Built Different with Dr. Zach Clinton — Guest: Charles Billingsley, Ep. 259

In this heartfelt conversation, Dr. Zach sits down with worship leader, recording artist, and teaching pastor, Charles Billingsley, to explore the topics of leadership, calling, and the power of a quiet life. In this power packed conversation, Dr. Zach and Charles begin by reflecting on the upcoming Refuel Conference: a free, two-day conference at Thomas Road Baptist Church (Oct 6–7) designed to encourage and equip pastors, staff, ministry leaders, and you. Charles speaks candidly about burnout in ministry and why intentional moments of worship, rest, and learning matter now more than ever. He traces his story from a childhood on the road with his evangelist dad, to early mentors who invested in his calling, to seasons with NewSong, and years serving local churches from coast to coast. Charles explains how he reconciled platform and humility, seeing every song as a “four-minute sermon”, and why he chooses intimacy over immediacy, margin over hurry, and faithfulness over flash. Additionally, in this conversation, they unpack three disciplines for ministry: solitude (creating margin for God and people), study (Charles writes messages nearly word-for-word, then leaves room for the Spirit), and suffering (his harrowing COVID valley which included pneumonia, low oxygen, blood clots and how those moments became a school of worship where songs like “Great Are You Lord” and “Goodness of God” anchored his trust). The result is a raw, hope-filled invitation to abide in Christ, on the mountaintops and in the valleys, and to lead from overflow, not emptiness.

Calls to Action

• Register for Refuel (Oct 6–7): Save your spot at www.refuel.org and bring your team. It’s free and open to everyone!
• Learn about Thomas Road Baptist Church: Plan a visit, watch messages, or get involved with ministries at Thomas Road Baptist Church (Lynchburg, VA) by visiting https://trbc.org/ 
• Follow Charles Billingsley: Keep up with new music, messages, and events on his social channels - https://www.instagram.com/charlesbillingsley/ 
• Visit Charles’s Website: https://www.charlesbillingsley.com/ 
• Listen to The Charles Billingsley Podcast: Add it to your queue and share an episode with a friend in ministry - https://www.charlesbillingsley.com/podcast 
• Share This Episode: Text it to a pastor, spouse, or team member who needs encouragement and refueling.
• Subscribe to Built Different: Follow, rate, and review the show to help more listeners find these conversations.
• Practice the Three S’s This Week: Schedule a solitude block, study one passage deeply, and worship in whatever “valley” you’re walking through.

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