

Eric Geiger
Senior pastor of Mariners Church and author with a doctorate in leadership and church ministry; known for the bestselling book Simple Church and for leading large, multi-site congregational strategy.
Top 3 podcasts with Eric Geiger
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73 snips
Oct 7, 2025 • 1h 14min
CNLP 758 | Does Simple Church Still Work? Eric Geiger on What Scales and Why Older Church Leaders Need to Die to Themselves
 Eric Geiger, senior pastor of Mariners Church and bestselling author of 'Simple Church,' shares powerful insights on effective church leadership. He discusses the pitfalls of complexity and the importance of simplicity in growth. Geiger emphasizes the necessity for older leaders to set aside egos for the next generation's benefit. He highlights the value of engaging Scripture and the need for purposeful leadership development. Humor and humility shine through as he details adapting to change, the impact of COVID-19, and fostering community among young adults. 

5 snips
Oct 19, 2021 • 39min
5LQ Episode 479: How to Read to Grow as a Leader with Eric Geiger
 In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Eric Geiger. Geiger is the senior pastor of Mariners Church and former co-host of 5LQ. He is also author of several books including Simple Church, Identity, and Designed to Lead. They discuss the following questions:
Why is reading important for a leader?How has reading helped you lead in new spaces and new disciplines?How should a leader read a book?How does reading help influence your preaching and how do you take what you are reading and curate it into sermon?What are your top 5 books to read as a leader?When should you ask your staff to read a book with you? What are the best practices?How do you apply what you read and put it into practice?
BEST QUOTES
"You combine the humility of opening a book and the discipline of opening a book and that's a recipe for growth.""The more I read, the more I am able to articulate strategy, vision, and concise arguments.""Reading is important for leaders because the leader grows and the leader learns how to frame communication.""Know on the front end how you are going to engage the book.""Going into each book knowing the point of reading that book informs how you engage.""If I read a paradigm shifting book, then I look to bring it to the team to help them process where I believe we need to go.""Identify on the tail end of a book what are a couple of things you are going to do."
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network
Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger
Identity by Eric Geiger
Designed to Lead by Eric Geiger
Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders
Leading Change by John Kotter
Leadership and the One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard
The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Stephen Covey and Jim Huling
A Beautiful Constraint by Mark Barden and Adam Morgan
The Emotionally Healthy Leader by Peter Scazzero
Depression by Edward Welch
This Episode's Sponsor:
Our sponsor, BELAY, is offering all our podcast listeners a free download of their resource, ‘5 Ways A Church Bookkeeper Can Transform Your Day,’ which shares the five most positive changes that will come out of hiring a bookkeeper for your church. 
Just text LIFEWAY to 55123 or visit belaysolutions.com/lifeway to download it for free today! 

Jun 26, 2025 • 31min
The Future of America’s Largest Churches: An Interview with Eric Geiger
 Eric Geiger, lead pastor at Mariners Church and author of 'Simple Church,' dives into the evolving landscape of megachurches. He discusses the challenges they face, including changing demographics and shifting spiritual expectations among congregants. Geiger highlights the risks of charismatic leadership, urging a more collaborative approach to ministry. He also shares insights on Mariners Church's innovative strategies to engage with their community and adapt to future trends, emphasizing the importance of meaningful transformation in congregational life. 


