"Good leadership lifts others”: Practical truths for Biblical leadership, Part 1 / October 2025
Release Date: 10/01/2025
OCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS If you are interested in this opportunity at White Sulphur Springs (Manns Choice, Pa.), contact WSS Center Director Paul Robyn (wssdirector@ocfusa.org) or WSS Director of Hospitality Susanne Pappal (wssoffice@ocfusa.org) or call (814) 623-5583 for further information and an application. Your gift—large or small—directly provides opportunities for widowed members of the OCF family to find comfort, community, and Christ-centered encouragement at our Conference Centers. Visit ocfusa.org/givingtuesday to learn more and donate now. Register for a...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
In the final episode of this Crosspoint Highlights micro-series on leadership, Col Jassen Bluto, USAF (Ret.), shares his third core principle—caring—and what it truly means to care for the people you lead. Far from being sentimental, Bluto explains that genuine care is a leader’s responsibility to meet both the physical and emotional needs of those under their command. Drawing from his military experience, he shares how simple, compassionate acts—like ensuring subordinates have proper equipment or recognizing when someone needs time to regroup—can transform a unit’s morale and...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
In part two of this Crosspoint Highlights micro-series on leadership, Col Jassen Bluto, USAF (Ret.), explores the second core principle—respect—and breaks it down into four key expressions: respect for your unit, for each other, for yourself, and for the authority entrusted to you. He explains that genuine respect begins with love for the people you serve alongside and extends to humility in how you lead them. Bluto cautions against the pride that can accompany rank or privilege, urging leaders instead to see their authority as a responsibility to mentor, develop, and care for others....
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
In this first part of the Crosspoint Highlights micro-series on leadership, Col Jassen Bluto, USAF (Ret.), unpacks the foundational principle of trust. He explains that true leadership requires both character and competence: the moral integrity that inspires confidence and the professional skill that earns respect. Drawing from personal experience as a squadron commander, Bluto discusses how accountability, care for people, and technical excellence work together to build trust within a team. He shares real-life examples of mentoring, correction, and difficult personnel decisions, showing that...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Keep an eye out for this fall’s Connected print newsletter: A digital copy of the newsletter is also available online at ocfusa.org/connected Serve as the ministry support volunteer position: Check out the full volunteer listing for details and the application. Calling all female cadets & mids: Connect with your peers via OCF Sisters in Service’s monthly Zoom calls. Find out more on SIS’ Instagram: Register for a Winter Retreat session at one of OCF’s Conference Centers: 20-27...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Check out and attend any of these local events: Aspentime Retreat: 26-28 September at Spring Canyon (Buena Vista, Colo.) BBQ Bonanza: 3-4 October at Fort Leavenworth (Kan.) OCF Hampton Roads Region Annual Fall Picnic: 4 October at Fort Monroe, Va. USNA Fall Retreat: 10-13 October at White Sulphur Springs (Manns Choice, Pa.) OCF Mid-Atlantic Fall Retreat: 14-16 November at White Sulphur Springs (Manns Choice, Pa.) Start an OCF small group: Read Rich's...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
Show Notes In this second part of “Military Brats React,” host Courtney Burdick continues the roundtable conversation with 2LT Dani Volle, USA, ENS Mary Ann Leonard, USN, and Matt Taylor as they reflect on their experiences growing up in military families. While the first part of the discussion centered on the challenges and mental health struggles faced by military kids, this episode shifts to the “strengths-based perspective”—seeing the good that can come out of a hard, transient lifestyle—. Have thoughts or want to share your own experience? Reach out to...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
In a recent Crosspoint episode, In this follow-up conversation, Courtney Burdick hosts three fellow military kids—2LT Dani Volle, USA, ENS Mary Ann Leonard, USN, and Matt Taylor—for a roundtable-style reaction episode. Having met at they discuss stories from their respective military kid experiences, thoughts on Claire’s research, and more. Have thoughts or want to share your own experience? Reach out to Courtney at courtney.burdick@ocfusa.org. If you would like to share your own story, Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic we should consider for a...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
The July episode of Crosspoint served as Part 1 of a conversation with LTC Lee Robinson, USA, director of the U.S. Military Academy’s American Politics Program and an academy professor in the Department of Social Sciences. We began answering this overarching question—"What does it look like to follow Christ in uniform, when your faith is personal, your authority is public, and the Constitution sets the boundaries?” In Part 2 we continue this timely discussion on how Christian military leaders can live out their faith with integrity, while respecting the pluralism of today’s armed...
info_outlineOCF Crosspoint Podcast
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Become findable on the OCF Directory: to add or update your group’s information on our online directory of Bible studies. Apply for Spring Canyon’s Deputy Center Director opening: and apply NLT 15 August. Check out our new Widowed Ministry webpage: helpful resources, invitations to fellowship, and scholarship funding for summer programs at the Conference Centers. GUEST SPOTLIGHT Why is mentoring important to the Christian in the military? Answering that question and others in this episode are COL Jim Brown, USA (Ret.), and...
info_outlineOCF MINISTRY NEWS
-
Keep an eye out for this fall’s Connected print newsletter: A digital copy of the newsletter is also available online at ocfusa.org/connected https://www.ocfusa.org/connected/
-
Serve as the ministry support volunteer position: Check out the full volunteer listing for details and the application. https://www.ocfusa.org/volunteer/ministry-support-volunteer/
-
Calling all female cadets & mids: Connect with your peers via OCF Sisters in Service’s monthly Zoom calls. Find out more on SIS’ Instagram: @sisters_in_service_ocf
Register for a Winter Retreat session at one of OCF’s Conference Centers:
-
20-27 December, 28 December-4 January at Spring Canyon in Buena Vista, Colo. https://www.springcanyon.org/winter-retreat/
-
21-26 December, 27-30 December, 30 December-2 January at White Sulphur Springs in Manns Choice, Pa. https://www.whitesulphursprings.org/winter-retreat/
GUEST SPOTLIGHT
Today’s episode features the first half of Crosspoint host Josh Jackson’s conversation with Lt Gen Clint Hinote, USAF (Ret.). After a 35-year career as a fighter pilot, military strategist, and senior leader, Clint retired in 2023 and now serves as a futurist for the Air Force. He is also a professor of policy analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy.
Interested in leadership since his teen years and having gained experience through a variety of leadership roles ever since, Clint shares his thoughts on the definition of leadership, the importance of leaders’ influence, and lessons to learn from the book of Nehemiah.
Resources mentioned during this episode include:
-
Jim Collins’ Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996
-
White Sulphur Springs’ Summer R&R, where Clint served as a speaker this past summer https://www.whitesulphursprings.org/summer-rnr/
If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF’s “Be a Guest” webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic we should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to podcast@ocfusa.org. https://www.ocfusa.org/podcastguest/
POINTS TO PONDER
As you listen to this conversation with Clint, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:
-
How would you define leadership? Is “influence” a sufficient definition?
-
How have your own leadership roles affected your understanding of leadership?
-
Why is it important to remember the “human connection” aspect of leadership?
-
What role does consistency have in a leader's communications skills?