GrowLeader Podcast Episode 94: Leadership, Life, and Lessons Learned - Q&A with the GrowLeader Team

Host: Chris Hodges
Guests: Adam (Team Member), Grace Hodges (Pre-production Producer), Matt (Podcast Team)
Date: March 2, 2026

Episode Overview

In this unique episode, Pastor Chris Hodges sits down for a rapid-fire Q&A session led by the GrowLeader podcast team—Adam and Grace, both long-serving team members and Highlands College graduates. The conversation centers on leadership, intentional living, lessons from failure, practical family systems, the power of dreaming, and the legacy Pastor Chris hopes to leave. The tone is conversational, intimate, and filled with practical wisdom and memorable personal stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Process of Dreaming & Bucket Lists

• Importance of a Written Bucket List:

  • Chris shares how mentorship (John Maxwell) inspired him to keep a written bucket list since 2007.
  • Reviewing it monthly keeps growth intentional.
  • “If you don't have a written bucket list, where you been and what are you doing? ... it pushes you toward something you would have passed up had you not had it written down.” (Chris, 04:05)

• Professional & Personal Goals:

  • Aiming to sell over a million copies of a new book.
  • Personal dreams involve meaningful experiences with grandkids—mission trips, vacations.

• Bucket List as a Growth Engine:

  • Encourages listeners to write not only attainable dreams but also those that seem impossible, referencing Ephesians 3:20.
  • “It's very healthy. In fact, even if it doesn't come true. The Hebrew word for dream and health are so close to being the same word... dreaming will make you healthy.” (Chris, 07:27)

[00:04:05 – 08:14]

2. Vision for Highlands College & Legacy in Christian Education

• Big Dreams for Highlands:

  • Chris's vision is to help 100+ church-based universities launch, not just Highlands College.
  • “I have some that would make people go, there's no way that's happening... I believe I've got some crazy hair raising ideas.” (Chris, 08:14)

• The Role of Vision:

  • “Vision's free, the journey isn’t.” (Matt & Chris, 07:12)

[08:06 – 09:08]

3. Lessons from Leadership—Advice to Younger Self & the Value of Relationships

• On Failures and Learning:

  • “All of the bad stuff that I would change is where I learned all the greatest lessons. It was the hardship of going through that that became the greatest lesson.” (Chris, 10:51)
  • Encourages reframing failure as a growth opportunity—'failing forward' (John Maxwell).

• Curiosity and Mining Gold in Relationships:

  • “I call it being curious about relationships... I never take it for surface value. I ask the question, what else is there?” (Chris, 12:27)

• Developing Others:

  • Chris lays out a practical “see it, say it, start it” model for developing people:
    • See potential
    • Speak prophetically into their lives
    • Create environments/processes for growth

[10:34 – 15:38]

Memorable Quote:

“There is something inside of every person that can add value to your organization, add value to your life... But you have to go mining it.” (Chris, 13:41)

4. Intentionality and Building Systems for Family & Margin

• Admits Imperfect Beginnings:

  • “Let me just be very honest and say I wasn't very good at it at first. I was a very driven leader trying to build a great church... there were years where the family did not get the best of me.” (Chris, 18:45)

• Family Systems:

  • Implemented non-negotiable family nights and regular date lunches with his wife to keep family relationships a priority.
  • “If you let me just lead by my feelings, I'm taking a lot more naps... But if I build in a system... I can be disciplined, but I need a way.” (Chris, 18:45)
  • Refused breakfast meetings to protect his most creative and spiritual time for God and study.

• On Margin:

  • “If you don’t have the time to notice, if you don’t have the time to be a noticer, have prophetic eyes... you blow by things, but you make everyone feel so seen and noticed. But it's because you have the margin to.” (Grace, 17:39)

[18:45 – 22:47]

5. The Discipline of Routines and Abundance Mindset

• Systems Matter:

  • For any high value area, Chris advocates creating routines that make important actions automatic.
  • “And we don't have to be megachurch pastors to do that. We need systems to help guide our lives.” (Matt, 22:13)

• Abundance vs. Scarcity:

  • Chris describes how he shifted from a scarcity to an abundance mindset and encourages pressing beyond perceived limitations.
  • “I have an abundance mentality. I don't think there's a limitation to anything. I think it can be done... A lot of people limit themselves to just the possibilities, and I really don't go there.” (Chris, 24:08)

• Lifting Your Lid:

  • Attending bigger conferences helps expand what's possible. “The closer you get to some of these people, you think they're superstars until you actually spend time with them... God could do this through somebody like me too.” (Chris, 25:56)

[23:20 – 26:19]

6. The Upcoming Book: "Legacy Letters"

• Concept:

  • 31 principle-based essays, each concludes with a personal “legacy letter” to future generations, plus a faith-anchored bonus chapter.
  • “I'm calling the book Legacy Letters. Timeless Principles I learned, lived, and leave behind. And I'm really excited how it turns out.” (Chris, 29:01)

• Crossover Appeal:

  • Designed to be accessible to a secular audience, gently weaving in faith.
  • Last “bonus” chapter offers a gospel invitation.

• Audiobook Production:

  • Chris personally narrates; team helped with the process.
  • “It took us three days to record the audiobook.” (Chris, 30:07)

[26:23 – 30:07]

7. Defining His Desired Legacy

• Consistency & Predictability:

  • “I want to be known as somebody who's just predictable... We know who he'll be tomorrow. I wanted there to be just like this steadiness because I wanted to be that steadying force in a world that is constantly changing, constantly freaking out.” (Chris, 30:49)

• Generosity, Consistency, Self-Awareness:

  • Desires to be remembered as open-handed and selfless, while acknowledging his struggles with impatience and being sometimes too task-oriented.

• Second Chance Principle:

  • “Give people a second chance—you never know when you're gonna need one too.” (Chris, 32:47)

[30:49 – 32:47]

Memorable Quotes

• On Dreaming & Vision:

  "Write down things that have no chance of happening. And the answer is 100% yes, you do. Because of Ephesians 3:20—our God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, all that we could ask or imagine..." (Chris, 07:27)

• On Leadership Growth:

  "All of the bad stuff that I would change is where I learned all the greatest lessons... I would love for everybody listening to appreciate the hardships better." (Chris, 10:51)

• On Relationships:

  "There's gold inside every person, but you have to go mining it." (Chris, 13:41)

• On Family Systems:

  "I try to build a system to make sure it gets done, because I don't trust me... If you let me just lead by my feelings, I'm taking a lot more naps." (Chris, 18:45)

• On Consistency as Legacy:

  "I wanted there to be just like this steadiness because I wanted to be that steadying force in a world that is constantly changing..." (Chris, 30:49)

Notable & Personal Moments

• Grace and Adam reflect on meeting Chris as students, pitching visions for Highlands College before it was finished.
• Adam shares a story of bucket lists inspiring a scuba diving small group in Alabama.
• Chris gets emotional reflecting on how he wants his grandchildren to remember him—not for perfection, but for steadiness and giving second chances.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:04:05] – Chris on bucket lists and the growth power of dreaming
• [08:14] – Vision casting for Highlands College and beyond
• [10:51] – Leadership lessons, failure, and the value of relationships
• [13:41] – “See it, Say it, Start it”: Chris’s development model
• [18:45] – Intentionality and systems for family and margin
• [23:20] – Abundance mindset and personal routines
• [26:23] – Details and philosophy behind the new book, “Legacy Letters”
• [30:49] – What Chris wants his legacy to be and the “Second Chance Principle”
• [32:47] – Final reflections on leadership values and leaving a legacy

Summary

This Q&A episode is a leadership masterclass in the tone of a heartfelt fireside chat. Chris Hodges opens up not just about ministry strategy, but also about personal growth, overcoming a scarcity mindset, building meaningful relationships, learning from failure, and structuring life for what matters most. With memorable stories and actionable frameworks, listeners are drawn into both the heart and habits behind decades of influential leadership.