10 Christian Books and Podcasts to Grow Your Leadership

Hey, there, everybody. Thanks for spending time with me today. Who am I? I’m Wanda Thibodeaux, your host for the entire show, and this is Faithful on the Clock, the podcast where every dime in the piggy bank goes in to get your faith and work aligned. Today’s show is gonna be really fun, because I’m gonna give you some resources, some of the best books and podcasts you can tap into, to get to the next level in your leadership journey. Let’s not waste time, here, everybody. I’m getting started.

All right, people. So, today, I’m gonna share both books and podcasts for you. But I wanna just start with the books. And the first one I’m gonna offer to you right out of the gate is God Is My CEO by Larry Julian. This one’s been out for about a decade already, was published I think in 2014. And what I really enjoy about this book is that Julian does such a good job of showing how applying Biblical principles to your work actually get you the results everybody in business always talks about — you know, stuff like higher morale or productivity. And he offers a lot of real-world examples of leaders who actually have put God first in their business and found success. But he takes some of the really hard issues people have, stuff like finding your purpose and defining success for yourself, you know, addressing short-term pressure or calls to do less-than-ethical things, and he uses the leadership examples to show how people actually faced those problems. So, the book is really filled with clear actions you can take on all of these areas where you’re going to have some inner conflict trying to follow God.

The second book I’ll recommend is The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen. I’ve mentioned this book before, because it really did have such an impact on me. And this book, Nouwen really was addressing Christian ministers, right? But I’ve always read it as being applicable to anybody who follows Jesus, because we’re all supposed to minister to our brothers and sisters with the unique gifts we have, right? And the big point he makes is that we can take our wounds and then use those to help others heal. Because then we’ve got some understanding of their pain. So, recognition of suffering is really the start of service. We can find people who need our unique experience to be able to get past theirs. But Nouwen uses a story of a man facing an operation to show what people really need to get through tough times. And what he essentially says is, if you’re really patient, if you prove to somebody you’re not gonna abandon them, that you’re gonna wait with them no matter what and be there when they come out on the other side, they can get through anything. That’s really what they need most more than anything when the you-know-what-hits the fan. And the whole idea is that we all just need one person to connect to, one person who’s gonna believe in us and see us through. Now, you might be saying, well, OK, how does that apply to my career or business? Well, I’ll tell you, there have been plenty of times in my life and career where I had no idea whether anybody cared. And part of the reason I got so caught up in so much work was because I didn’t think anybody was going to provide for me but me. And as a leader, I’m telling you, when you can show somebody how they’re able to contribute, when you show up for them over and over again, show them what their gifts are and ask them on the job what they need or how they’re doing, that builds a trust that’s super hard to break. And we know a lot of people who clock in, they’re really going through some stuff. They’re suffering. And part of good leadership is acknowledging that, being empathetic to it, and offering whatever support you can so people understand they don’t have to quit. People need to know somebody’s got their back or they’re not gonna be motivated to persist through anything you ask them to do.

The third book on my list for you is Holy Habits by Noah Herrin. Now, some of you out there might have read Atomic Habits by James Clear. And the whole idea with that book is that little changes can make a big impact. Because they compound on each other a lot of the time, right? And little changes are doable. They’re not as scary, and they’re practical. And Herrin’s book kind of plays on the same idea. If you’re gonna succeed at following God and modeling what He wants, there are specific little habits that really add up or are game changers. Things like finding a coach or keeping things simple, resting, and of course, talking to God on a regular basis. And if you build those kinds of habits, it’s a lot easier to keep God at the front of what you do, because it’s just built into your day.

The forth book on my list is Boundaries for Leaders by psychologist Henry Cloud. And this one, it’s actually a sequel to the book Boundaries, which is all about how drawing clear boundaries for the right reasons can get your life and relationships into a healthy position. I’d recommend reading that one before reading this one, because that’s gonna help you understand more of how Cloud ties all this to Christian living. But what Cloud does in Boundaries for Leaders is, he explains why establishing good boundaries is critical to making organizations run smoothly. And he just does a phenomenal job of pulling in a ton of neuroscience and psychology to explain how all of this makes a difference to teams and the bottom line. And of course, anybody in leadership is gonna tell you that you have to be able to say no sometimes, not just to preserve your own well-being, but so you’re actually allocating the resources you have for your company in the proper way that’s going to promote growth and support your workforce. You have to know when to put on the gas in innovation, but also when to break, because otherwise, you’ll just end up crashing. And as Cloud puts it right at the start of the book, as a leader, you always get what you create and allow. And I think when you’re trying to shape your career or a company, that’s really critical to understand, because you are responsible for the outcome of behaviors and interactions.

So, the last book I’ve got for you is Great Commission Companies by Steve Rundle and Tom Steffen. And this book is really interesting, because it really makes the case that the intersection between Christian purpose and business development is viable. And so, you’re gonna read some case studies about companies that are operating in what really are some, you know, less developed areas of the world, and the authors use those case examples to show how the businesses simultaneously are serving God but also economically making a positive difference for communities and really transforming what people in those regions are able to do. And that’s kind of always been my mindset, right? Your business can be a pathway to help people in really real, pragmatic ways. And what I want you to understand as you read this book is, think about the early church. And one of the reasons Christianity was able to spread so well in the first centuries after the crucifixion was that the early Christians did a better job of serving the everyday needs people had than Rome did. They would go out and take care of the basic, pragmatic stuff, and that earned trust and made people feel secure, and so then they converted. So, understand that when you bring a business into a community and you empower them to just live life, that really can open a doorway to them accepting you and the message of everything God is.

All right, I guess you can do a drumroll, because I’m gonna pop over to some podcasts for you. And the first one of those that’s just really a standout show is the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast. Now, if you don’t know who Craig Groeschel is, you should put him on your radar. He’s the senior pastor of Life Church, which has branches in I think 12 states here in the United States. They’re really innovative with their use of technology, and they’re the ones who developed the YouVersion Bible app. But you know, I watch a lot of his sermons online, and I’ve yet to hear a message from him that’s not solid. And you know, he’s been a pastor for decades now, and he does really well in pulling his personal life and giving examples to show you exactly how his message applies to you in the here and now. So, if you’re not listening to his sermons, do it. They’re worth the time. But a wonderful thing about Groeschel is, he’s actually got a business background. That’s what he started out in college for, and he’s got a bachelor’s in marketing. So, he knows what he’s talking about with organizations, and that’s part of why his church has been so successful. He’s been able to understand what it takes to lead not only in the spiritual sense, but also in the everyday nuts-and-bolts operational principles. But his leadership podcast is all about sharing those insights with you in a way that still follows the mission of God. And he’s just fantastic at giving you really-easy-to-understand stories or analogies to get his points across. So, if you’re gonna start anywhere, start there.

The next one, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a leadership or business podcast, but it’s just so good I’ve gotta include it. It’s Don’t Mom Alone by Heather MacFadyen. Now, yes, this is directed at women with kids, but I promise you, all you dads out there, it’s good for you, too. And honestly, I’d listen even if I weren’t a parent. And the reason this show is on the list is because MacFadyen absolutely nails talking about different Christian journeys with her guests. And I guarantee, she talks about topics and problems that people on your team are really facing out there. And a lot of her guests, you know, they are successful people, but they’re also people who have leaned on God and other people to find that success. They’re people who have been through the fire, and so the show is super relatable, super motivational, and MacFayden’s really conversational through the whole thing. So, this is one, you know, you’re driving to pick the kids up after work, or you’re trying to navigate your job when a bunch of other stuff is going on in your life, this is the show to put on to just press reset a little bit. Because the whole point of the show, you know, like I was saying with The Wounded Healer, life’s really hard. We can’t survive it all alone, and we need other people.

Next up, I’ve got The Bible for Normal People by biblical scholars Pete Enns and Jared Byas. So, this is a show, and I know there are a lot of you out there who are confused around scripture, but this is a show that aims to make the Bible make sense. Because honestly, some of it can be really hard to understand, not only because of language sometimes, but because we’re just not in the culture of those times anymore. So, the hosts, their whole purpose is to help you interpret the Word and grasp the context around what’s being said. Because if you can do that, then it can make a whole lot more sense for your life and your work. So, I’d recommend this one to make sure you can navigate through the study that’s gonna help you follow God better and make better decisions..

The next podcast for you is Christianity in Business with Archie Dunham. And this show is from the Center for Christianity in Business. But what’s really nice about this show is you’re gonna get interviews with real-life leaders who are figuring all this Christian leadership stuff out on the fly. And in these interviews, these leaders explain, what they’ve learned about God and running a business, and so every episode, you get a first-person, mini case example, whether it’s about stewarding or establishing, you know, a Godly standard of excellence, politics and how that impacts your company, just this whole range of insights. And again, you know, it’s not one of these shows where it’s like, OK, I built this and here’s how you can, too. There certainly are shows like that. Instead, it’s just really honest stories about what these Christian leaders have been through and learned, rather than, you know, some kind of blueprint show.

The last podcast I’ll recommend is Faith Driven Entrepreneur from Faith Driven Movements. And it’s similar to Christianity in Business in that you get to hear from real business leaders about what’s going on in their companies. But this podcast is, as the name suggests, directed more at people who are founders and innovators. And yes, you get insights about how leaders are integrating their faith, but to the point I was making with the Great Commission Companies book, the stories on this podcast are really gonna help you see how you can take an idea you have and build it up in a way that’s gonna help others and glorify God. And it’s all about how faith ties into the development of good business concepts.

So, that wraps up my podcast and book list for you. And of course, as we wrap up, I’m gonna encourage you not only to to keep listening to this podcast, but also to take a moment to support the authors and podcasters I shared with you. Because I can tell you from my own experience, sometimes, we honestly don’t know if we’re hitting the mark we want to. And so, getting that feedback through reviews or or shares, that’s just so encouraging. We need that as creators to have a sense of whether we’re headed in the right direction in the way we’re sharing God’s message. So, take a moment to do that.

But right now, if you would join me, let’s just take a moment to pray.

God, one of the biggest messages people hear in the business world is that we have to be lifelong learners. We have to be always moving forward. But as I share these resources today, I pray that the desire in our hearts will be to learn about You most of all. Let’s move in the direction of you and always be seeking the wisdom we need to do the right thing. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

All right, everybody. If you have access in your area, I will leave you with the recommendation to check out options like Interlibrary Loan for these resources. That’ll let you read for free so you can kind of see in advance whether you want to buy copies. And for the podcasts, I know we’re all busy, but my recommendation there is to download the shows instead of stream. That’ll let you listen even if your Internet is a little spotty, you know, maybe you go through a bunch of tunnels on your way to work, that kind of stuff. But in two weeks, I’m gonna be talking about marketing. How do you market yourself in a Godly way when the world is…well, not Godly? Join me for some tips on that next time, and until then, be blessed.