“All of us long for Easy Street,” writes Stephen Blandino. “It’s paved with comfort and lined with safety. It travels through the trouble-free hills of security, and its road signs point to a pain-free destination where blessings abound.” There’s only one problem, he concludes: “Easy Street is a dead-end street.”

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Stephen Blandino about why Christians — church leaders and church members alike — should stop chasing easy and start pursuing lives that count. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Stephen Blandino is lead pastor of 7 City Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and author of the forthcoming book, Stop Chasing Easy. An ordained Assemblies of God minister, he writes the Make It Count leadership development curriculum for each issue of Influence magazine, where he is also an online columnist.

P.S. This podcast is cross-posted from InfluenceMagazine.com with permission.