In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep. 289), I open our new series, The Magnificent Seven, by turning our attention to Abraham—the first great patriarch and the man through whom God began the redemptive story that shapes all of Scripture. Abraham stands at the headwaters of biblical history, yet he emerges from a pagan culture with no prior record of faith, only a heart somehow attuned to the voice of God. That alone is a profound leadership lesson: God speaks to those who will listen.

In this teaching, I explore Abraham’s courageous obedience, his willingness to step into the unknown, and the leadership strength that caused entire households to follow him simply because he trusted the word of the Lord. At the same time, Abraham’s failures—his impatience, his missteps, his attempts to force God’s promise—offer sober warnings for every leader. His life reminds us that obedient faith, not human strategy, is the pathway to God’s best.

Join me as we learn from the strengths and shortcomings of this remarkable man and consider what real spiritual leadership requires in our own time.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:25) - 7 characteristics of the 7 people in the Bible
• (00:08:38) - Abram's Obedient Faith
• (00:11:29) - Abram the Desecrator
• (00:14:19) - Abram the Jew and Lot
• (00:20:32) - The Sin of Sodom
• (00:27:52) - Abraham and the Jews
• (00:28:19) - God's Mercy for Abram and His People
• (00:36:56) - God's challenges in our life
• (00:39:11) - Abraham's Final Test of His Life

In this final episode of the Also Featured In The Cast series, I reflect on those whose names you may not know but whose roles were essential—both in history and in the story of Jesus. From Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea to the humble parents of Christ, we explore the lives of those who shaped history and faith in quiet yet profound ways. We also examine the deadly combination of political, military, and religious power in the crucifixion of Jesus, and the stark contrast of those who faithfully cared for Him. At the heart of it, Jesus knows each of us by name, no matter how overlooked or forgotten the world may be.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:25) - The Life of Hattie McDaniel
• (00:03:26) - John 4:1-2
• (00:06:13) - The Life of Herod and Pilate
• (00:15:24) - Political, Military and Religious Power in the Crucification of Jesus
• (00:22:22) - The Power of Religious Power
• (00:31:47) - Also mentioned in the Christ Story
• (00:34:44) - What Kills People in Crucifixion
• (00:41:24) - Leader's Notebook

In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook, I continue my series “Also Featured in the Cast” by looking at the “St. Peter movie”—and the people who surrounded him. From James and John, the fiery “Sons of Thunder,” to John’s quiet faithfulness at the foot of the Cross, to James the brother of Jesus who led the church in Jerusalem, to Paul’s bold confrontation of Peter at Antioch, and even to Judas Iscariot, I explore the lives of those who shaped and challenged Simon Peter’s journey. Their stories illuminate our own struggles with failure, forgiveness, calling, and grace. No matter how far we’ve fallen, we cannot out-sin the grace of God.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - Leaders Notebook
• (00:01:22) - The Life of Daniel Stern
• (00:03:00) - Simon Peter and the Circumcision
• (00:07:27) - Simon Peter and St. Paul
• (00:09:15) - The Sons of Thunder
• (00:17:11) - Simon Peter at the Cross
• (00:18:28) - The Life of St. John, Chapter 21
• (00:24:08) - James, the Administrative Bishop at Jerusalem
• (00:26:47) - Paul the Apostle in Peter's Movie
• (00:30:23) - The Life of Judas Iscariot
• (00:32:18) - What Did Judas Iscariot Do That Peter Didn't
• (00:38:03) - The Life of St. Peter and John