Cultivating a joyful, welcoming ward

Brother Eric Richards teaches Institute and Seminary in the Utah North Area, is a member of the Veritas society, a contributing author for the Patheos project, and a member of the International Writers and Editors Association. He has served in several Bishoprics, twice on High Councils, in the Stake Presidency, and now serves as a Bishop. For five years, Brother Richards and his team wrote the Online Seminary Curriculum. He presents at BYU and BYU-Idaho Education Week and is the author of Preparing for the Second Coming, Come Follow Me: Words of the Week, and was a contributing author for Deseret Book’s “Hear Him” project. He’s a certified Neuroscience Coach, and a great pickleball player in his free time.

Brother Richards grew up attending the Mountain View Baptist Church in San Diego before missionaries baptized him and his mom. He served a mission in Honduras, and his son later served in the same mission. He first moved to Utah after meeting his future wife at EFY, and taught Seminary and played water polo and volleyball for Utah State University. They have been married for 27 years. Most of all, he loves teaching and being with valiant Christians around the world.

Links

Preparing for the Second Coming
Come Follow Me: Words of the Week
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Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community

Highlights

How can we lead in a way that connects members deeply to Jesus Christ? This conversation moves beyond administrative duties to explore practical frameworks for empowering members, delivering difficult counsel, and fostering a revelation-driven ward culture.

00:02:37 – Eric Richards’s Background and Experience
00:06:05 – Core Messages and Focus on Jesus Christ
00:07:42 – Approaching Leadership and Interviews
00:12:21 – The Importance of the Bishop’s Helpline
00:13:05 – Interview Techniques for Revelation
00:20:03 – The Role of Hope in Leadership
00:24:11 – Addressing Pornography in Ministering Interviews
00:30:51 – Supporting Speakers and Teachers in Sacrament Meetings
00:35:07 – Encouraging Discussion in Sunday School
00:39:26 – Inspired Counsel on Callings
00:45:12 – The Bishop’s Prayer List and Personal Ministry
00:46:33 – Ministering Interviews and Strengthening Faith

Key Insights

Connecting to Christ: All leadership efforts should ultimately prioritize helping individuals develop a personal relationship with the Savior rather than simply maintaining organizational functions.

Four Levels of Problem Solving: Leaders can empower members by identifying their current “level” of problem-solving: Level 1 (bringing a completed solution), Level 2 (proposing options), Level 3 (sharing findings/research), or Level 4 (simply asking for the answer).

The “Hot Sauce” Technique: Delivering difficult correction is most effective when used as a “compliment sandwich,” where hard truths are encased in genuine love to ensure the counsel is “metabolized” rather than rejected.

Facilitating Personal Revelation: Leaders should serve as a “Sherpa” or “guide on the side,” asking questions that invite the member to receive their own answers from the Spirit rather than providing them directly.

Wellness Baselines: Richards emphasizes checking a member’s physical (sleep, diet, exercise) and spiritual (prayer, scripture, temple) “baselines” to address holistic needs before tackling complex emotional or behavioral issues.

Heart-Led Vulnerability: To create safety, leaders should model vulnerability in sacrament meetings and classes, prioritizing personal, “heart-led” experiences over purely informational “head-led” teaching.

Leadership Applications

Member Empowerment: Instead of solving every problem, a leader can ask a member where they are on the 1–4 problem-solving scale, encouraging them to find and present their own solutions for the leader’s approval.

Ward Council Dynamics: Councils are most effective when members “check their ego” and evaluate every proposal through “three hats”: their perspective as an individual, as a friend/neighbor, and through their specific stewardship.

Joyful Ward Culture: Leaders can foster a “Church of Joy” by normalizing post-meeting interactions and using specific roles, such as “stenographers” to document the ward’s spiritual history and community connections.

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