In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep. 295) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, and the final message in this series, I turn our attention to Paul the Apostle and the decisive turning points God used to shape the most influential voice of the early church. We begin with his commissioning in Acts 13 and look back to his dramatic conversion, his unmistakable calling, and the costly obedience that followed. Saul of Tarsus emerges as a Roman citizen, an elite rabbinical scholar, and a relentless Pharisee who encountered the risen Christ and was forever changed. From that encounter, Paul became the great theologian of salvation by faith alone, clarifying what it means for Gentiles to be grafted into the body of Christ. His life reminds us that to touch the church is to touch Christ Himself, and that true Kingdom leadership is not formed by ease, reputation, or advantage, but by answering God’s call wherever it leads.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:25) - Paul the Apostle
• (00:04:02) - Paul the Apostle
• (00:12:10) - Saul of Tarsus
• (00:20:22) - Paul the Apostle's life
• (00:21:30) - Why Do Certain People Change Their Names?
• (00:27:40) - Paul the Apostle: Suffering and Joy
• (00:35:58) - Simon Peter on the Book of Hebrews
• (00:43:17) - Gentiles and the Law

In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep. 294) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, I examine the life, faith, and formation of Simon Peter—introduced in John 1 as a fisherman who meets Jesus and is immediately renamed, redefined, and relentlessly shaped by grace. Peter is bold, impulsive, strong, outspoken, and deeply human: quick to confess Jesus as the Christ, equally quick to resist the cross; first to step out of the boat, first to deny with a curse; yet also first to preach at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit transforms failure into authority. We trace Peter’s journey from natural leadership to spiritual power, from Jewish boundaries to Gentile inclusion, and from rough-edged disciple to apostolic voice whose letters reveal profound theological depth. In the end, Peter himself tells us what mattered most—not miracles, not Pentecost, not even leadership—but seeing Christ in His glory, a vision that steadied his life and clarified his witness.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:53) - Simon Peter
• (00:09:38) - Simon Peter
• (00:13:23) - Simon Peter
• (00:16:58) - Simon Peter Confirmed as the Messiah by Jesus
• (00:22:28) - Simon Peter at Pentecost
• (00:28:48) - Simon Peter the Disciples
• (00:35:43) - St. Paul the Gentile encounter
• (00:39:02) - 1 Peter and 2 Peter
• (00:40:22) - The Greatest Moment of Peter's Life
• (00:46:24) - Leader's Notebook

In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep. 293) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, I walk through the astonishing life and ministry of John the Baptist. He stands as the last Old Testament prophet and the first man to publicly identify Jesus as Messiah. His voice rises out of four centuries of prophetic silence, set against the political brutality of Rome and the corruption of Herod. John does not emerge as a stylist or strategist, but as a singular, God-anointed voice preparing the way. He calls a nation to repentance and redefines the Messianic mission as sacrificial redemption. Standing in the Jordan, he declares Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire. His courage, clarity, and refusal to measure success by comfort or applause confront our modern assumptions about leadership and faithfulness. John’s life reminds us that true success is obedience to God’s call, even when it costs everything, and that the highest aim of any leader is to see Jesus clearly and point others to Him.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:26) - John the Baptist and the Taxation
• (00:01:26) - The Story of the Birth of Jesus
• (00:07:38) - The Life of Zechariah and the Angel Gabriel
• (00:15:17) - John 3: Behold the Lamb of God that taketh
• (00:15:56) - John the Baptist
• (00:20:25) - John the Baptist's Baptism
• (00:27:25) - Joel the prophet
• (00:35:21) - The Personal End of John the Baptist
• (00:41:06) - John Baptist: A Success or a Failure?

In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep.292) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, I walk through the life of King David not as a children’s story hero, but as one of the most complex, gifted, and broken leaders Scripture ever presents, drawing from Psalms 22, 23, and 51 to show how a shepherd, poet, warrior, prophet, outlaw, king, and sinner could still be called a man after God’s own heart. David’s genius was not perfection but pursuit: an uncommon ability to flex with the seasons of life, to rebound from moral collapse and personal tragedy, and to refuse both despair and denial when confronted with his own sin. From prophetic insight that reached the cross of Christ, to public repentance that matched the depth of his failure, David teaches us that leadership is not validated by flawlessness but by repentance, resilience, and an unrelenting chase after the heart of God, even when life is marked by pain, conflict, and unfinished battles.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:25) - Psalm 22, The Book of Psalms
• (00:02:19) - David the Extraordinary Man
• (00:07:31) - The Fall of David
• (00:09:09) - The Life of King David
• (00:13:23) - The Story of David and the Defeat of Goliath
• (00:21:41) - David the King of Israel
• (00:28:00) - David's Sin with Bathsheba
• (00:35:03) - David the Book of Life
• (00:39:38) - Was David a Man After God's Own Heart?

In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep. 291) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, I take you into the long, demanding life of Moses—a man called by God and shaped by struggle. From a baby hidden in the reeds to an old prophet standing before Pharaoh, Moses learned that God forms leaders slowly and uses them despite their fears, failures, and reluctance. We walk through the burning bush, the wilderness years, and the heavy burden of leading a stubborn people, discovering that true leadership is meekness—great authority restrained by obedience to God. Moses’ life points us again and again to the grace of God, a grace that still flows even when the servant falters, and ultimately to Christ, the greater Deliverer, who bears the curse and brings us into freedom. Moses reminds us that God does His greatest work through surrendered lives, and that faithfulness matters more than brilliance or strength.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:25) - The Magnificent Seven
• (00:01:12) - Joseph the Desecrator
• (00:09:53) - Why Was Moses Named Moses?
• (00:13:37) - THE LIFE OF MOSES
• (00:21:46) - Meekness and God's Plan for Israel
• (00:27:28) - The healing power of the Cross
• (00:33:46) - Moses the Great

In this episode of The Leader’s Notebook (Ep. 290) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, we explore the life and leadership of Joseph—the dreamer whose faith and character carried him through betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment to become the second most powerful man in Egypt. From the prophetic dreams God gave him as a youth to the fulfillment of those dreams decades later, Joseph’s story illustrates how God orchestrates destiny through patience, integrity, and unwavering trust. I share practical insights on how to hold onto the dreams God places in your heart, how to persevere through setbacks, and how to recognize the divine timing in your life. Joseph’s life teaches us that God’s promises often arrive in ways we cannot yet comprehend, and that the power of a dream can transform both personal destiny and the course of nations.

– Dr. Mark Rutland

• (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook
• (00:00:36) - Joseph's Life in Dreams
• (00:09:12) - Joseph the Despot: My Story
• (00:16:37) - Joseph the Jewish People
• (00:20:06) - The Dream of Your Life
• (00:25:27) - The Story of Purple Mountain Majorem
• (00:28:34) - Dreams and the power of them
• (00:34:03) - Mark Rutland on His
• (00:38:20) - The Greatest Dream Encourager of All Time
• (00:44:55) - A Little Girl's Dream
• (00:50:28) - God has a Dream for Your Life

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