Author Archives: Rick Ezell

About Rick Ezell

I am a husband, father, pastor, and writer. This blog is about shaping character, transforming church, and impacting culture. I believe that if one defines their moments then their moments will determine their character and their character will influence their world. I write on personal development, church leadership, and our changing culture. I also write about the resources I am developing and the books I am writing. My goal is to create challenging, relevant, and inspiring content that will help you be a better person, the church be a better parish, and the world a better place. If you are interested in those things, this blog is for you. I have served the church my entire career as a student minister and senior pastor. I studied at Samford University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (eventually I will get it). I have written eight books. My most recent ones are Chapter 13: The Excellence of Love and Soul Therapy: The Healing Words of Psalm 23. Both are available as eBooks. I have written over 1000 articles for various local, regional, and national publications. I have been married to Cindy for thirty-three years. We have one wonderful daughter. We live in Greenville, SC. In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, running, tennis, and golf. You can contact me via email or follow me on Twitter or Facebook. This is my personal blog. The opinions I express here do not necessarily represent those of my employer. The information I provide is on an as-is basis. I make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use.

Thriving in a Crisis: 7 Seeds of Opportunity

John D. Rockefeller was barely two years into his first job when the Panic of 1857 struck. Rockefeller could have become depressed and paralyzed by the unfortunate circumstances of a declining economy. But instead of lamenting the timing of the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The One Cure for Loneliness

Is it possible to have a million friends on Facebook and countless followers on Instagram but no real friends? Is it possible to go to work surrounded by dozens of people and have no genuine support? It’s not only possible; … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What to do when you are lonely

Every week people go to work surrounded by people. Unbeknownst to many, they are dealing with loneliness. They might cover it over with busyness, jokes, activity, and work, but hiding beneath the surface is the monster of loneliness. Loneliness is … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

8 Ways to Practice Servant Leadership

Robert Greenleaf, in the early 70s, coined the term servant leader. He wrote, “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The best … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Service Leads to Blessing

For Jesus, service was not a peripheral issue, not just a neon sign splashing half-truth in a window of self-indulgence. When it came to service, he meant business. Near the end of his ministry, James and John asked to sit … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Why We Should Pray

Prayer is the indispensable and vital function of a leader. No aspect of leadership is more essential and crucial to the growth and health of the organization than spending time with God. We are never taller than when we are … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

When Your Gas Tank Is Empty

Whenever I drive my car on empty, certain feelings are always present. I become stressed. While on the outside, I’m calm; on the inside, my stomach is churning. My palms become sweaty. Tension rises like a thermometer on a hot … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Why We Need Rest

Rest and relaxation are not optional. Rest was never meant to be a luxury, but a necessity for growth, maturity, and health. Rest is so important that God included it in the Ten Commandments. We do not rest because our … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Truth

We are not very good at telling the truth. Diogenes would have a tough time in America today. The legendary Greek who sought for an honest man would be hard pressed to find many. One survey revealed that 30% of … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Lust: The Deadly Second Look

David was king of Israel. He wrote many of the Psalms. As a devout Jew, he was a person of faith and character. But one spring night, he became careless and curious. He should have been out with his men … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment