formed in your mother's womb, that's the form. I knew you and the plan I had for you to make you a profit. That's the function. And so for me when I...


When the Lord stayed me, he made it very clear that my reason for existing was to bill people. And that live vision has really been the driving force and every decision I made, every place I've gone from my secular career to my spiritual function presently. It's been that live vision. And, there's a scripture that... That says, the steps of man is ordered by the Lord.


We know that scripture. Right? Most people know the first part they don't think much about the second part. The second part of the scripture scripture says, and he delight in his way. The only way God delight in are his own.


So in order for that scripture to be true that the steps of a good man is in fact ordered by the Lord. That means those steps must be god or ordained steps and not man steps. So I I tried to live this light vision out and it causes me to step in perpetual, favor because I'm not asking God to bless what I'm doing. I'm doing what he's blessing. So that's what life vision means.


It means the reason to which God created me, and I feel like that reason is to bill people. That's my life vision. I love that. That's good stuff. So taking that a step forward, just continuing your...


What you're saying there, how has that shaped your ministry and your leadership approach in life. You know, it... It's made all the difference. The bible says as many as are led by the Spirit of God. They are the sons of God.


So being led by the spirit of god means. He's telling you where to go. And I am a structured person, a structured individual. So for someone like me that doesn't light surprises... I mean, I'm very...


I'm free. You know, I I've moved for you... You've been around. And you see my personality, but but I'm big on structure. I'm a military man, and so served in the military of course and so go ahead and for your service.


My pleasure for your service. My pleasure. So with that said, and and just to briefly interrupt you here... Do you think that's a learned structure from military or is that a is that a from birth type structure? You know, I feel like god creates each individual with unique abilities.


Right? He created you the way you are, Ryan, he created me. The way that I am. And when we're together, like, we feed off of the way each other is, you know, you're more maybe of introvert, I'm more of an ex, so it's perfect. Right.


But God, I feel like some of what we have is god given. Right? I'm not gonna say that God made Jeremiah Timid. Right? Mh.


Back then that he wanted to be a prophet, but Jeremiah was a little timid. Right? So I'm not saying God did that. And said, what? I need you to be a timid prophet.


Well, no I feel like God creates certain things and I think we have to make a decision to develop what he gives us. It's like the giving of the talent. So I feel like some of what I have it can be inherited. The other portions has been developed because of my clarity on what I'm called to do. Right?


It's the same way that some of our greatest leaders even in in our fellowship, some of the greatest leaders are not even natural ex. Some of our greatest leaders we know in that crazy, they're interest. But yet because of what their call to do, they somehow develop these other abilities. That then lend themselves to the purpose to which God has called them and God uses me. And I would say the difference in in some of that is is is really...


It boils down to energy management. I'm a very much deeply introverted person. But I have to do extroverted things, but I know that that's gonna drain me. So on a on a Sunday, on a Saturday night, I'm not gonna be staying out late. I'm gonna...


Being bed early, getting ready for Sunday morning because I know Gonna have to do extra task. You know, after a Sunday morning, I'm gonna make sure that I have time to rest, it's it's more of an energy management if if that's not your wiring. Yeah. And... But it it it seems like, you know, you're extroverted, you have a very high interpersonal sensitivity.


It's rare that you would find that combination with a... With structure as well. Usually an extra... Expert person with a high interpersonal sensitivity is not gonna be structured. So that's why I asked if it was if it was alarmed, you, you know, sort of you pushing yourself to be structured, versus just a natural you gravitate towards structure type of a person?


It's interesting you say that, I think I'm goal oriented. And and if I I have a degree in aviation maintenance technology, which is very systematic, and, and, that degree, it tied into what my secular job was working on aircraft. Right? Knowing the entire fuel system. Of an aircraft, every component.


And, in doing that having that sort of, I guess that's a mechanical mind in a sense, Yeah. You know everything's connected to something else. And if something in a system fails the system can't function properly. So I think it's that mindset when I approached things even before the military, I had a scholarship to march in the band. That's how I went through college.


So I also have degree in psychology. And when I went through college, I had a band scholarship. And so there was discipline there. Like, I thrive in instruct. So structure allows me to execute quickly.


Without having to think a whole lot about it. I don't wanna spend a lot of time labor over what I'm getting ready to do. I wanna do it. I wanna know what the outcome of this action is, what it should produce, and I'm not really disappointed if it falls short. I just wanna be able to make the adjustment and keep moving toward the desired end.


Does that make sense? Makes a lot of sense, and and that's good. Especially if you know where you're going. So I derailed you on this. I I derailed you.


This is perfect. Let's get back to that life vision. Okay. So so I would say that for my live vision, that's what makes this live vision helps me do the will of God because sometimes you won't know exactly where God is telling. The bible says we see, through a glass dark and then face to face.


So somebody that's very very extroverted like I am, very gold driven, very structured. We wanna see everything but serving God is not like that. I mean, we wanna say serving God is very linear, but it's not. God maybe be... He may have things prepared that you didn't know about.


You weren't expecting. And so for me, my life vision understanding my why. My reason for existing helps me to just stay focused through the ebb and flows of life and of ministry. From serving overseas for 3 and a half years and having revival. The same thing I did in Europe.


Right? The same thing I did in Europe, I'm doing it in North America, without being distracted or d distracted by the fact that there's a language barrier, a different culture because I know my reason for existing. I'm pastor full gospel today if it was the will of God for me to now let the the person that's in line that's being trained to succeed me. I know I'm young, but but there's still a succession plan So the person that said to succeed if God said today, Ryan, it's time for you to step away. I would not be lost because my identity is not found in my function as pastor.


A full gospel for North American missions director blue louisiana. Good. And founded my life vision of building people. It's what I love, Ryan. It's it's what's gives me energy.


My wife would attest to. If she was on this call, she would tell you if Ryan is not teaching viable studies, developing somebody, growing somebody. Is... That's when I feel most alive, Which is what you did when you overseas. Where were you at in Italy?


Or I said, avi Italy F been though. So the northern part of Italy about 40 minutes from Venice. So... In the military, you were you were fulfilling that job duty yet, you were there building people. Right?


Man we were having revival. We ba baptized people in lakes bathtub. I I can Tell 1 funny story here. I never forget. I was I was teaching bible studies and I had gone on an alternate shift.


Our partnership with Nato there in Europe requires for my particular job that we have 24 hour coverage. So there's never a break. There's never a time. There's not a shift. And so from time to time, you'll go on a secondary shift.


We we call it swing shift. And so it's kinda from, 11. It goes from... I'm sorry. It goes from about 3PM.


Unto until about 11:12, 01:00 in the morning. Right? So close to 12 hours, and then there's an hour of turnover between shifts. Well, I would teach valuable studies and every time I got put on another shift I had another group I was developing. Right?


And whatever the mission required would dictate which shift that I was on. And I'll never forget teaching on a shift, we were working in between that there was a young man. I was the the cycling. And this young man he and his wife had all sorts of addiction and things of that nature, but I'll never forget. My father calling me as I was ending a shift.


And at the end of that shift, that man said, me and my wife. He said everything you've taught me. I've talked to my wife. We're ready to be baptized in Jesus name, and we wanna receive that spirit you were talking about. We need that.


Because we've been battling the ditch ditching this couple together. We're battling Ditch they wanted freedom. I'll never forget calling my wife at, like, what almost 1AM and saying they're ready right now. See because of the ship I was on, that's my free time. Right?


In that time because of the ship I was on, Now Never forget going home, grabbing my wife heading to this house and seeing this couple filled with the holy ghost at almost 3 in the morning and ba baptized them in their bathtub, in the name of Jesus. You talk about exciting. It was so exciting. So... But because that's my reason for existing, I stay ready.


I stay ready so I don't have to get ready Ryan. I'm always ready. And so that... That... That's really what my life vision is and how how it practically kinda plays out.


Yeah. That's that's tremendous. And and that allows you to really stay focused on your priorities. And. And we were talking about this the other day, and you have a very well laid out priorities system, which helps you sort of navigate.


I I know, as a pastor, I feel this at times you know, lots of different people pulling at you in different ways, you know, other responsibilities pulling at you, home life pull... I mean, you've got tons of things pulling at you all at 1 time. And I would imagine even those that are not pastors fill this same, you weight as well in life. But you're really good at negotiating through that and and having balance and health and still been able to communicate well with people. How do you do that?


What does your priorities look like? Yeah. So my my pro... Again, I thrive in a structure. Things can still be loose, but I thrive in structure.


So I have to establish those things for me because of my personality, you're absolutely correct. Somebody with my personality probably shouldn't be a structure. You wouldn't imagine there that it as structured. But I think you have to establish things that keep yourself accountable. You have to keep yourself accountable.


Right? Nobody's gonna do it for you. So for me, I've established priorities that helps because my schedule is very busy. III travel a lot. I also passed a a thriving in congregation of growing congregation.


Which requires a lot of your energy your time. Although I spend a lot of my time developing leaders, I'm still a pastor. Right? And so what I had to do is I had to establish basically things that I can't negotiate. And that's my priorities.


These are... There are things I don't negotiate. Number 1 is my relationship with god. I must be saved. Number 2 is my relationship with my lovely wife.


Right? And, most people would say their wife and their children and put them in 1. I don't. I have my... Agree with that.


Okay. Yeah. Oh hard. I love them to death. They're gonna leave me 1 day.


And it's gonna be me and her. So it's... And and and for those of you that don't know me, I know brother franklin, this is this is going out all around the world. So they're making people that don't know me, and I know people like to take sound clips. So I have to just clarify this.


You know, in our home, I say this. I have I have 5 children and 1 on the way. So 6 children. Congratulations about the way. I 1 on the way.


I don't heard about that. Yeah. Thank you kindly. So having 5 children, I would often say that there are 6 children in our house and 1 adult, and the adult is my wife because it's not uncommon to find me right in the mix. With my kids.


You know, I don't think I, you know, I don't I don't think you ever really have to grow up, and I have not grown up, And if you don't like that, I don't know what to say you. And I refused to because I enjoy I enjoy being like a kid in a sense, You know, I'm not childish, but I'm child like, and the bible you... You love having fun and fun is important in any home. Yeah. Yeah.


So it's it's my relation with God. My relation with my wife. It's then my relation with my children, then family, you know, and then it's the church. Right? It's the cares of the saints.


It's all of those things. And then after that, what I do on the local assembly level, I've got district responsibilities. So what happens is because my schedule is very fast. Having those priorities helps me quickly. Decide.


I have to make decisions sometimes fast. I have a staff meeting every week with my staff, and they'll build through this calendar and it's crazy. And anytime there's a conflict where 2 things are calling for the time All I have to do is look at my party list and say, yeah, tell them I can't do this. I recently received something. I'll use a practical example if this is okay.


But, we recently had a change in our district to something that was that was scheduled to happen. And when they reschedule it, well, I already had something for the church scheduled, something similar. And so when they told me the date, I didn't have to labor over it, it was simple. This comes before that. So I gotta do this.


And I hope you understand. Now, if there's some extra steps I need to take to also fulfill the duties over here, great. Let me figure out a way to practically do that, but when it comes to the priorities, having that priority list makes it so easy. I'm not labor. I'm not stressing.


I was on the phone with my, my administrator manages the calendar, and I said that simple. This was already scheduled for this. That was added later also on my priority list. That would fall under this. We're gonna do this, and we can't do that.


Yeah. So, Ryan, when you're... When you're... Looking at priorities and, you know, it it sounds good to say God first, wife's second. Get...


Yeah. That sounds great. And then life fits. And things get kinda wacky at times and you know, it's hard to negotiate through that and you've got, you know, a marriage falling apart over here in your church and then you've got, you know... So when you say God first, wife second.


Let's just take those 2. Yeah. It... Does that mean that that you are putting the those are the biggest rocks in your life? You're trying to put those in your schedule first.


And you're you're you're maintaining those first and and to you know, has has the most focus in your life, and... But occasionally, that may... You know, your church stuff may disrupt? Maybe something in your home life or do you just... Or is it just a hard no?


There's nothing to disrupt your home life. So here's What does that look for you when you have challenges? Great status. And I'm glad you brought that up because whenever you establish, what is your norm, a lot of times people see it as theoretical. And even even the way I am, Brian, you've known me now.


For a long time. You've seen me when our church flooded when we lost with no flood insurance because we weren't in a flood zone. I'm away in Alaska sacrificing to build a church for somebody on my own dime, me and my wife. And while we're away trying to help a church, we lose everything. So there have been people that have seen me in the midst of these crazy seasons.


And the thing they always say and you said it 2 they stay man. Are you always like this? Because I'm not superhuman. I'm human, but the question is are you always like this? And do you know what the answer is?


I am. There are some things And if if you wanna be away, I found... I just said this to my mother, I talked to her this morning. And while I was on the phone with her, I said, I said, mom, this... I just said this this morning.


I said, mom, 1 of the the most valuable lessons I learned. And I told I said, when I had got saved, we were just encouraging each other, my mom will blow up in tongues in 2 seconds. You say water, she'll start speaking to tongue. And I said, mom, 1 of the most valuable lessons I learned was when I discovered that I couldn't... I couldn't control what other people were going to do, but I learned that the only thing people couldn't control was what I did.


I said, what it did is, it got me to a point where Orion people if they were mean if they were cool, whatever. I would respond in them, not anti. Is that the word? The opposite of what someone did. Or, like, you know, to counteract if they were mean, I was kind.


If they you what him I'm saying, I would do they were trying you were mean. No. I was kidding. They'd be not exactly what you get what You're saying. Yes.


But but I understood that I couldn't control what they did. Yes. But I felt like I would be releasing power if I let them dictate what I did. So for do you understand what I'm saying? Yes.


Yes. That I would be losing control. So boy? No. No.


Go keep keep going. Don't wanna derail. From my... So for my life, when I established things as a pattern in my life? I keep them because people with my type of personality, some people would say, don't take this wrong way that people with my personality have an addictive personality.


Mh. Because we're driven. We're gold driven. So if we get a hold of something, then it's good, we're gonna stick with it. My personality is set up like that.


So when I set these goals and say this is my priority literally, every day I wake up, I'm thinking god first. Brittany second. My children third, the the care of the saints of the church, my responsibilities to the district. I'm thinking that when my feet hit the ground, I'm thinking that way, it's very It's very structured. I'm thinking.


So is it always a hundred percent? I mean, who is If somebody stays that they're lying. And so... Because what Are you saying I'm hearing you say that that's how you re center yourself. Every day.


Every day. It's the same thing. So if any of 1 of those knee short up. So let's take let's take a breakdown, let's just make a hypothetical. Say something breaks down.


In that day. You know what I do? I I grew up in the in, you know, in my generation and your generation, you know, games was a big. I'm not a gamer. I've never been really good But the coolest thing what...


That was ever created with games was the ability to reset. And I take that very practical. Right? So the bible says that he he gives us new mercy every day. Right?


And I don't believe there's just mercy for the day. I believe it's for every moment. So if ever I started day, alright? I'm a I'm a give you a funny. You might buy this funny.


When I was in college. My wife and I recording, and she lived this report. I lived in Baton Rouge, and I used to get on the phone with her and. I had this this routine every day. There were 5 people I literally prayed with on the phone every day.


Are you hear me that we got on the phone every single day. Alright? We rarely ever missed the day. Unless we slept in on the weekend. Every day, my wife was 1 of them.


We were just friends. Right? But we would... And they were all, like, either youth leaders or something, you know, and so every day. But I used to have this saying that me and my wife would say we were recording.


Because she would talk about how do you positive every day. Why are you happy even when stuff going wrong. You're always steaming that can't be real. But I would tell I would say this. I would say attitude is everything.


She'd said with me? And I'll say day, Said, the only difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude. Then I would say everyday look in the mirror and say, hey, you're alright. I said because if the first thing you hear is that you're alright. I said, it really doesn't matter what anybody else thinks through that day.


And and, Brian, if this was just something I started doing today, turn this whole camera off tell this guy, this guy's unreal. This is not real. Yeah. But all of these things I'm saying. There are hundreds of people that are closely connected to my life that can say this guy has done that every day because I think it's a choice.


It's a decision. And I'm not with you every day. However. I feel that from you. When...


Yeah. I mean, we may see each other 4 or 5 times a year, you know, different functions or whatever. We live 2 hours apart. Yeah. Occasionally, we we'll, you know, get coffee together or something.


But it's anytime I'm with you, I feel that about you. You have a confidence and a health and a happiness that I look at you and I think This man's got his stuff together. He's got... He's he's got his priority straight and at least very evident. It or he's trying.


Exactly. But, see, the prop... The the deal is is we're all gonna swing out. We're all gonna have rough days? We're all gonna have challenging days.


We're gonna get our priorities all mixed up and messed up. And... But it's... Do we know what to swing back to. Do we have something that centers us.


With with every given day to get us back to where we need to, and it... And and it's obvious that you have that in your life. Yeah. I think too, we have to have an assurance. There's a scripture that talks about us having strong consolation.


And I also don't believe that the stuff we preach and teach is all theory. There's gotta be an application. Right? The gospel application. Love practice.


Yeah. The gospel only works if you apply it. So it's not something to just know the bible says and thessalonians, you know. He's gonna take digital notes that obey not the gospel. That deals with application.


So I feel like the more we apply ourselves to the assurance we're supposed to possess. From the word of god. We actually become more productive leaders, we become we become easier to work with because you as a leader, you could be difficult to work with, and not even know it. Like either I can. I know Even me even me.


So you you would be we would be polar opposites. Right? Where there's a limit. Your people meter goes down. For me, It's like I'm in your face.


Like, come on. You know, let's go. And for some people that get... My my baby sister, I'm a tell you y'all something. My baby's sister told me something, I know she wouldn't mind saying this.


She said Ryan when we... When we were in college. She said, there will be days when you would call. And because I wanted to be upset, I would not answer. She said because I knew if I answer the phone, you're gonna start joking, you will start laughing or you're gonna figure out some way.


To pick me up. And she's like, in that day, I didn't wanna be picked up. She says, I would literally say, I'm not going to answer. Because Ryan's gonna try to get me worked up, and we're so close even now. We're so close that's to my girl.


We're so close that I knew how to help her and move her along. So sometimes as a leader, people can get the positivity can be too much. The... You you know, being motivated even when somebody may not... I know that sounds crazy, but that's right.


No. You know. That's that's a social intelligence. You you gotta... You you've gotta learn to match.


The emotion and the what you're seeing in front of you. If if if you're happy to go lucky and somebody else is sad, you know, that's a clash. And and, you know, That morning. Right? As exactly.


As as a leader, if I find someone around me that's sad, you know, I've got I've gotta take on that emotion a little bit, not to their degree, but I've got I've got at least somewhat match that emotion to be able to relate to them in that moment. Yeah. And that's good. That's really good. So if you don't mind me rabbit trailing and kinda putting you on a spot here a little bit, you're a interpersonal sensitive person, you're compassionate person, your team player, you love people, you're always in people's lives.


When you have a problem, with an individual, problem with a ministry leader, problem even in your home, with a kid or or or whatever. Many times, people with high interpersonal sensitivity, will, often have a hard time addressing those issues. They'll skirt around them. They'll be passed up aggressive. I don't see that with you.


I don't think that happens with you and correct me if I'm wrong, it feels like you would have a good approach. Even with your high interpersonal sensitivity to Yeah. Facing those challenging confrontational type conversations. How do you do that? For me, I'll I'll just say something recently as a parent, I have 2 teenagers now, very new, I have a 15 year old and a 13 year old.


And my my daughter she's born we lived in Europe. We just had a a recent conversation where my approach shifted as she was getting older. And so I had a conversation with you about a conversation and you're expecting a certain response I had a conversation I was expecting a certain response, and and she didn't respond that way. And then she told me why. And I was like, wow.


She said, when you... She said, you have this way of as I was talking to her, we have children we have to give our children correction and direction. So that's not Taboo that parents have to do that. Preacher whoever else. But my daughter said something that was so it impacted me so that I'm sharing it out.


She said the way you offered correction as a decision for me. Respecting my ability to choose made me wanna choose what you suggested. That's new for me because I've never... I didn't have teenagers before she became a teenager and my my son became a teenager. So...


And I I think that day, the day that we had this conversation. So how do I deal with it? I try to I try to legit legitimately do what the bible says and consider myself and and consider the fact that everybody's not like me. And and that's... Understand what I'm saying?


Like, everybody's not wired the way I'm wired, and that's okay. And so when I when I consider myself, and I start considering that everybody is not wired like me. It gives me a little bit of empathy to approach each challenge not uniform. I've done it before it. Now, I've been guilty.


I do need to say this, I've been guilty of feeling like 1 size fit all before. Only had 1 batting encounter with that, and I learned from it. And I'm a tell you I'm a tell you why I don't have to get shocked by the the socket multiple times. As a matter of fact, I grew up in a family of 12, so 11... I have 11 brothers there's 12 us.


I'm number 10 of 12. I didn't realize that, My goodness. Exactly. I was the guy that would watch what my big brother did to get in trouble, and we'd be like, yeah, I'm not doing that. So my father told me this.


My father told me this, he was extremely affirming. I mean, he's he's to blame. For the confidence I have. Because my siblings, they would say this. They would say somehow in a family of that many.


I feel like they feel like an only child. I felt like I was an only child. There's... I don't even know how he did it. Wow.


Playing all these churches building all these leaders, the guy was incredible. But when you ask in of my siblings, and I talked to them because my wife has told me She said, you can't make statements if you don't know if they really felt that way. So I asked them, And they all say the same thing. Like, they felt like he... What do you think it was?


What what what made what made the difference, because that is true influence with people. Yeah. If you can do that in your home with 12 kids? That's true influence. What made the difference?


He let us be who we were. He did not try to make us carbon copies of each other, and he said something to me, and this is what I was getting at. He he observed how I watched others and tried to make an adjustment whether it was wrong right or whether he watched it. And he said this. He said Ryan, he said, oh, a smart man learns own mistakes.


A wise man learns from others mistakes and a fool never learns at all. He said for where God wants to take you. He said you're going be wise. He said and I see the way you're acting. He said and I want you to be wise, and then he told me why.


He said the reason why I want you to be wise is because the wise man, has the same insight as the smart man, but he doesn't have the scars to slow him down. And my father told me, I want you to be wide. So you'll know just what the smart man knows, he said, but where their timid their trigger shy, whatever you wanna call it. He said you won't have that. And that's the reason that I am the way that I am.


I last hold to that. You see? So whenever I have an experienced where I'm capable will being smart or I learn just as much from bad leaders as I do from good leaders. Yeah. And I will tell a bad leader.


Thank you, and they won't know why I'm telling them but they taught me something... I might even give him a love offering. I'm not joking. Is... And I don't...


If anybody's watches this and I've given you something, that's not why I gave it to you, But. I'm serious. I'm... There are things that I have avoided. Ryan because I just paid attention.


Yeah. And I'm like, I don't want that. I... So just kinda redirecting back to that original question. I heard you in your voice that that I wanna bring out.


For the audience. You said, I, I empathize with those individuals. And I think really, in my mind, I have found that that is key. I I don't have a high personal sensitivity like you. I haven't learned for interpersonal sensitivity.


I'm not always good at it, but III do my best. Yes. But you have a natural natural interpersonal sensitivity, which would make you possibly, a lot of times, people will be passive aggressive and have a hard time dealing with with issues, I don't see that with you. But what I do see is you leaning into your interpersonal sensitivity, to tell people hard things. You're you're leaning into that compassion, leaning into that empathy.


Actually using what is a great gift of yours to tell people hard things. That's what I see with you. And I want them to tell me the hard things. So, you know, I have a pastor, every pastor needs a pastor. But then I also have men of god that I respect.


That I let those guys if they wanna go in on me. Tell me because I wanna be saved. So I feel like it's easier to be honest with people when you yourself allowed them to be honest with you. And it's easier because it it's not just, you know, to say, I'm a give you a piece of my mind that they can't give you... I mean, for lack of a better term.


Right. Even in our church, our church, our leaders have a culture of critique. We're not critical, but we have a culture of critique. And and that's been developed because. People can get a offended feedback.


Yeah. And we still have people every now and again where they struggle getting that date... Because they're becoming a part of that type of culture, especially because we're cycling so many lost people. So that have I've never been told anything in their lives. So when you come to this type of environment, where now you're growing as a believer, and you're you're coming up as a volunteer, now a leader and we're saying, hey, we give feedback but it's easier for them to receive it because they don't see me in a leadership meeting and say, hey, how am I doing?


I literally say that to our leaders, and I stop, and I will just go silent it. And until people start talking. That's good. That's good. So you're So you're leaning in into humility, you're leaning in of vulnerability.


Because it makes me better. I'm... I'm horrible. I am the worst part as much as I like structure I am the worst person to how did it say this? Because in the district, I may empty.


When I am mc, I'm doing what I'm asking doing and that's it. At home where I pastor her, Like, if you say past ryan, I will set the schedule and we'll get up and something funny will happen in service or something. And I'll be having such a good time, I can get lost. I'll still move it along so you're looking at the little screen with the time and it's like ran past you're over. You know, then you know How you get well, I'm the pastor.


Right? No. You can't do that. So what I did was because I know I... I really do love the saints and the people I pastor, and I feed off of them.


Some of them are just like disrupt, I'll get up there, and this building full of people they know, Like, he's church, all this type of stuff that the people know about you. And some of them will push me. Right? So I had to start putting other people to do things to keep things moving because my weakness is, I'll get up here and have so much fun with y'all. I'll take...


It's supposed to be 10 minutes. Now I'm that 15 minutes, and you're throwing off the whole. And it's not 15 minutes because of the holy ghost. It's 15 minutes because I'm having a good time with these people you see I'm saying? And so because you know you have these...


You get feedback faster when you get up, to do the welcome. You do more than welcome. You're welcome. You become a comedian. You start doing, and you can't do that because you're the 1 that approved this schedule So you can't...


Now you're messing up the own schedule. Now, the holy ghost gets to move it. Hey. Let's go with God. But sometimes it ain't the holy ghost.


It's just it's just us be us. Y'all don't know what I'm talking about. I'm... That's all of a say. Well, you mentioned your life focus is that you build people.


Yes. In what ways specifically do you focus on helping people grow within your church and within your community, are there any specific practical programs or methods that you use to to grow and build people? Yes. When I came back home from serving overseas and doing that thing, I left my career, to come back and win my city. My pastor, along with bishop, Tin and others.


They they all were very present of my life and was really putting pressure. They were seeing what I'm doing now back then somehow or had a glimpse of it somehow, I didn't I didn't see it they saw it. Things I'm doing, I... I'm actually believe or not. I never cared to pastor.


I I hope I'm saying that right. As a matter of fact, when I became senior pastor, Brother Cox said, not brother cox, Somebody said, kenny preach can ryan preach? All they knew me as was a Biden study teacher now, they knew at disciple hundreds. They knew that. There was a whole section in our church bill with people I was cycling.


Right? So they knew that, but I was never 1 trying to get to the pool pit wanting to stand to... It just didn't because I feel like I existed to bill people. Yeah. So when I was coming back home, I thought I was coming to add another level of structure, right?


A linear pad for disciples ship that would help us build people more effectively. Mh. So the program we used to do this as a part of my own live vision. I believe people, I believe we should start people with the end in mind. We should be like Jesus.


When Jesus called the disciples Jesus said come and follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. He knew what he wanted them to become before he ever talk to them. It's only in the church context. That we tell people to come and be faithful and we'll figure it out as we go. Jesus didn't even do that.


So if you take time to pray and to cognitive consider what God may want to produce in somebody's life, you'll usually engage with more intentional. So for me, every relationship I go into, I'm praying about. Ryan, I prayed about our relationship. I prayed. I prayed I remember people will wonder how can you remember my name, we met 1 time.


I said because the first time I met you, I started praying, what is the reason for us engaging. Is it for me to grow? Is it for them to grow or is it just to have a place of laughter, fun, safety. There are past friends in my life that I talked to? When we talk, we may cry.


We may laugh? There's are some, we talk about the word. There's some... I don't even know what we say. We might just be.


Because that's the purpose of God for that relationship. So when I say practically, what do I use? So we did this thing for our church call work in the basis. And it was built out of my personal plan of development for anybody I disciple where I I recognize Lord, I need insight to where you're taking them. And maybe I'm just the water or the planter, but whatever it is you want me to do in their life or wherever you would like me to like me to take them to, make it known to me.


And if it's 1 of those situations where I'm seeing through a glass doctor because God doesn't want me to see all of that, just tell me what my next step is is. And so when God gives me I'm like a shark in a pool of blood, if I get any inkling that this is what God wants to do. I'm in. That's all I'm focused on. So they can have other areas in their life that need to be developed.


If that's not what God has given me the skill to produce. I leave it alone. And that's what I'm saying. I can't I can't deal with every person the same. I mean, I'm serving how many pastors do we have in our district?


303 hundred plus pastors. That's 300 plus personalities. And if I try to deal with every last 1 of them the same and just do this blanket, apostolic Pent greeting and dealing, I'll never be able to do whatever I'm supposed to do. So I just I just follow the spirit of God. I try to be aware of those that are different from me that that, you know, some people, my personality can make them nervous.


Yeah. So I just gotta say God. How do I add value here? Am I supposed to learn something here and not teach because that's another problem. If you're the person always teaching and you're never avail yourself to learn.


That's another issue. Right? That's very true. I mean, I learned from watching you. I've learned from stuff you've put out and produced over the years.


The Bible made simple was insane. At at the time, what I was doing the journey to redemption, which is bible that I did. I did not rip off the Bible Made sent. Simple as a matter of fact, I literally waited it to after we finish to even open the Bible made simple to ensure that whatever I was doing was supposed to be what I was supposed to be doing and not what the other Ryan was doing. I don't know if people will be real enough to say that I waited.


And after that, I just love the fact that there was somebody else that love teaching the bible enough to make a resource Yeah. Because you still... The bible made simple as your natural way of teaching. It is. I right?


Yeah. It is. Exactly. And people are people try to keep trying to keep it concealed. I don't wanna nobody to ripping it off.


Man, we're all ripping off, Jesus. Like, yeah. The low, so it's okay. So I love that. And, anyway, I don't know if I answered the question, And.


I hope I answered the question. Yeah. Absolutely. I'm I'm I'm hearing so a organic method of approach with people. Yeah.


Which I love because, you know, to to try to cookie cut disciples ship and and, you know, development with people, is really impossible. That's why stuff like what I do executive coaching is so powerful and helpful to people because it's laser focused with people. Right. Can I say that that this what you're hearing right now didn't start as refined as it is? Yeah.


Because I have that engineering type of mind as I learn things, I develop I develop manuals in my mind to keep me going in a certain direction. You know, how organizations as they grow. They develop more policy. That's what I've done for my life. Yeah.


I didn't write the policy down. It's not in a book. Somebody said we need to do a book about some some things, but everybody's writing books, and I just... I'm not interested at the moment. Maybe at someday if there's a need.


But the point of it is is in my mind, there's a policy letter being written. Whenever I discover something that okay. I was doing this. This is please in the God. Don't do that, ryan, because that doesn't end well.


You see I'm saying, do more of this, do less of that. In my in my life, and I'm just telling you the way I'm seeing it in my mind. There's a policy letter that's being written to myself. And once that policy has been adopted, I start to formulate kind of this linear, it it is it up, What do they call it? It's kinda like you building your self identity if you will.


And I'm not finding it in self help. I'm finding it in Christ. I am growing from what I'm reading and, you know, leaders like you, Ryan and other great leaders in our movement, you know, But to be honest with you, I'm I'm leaning in the word of god, I'm living life. If I mess up, I'm making an adjustment, and I'm writing the policy letter, and I'm saying let's not do it. Does that make sense?


I'm trying to I'm trying to help some leader that that may be trying and get a hold of it right now that may be watching your your your your leadership segment here today, and they're wondering well, how do you... You start from where you are? And you make those small adjustments until you get to a place where you can talk about it Kinda how we're talking about it, but I didn't start off having it figured out at all. I just had so. Yeah.


I just had a heart to try to, to try to make things. Right? That's still my heart. If that's why if I do something and somebody gets offended gets, mad, man, I wanna I'm a fixer. I wanna try to make it right.


And sometimes in trying to make it right, some people... I'm a tell you this 1 joke. Alright. I hope this is appropriate if it's not, y'all will never hear it. But there's a beacon in our church that tells a story.


He says he talks to couples about, arguments. He said, you don't wanna wrestle in the mud with the pig. He said because you might discover that the pig is enjoying it, So sometimes you even run into people where you're trying to be accommodating, and they don't even want a solution, they want chaos. Yeah. But even those circumstances in an effort to try to learn.


How to do things better. Man, I have grown. Absolutely grown through even those seasons. What I'm saying is even in seasons where there's no seemingly... There's no resolution insight.


I'm even seeing growth come out of those things. Yeah. Just because there's a heart to try and understand. And I think that that's what's the difference in a mediocre leader and a good leader such as yourself is that you're continually looking at yourself, you're continually looking for opportunities to grow, could be a, you know, within a relationship that you find an opportunity to grow, could be you know, before we before we hit record, you showed me a new book that you're reading, you know, could be a book that you're reading could be a a class that you're taking, could be a formal education that you're, you're always looking for some way to grow yourself and develop yourself so that you can grow and develop others. And I think that that's what's key is to continually continually look.


At at at what's what's ahead and and systematically, daily, weekly. Yeah. Look to grow yourself. I wanna be better. I wanna be better.


Sitting here. That's my desire to be done. That's and that's very that's very evident. But you're doing a great job if you don't mind me asking. Don't mind me saying.


I'm probably this. I've got 1 final question for you, but I but I just wanna ask you briefly. Is there anything else that maybe, you didn't get a chance to say that you wanna say before we get to that last question. No. I...


I will remind us as many as are led by the spirit of God. They are the sons of God. And for every pastor, lay leader, man, woman of God, child of God, Sunday school teacher. In these times we live in, the hour requires that we be sensitive to letting God lead us in whatever direction make whatever change, whatever adjustment, I'm not married to anything other than him, and I want I want to avail myself to the leading of the spirit. So we never have to worry about being irrelevant irrelevant or not having what we need for the hour.


If our god declares the end from the beginning and he does. He knows what I'm gonna need tomorrow, and I won't have a heart to make that adjustment. Win the hour calls or whatever I need. Yeah. Well, that's really good.


For sure. Yeah. So run, last question. Yes. It's this could be related to the topic.


It could be related to something you've already said. It doesn't have to be, though. Mh. If you could go back 5 years, 10 years from now and tell your younger self something, what would it be? Without even thinking.


Stay sensitive to the spirit, stay broken and humble and do whatever God tells you to do. Without hesitation. That's what I would say because You know I don't live with regrets. I try to just do the... The will of god.


Again, that's why I said that reset button is powerful. Yeah. And and somebody could be listening to those words. Stay sensitive. To the spirit of God.


It maybe even think it's a little bit, you know, well, that's a given. But you and I both know. That's not a given. And there's been many times in my past where I wish I would have stayed sensitive to the spirit of god and I didn't. I stepped out on my own and I would imagine that that's the case for you as well.


And so thank you for sharing that that word to wisdom at the end there. Yes, sir. Passed around, this has been a tremendous conversation, and I wanna thank you so much for giving me and our audience your time today. And if people wanna connect with you online in some some way. Where can they find you?


Well, you can stop by our website at g p dot net. You can also find me on Instagram at pastor ryan b or on Facebook at ryan Almond, you can also find me on Twitter at pastor Ryan b. I just rarely ever put anything on Twitter. I'm mostly on Instagram at Facebook. And, those are the ways that you can connect with me.


You And if there's ever anything I can do, if you are local pastor, Louisiana or even pass around the world, because there are many that reach out, I'm always available. My email is pastor almond at FGUP dot net. That's pastor Almond at FGP dot net. You will not get my secretary for my administrators, you'll get me. So just send me something, and I'd love to respond oh, when time allows.


That's very kind of you to do that. Thank you so much. Again. Thank you. Thank you for being on.


Yes, sir. My pleasure. And this concludes our show today. My name is Ryan Franklin. Thank you so much for joining us on the Christian leader made simple podcast.


Copyright © 2024 Ryan Franklin. All rights reserved.

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