Tuning In Regularly
Each week I do all that I can to grow personally. For anyone who follows my life and ministry practices, you know this about me:
*I exercise five or six days a week, frequently running for an hour or more.
*About three years ago I began listening to podcasts regularly, especially while running.
So, I am often asked, “Who do you listen to?”
Who I Listen To Regularly
It is a stretch for me to call anyone a “regular;” however, I do try to expose myself to various podcasts frequently. I will note three of them:
1. Dr. Albert Mohler’s “The Briefing”
I have “The Briefing” sent to my phone daily. As I am getting ready in the mornings, I listen to Dr. Mohler’s daily briefing. This is usually about a 10 to 15 minute analysis of the leading global news headlines and cultural conversations. Dr. Mohler helps me to stay on top of issues and have some understanding of them from a Christian perspective. Every pastor and Christian leader needs this resource, or one like it, in their repertoire of daily encouragement.
2. Dr. Thom Rainer’s “Rainer on Leadership”
This is a weekly podcast, geared toward talking about relevant matters for pastors and Christian leaders. This podcast is usually 20 to 30 minutes long. Often the podcast is Dr. Rainer being interviewed and periodically he interviews a guest. Admittedly, his audience is vast and at times his podcast may not help me personally at that moment, but I listen anyway because it helps me understand pastors and leaders from all sizes of churches and their needs. “Rainer on Leadership” always challenges me in some way.
3. Our Seminary Chapel Services
Of the Southern Baptist seminaries that make their resources available as a podcast, I listen to them regularly. For example, I love listening to the semester-opening sessions and hearing what is on the hearts of our seminary leaders. As well, listening to the chapel services of our seminaries helps me stay in tune to the academic world of which I love and am challenged by still to this day.
I have a heart for equipping leaders; therefore, I am thrilled by what I hear. For example, the other day, I listened to a podcast from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where Dr. David Platt spoke about the four foundations we hold for speaking to cultural issues. This was very strong biblically and extremely engaging personally. Another one that blessed me was the chapel service of Southern Seminary’s Dr. Albert Mohler when he discussed his 20th year at Southern, retracing the years before and how God has worked in the life of Southern Seminary. Usually these podcasts last from 25 to 40 minutes. They are worth your time.
In this format, you will hear fabulous scholars, gifted pastors, and Christian leaders. All can be found within these chapel messages.
Others I Listen To Along The Way
This is dangerous in today’s world, but let me confess: I listen to a long list of Christian leaders from all kinds of theological perspectives. I find this highly engaging and helpful for my growth. Plus, I can learn from people I would not have any exposure to otherwise. After earning three degrees from Christian institutions, pastoring for 37 years, and reading through the Bible annually since 1990, I feel I can keep balanced regardless of what I hear. In fact, at times, listening to these helps me remain balanced.
Here is a list of various people I listen to along the way, supplementing those I mentioned above:
James MacDonald, Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicago
Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community, Chicago
Robert Morris, Gateway Church, Dallas
Jack Graham, Prestonwood Baptist, Dallas
Ted Traylor, Olive Baptist, Pensacola
Robert Jeffress, First Baptist, Dallas
Steve Gaines, Bellevue Baptist, Memphis
Tim Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian, New York City
J. D. Greear, Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham
Vance Pitman, Hope Church, Las Vegas
Jud Wilhite, Central Christian, Las Vegas
Mark Batterson, National Community, Washington D.C.
Andy Stanley, North Point Church, Atlanta
Craig Groeshel, Life Church, Oklahoma City
Steven Furtick, Elevation Church, Charlotte
Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Southern California
Ed Young, Fellowship Church, Dallas
Matt Chandler, Village Church, Dallas
Ed Young, Second Baptist, Houston
Greg Matte, First Baptist, Houston
Matt Carter, Austin Stone Church, Austin
Crawford Loritts, Fellowship Bible, Atlanta
Jonathan Falwell, Thomas Road Baptist, Lynchburg
Jim Cymbala, Brooklyn Tabernacle, New York City
John Piper, Desiring God Ministries, Minneapolis
Mark Dever, Capitol Hill Baptist, Washington D. C.
David Platt, The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham
Mac Brunson, First Baptist, Jacksonville
John Maxwell, Christ Fellowship, Florida
Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church, Seattle
John MacArthur, Grace Community Church, Southern California
David Jeremiah, Shadow Mountain Community, San Diego
Perry Noble Leadership Podcast
The Catalyst Leadership Podcast
And MORE . . .
When I listen to a wide array of gifted men of God, I learn to appreciate people more and I pray for all of them as I listen. Of course, much is seasonable due to what they may be preaching or teaching or what I need at the time in my life.
I find there are many men who are highly gifted and I need them to pour into my life. It ministers to me personally. It challenges me theologically. It encourages me in leadership. I become better if I remain teachable to the Spirit of God in my life. I thank God for the way He uses people from all walks of life to teach me more about Him. He uses all kinds of people to relay His incredible Word.
Yours For The Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
From One Pastor to Another: A Personal Testimony
There is nothing more powerful than a personal testimony. I am always cautious about sharing what God is doing in my life due to the fear of being misunderstood. With my peers, I am even more cautious.
By no means do I ever assume what God is doing in me needs to be done in others. God walks with us personally. His work in me may or may not have anything to do with what He is doing in you. At the same time, there are moments when what God is doing in the lives of others has profound impact on me.
The Work of God has been Building
For the past several months, the work of God and His Spirit in me have been building. I have sensed He has been taking me up to a place to meet with Him intimately. By faith, I just kept walking, following this journey I sensed I was on with God.
As fellow pastors, you know the enormous challenge we face daily of continuing in these kinds of journeys God has us on personally, while the demands of ministry continue to call upon us. In fact, many times they distract us from the very thing we believe God is doing in us.
But in these past few months, my focus was strong. I really felt God was moving me toward Him personally in every way. I had a growing anticipation that led me forward toward Him.
The Work of God Recently
Then the moment came through my daily time with God, that I sensed His deep call to a season of prayer and fasting. I notified Jeana and I began the journey with the Lord. This time, I had no idea how long God wanted me to walk with Him on this specific journey.
By faith, I recorded several things I believed God wanted me to pursue Him about. I needed His perspective. I needed to see what He sees about them. I needed to be in the Word with Him even more, talking with Him about these matters.
The journey continued for twenty-one days. Uniquely, Jeana was away all last week, staying with her Mom while she underwent a procedure for a pacemaker. This eliminated our normal Friday together. Therefore, on my day away from office responsibilities, I spent most of the day with the Lord in His Word. It was rewarding and powerful, but exhausting. God’s timing is always perfect. I needed this time. I needed confirmation about many things I was sensing God had declared to me in His Word, and clarity regarding the length of this fasting journey.
At one point, I was not sure the release was given. This journey was so rich with the Lord, quite honestly, there was a lot of me that did not want the time of fasting to cease. I was more than willing to continue to a forty day stretch, but late on Friday, God released me. So sometime after 8:00 p.m. on Friday, I broke the fast.
The Work of God Through Me
God’s Word was so strong in my life during this journey. The Holy Spirit awakened me to several things in His powerful Word. I have no idea how much any of this will ever become public. At times, God keeps His work in us private. Other times, when He has worked in us privately, He takes that work public. I leave all that up to Him alone.
Here is what I do know. The past three weeks, especially this past Sunday, God has been working strongly in our church. His hand has stayed on His church uniquely. One of the reasons I was compelled to draw aside with the Lord was over a prayer ministry I unveiled to our people on Sunday. It is called the Cross Church Circle. When I called for commitment from our people, the response was as strong as anything I have seen in several years. God was in the House at Cross Church this past Sunday.
Another matter weighing upon me strongly is our upcoming, “A Call to Prayer for Revival and Awakening: A Gathering for Senior Pastors.” As of today, we have 146 Senior Pastors attending from 24 different states in our nation. The response has been amazing and if flights were more reasonably priced, I believe this number would be staggering. Our goal all along has not been great numbers, but that God would show up in this prayer gathering and create a spiritual movement within us. I am praying that if He chooses to do so, God would use this gathering to become a catalyst for the next great move of God in our nation. This burden was upon me, and is still upon me, and moved me to walk up the mountain with God during those 21 days of fasting and prayer. Oh, how God so moved upon my heart about this through His powerful Word.
And there are other matters, much more personal for now and perhaps forever. It is all in God’s hand and I trust Him. He is more than worthy to be trusted. I share all of this with you to encourage you, and do so with complete humility.
My Testimony Today
My testimony to you today is this: God is up to something. He is preparing His men like us and His bride, the church. I really believe we are entering, and perhaps have already entered, a “kairotic” moment, a special moment, a season where God moves powerfully.
So what do we do as leaders of His church? We get before Him. We stay before Him. We live in the Word of God. We prepare ourselves. We let His Spirit do whatever He wants to do in us. We abandon ourselves, releasing ourselves to follow King Jesus wherever He leads us.
Wherever God wants us to go, let’s go. Let’s march together in Jesus’ name with the Word of God in our hearts and the Holy Spirit as our power.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.