Dr. Jack is a pastor, elder, author, professor, and coach specializing in Christian development, ethics, culture, and motivation. With over 30 years of experience, he has inspired thousands through his books, keynotes, and teaching. Dr. Allen holds a PhD in ethics, psychology, and economics and lives in Texas.
What I Do
My work is delicate, confidential, and aligns with biblical principles that build wisdom and a growth mindset. Church planters, established church Pastors, and pastoral leadership teams hire me to help them grow. I’ve found that when the leaders grow, the church grows.
My clients consistently say that after meeting with me they no longer feel like they're not far enough along and not good enough. They bind and cast off that creeping fear that they're missing their chance.
More often than not, church leaders have a hard time finding help from someone who both knows what they’re doing and will listen to their needs before giving advice. I’ve found that listening is the first step in helping and advice without listening is often irrelevant.
My clients are doing all they can and it still isn't enough.
Many people in a painful season hunt for a new strategy. They think, "If only I could find the right technology, or maybe a system or a program..." the magic solution will appear. But it doesn't.
The reality is that while they're hunting outside, they're growing hungrier inside, and that hunger is useful. When it turns from hunger for strategies to hunger for God, the answers appear!
But the inner critic and external critics keep yammering that we’re “not doing it right”—they get in the way of finding God like the money-changers in the Temple. If one can quiet that inner critic, they grow in grace, and soon learn how to outgrow external critics.
Here are some tactics that I’ve found work to shut up the critics.
Don’t hide the battle. The enemy wants you to hide. Enlist your prayer team and leaders. Explain to them the reality of spiritual warfare and that praying is fighting. (If you’re not sure how that works, we really do need to talk.) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood…Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints (Ephesians 6:10–18, BSB).
Ask for feedback. Wise people seek Scriptural correction. It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:5, BSB). The most successful organizations employ feedback loops to measure what matters and improve.
Ask for reviews. Critics love to post anonymous reviews on social media and search engines. In so doing, they assume the role of Accuser, which is the English translation of the Hebrew word “Satan”—no wonder those bad reviews sting. Outlets rarely take down a bad review, but it’s not hard to outgrow the critics by asking for reviews from people who love your church. Exhort (encourage) one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13, BSB).
Remember that God is your vindicator. “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17 BSB).
Many Pastors employ those four and start growing immediately without needing to spend time with me. Many others just need a little help. After two or three sessions, my clients find they start to see God’s direction more easily. He renews their heart’s desires and they find peace. Solutions show up when the mind is at peace in Jesus. Once the people on their team are also growing in Christ, momentum takes hold and the critics shut up. I’ve literally found the churches that I led started growing themselves like a plant with sunshine, water, and good soil grows organically (that is, God makes it happen and we enjoy the fruit).
Perhaps you agree that what people really want is to live abundantly! Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, BSB). Isn’t that what you want? I sure do. People want to make a difference, to find meaning and purpose, to know why they’re here. That need usually was what brought them to Jesus in the first place.
Your flock wants the church to grow too, but many of them picked up some unbiblical thinking along the way, and now they really don’t know how to get to a better place. In their pain, followers tend to criticize leaders. They do look forward to healthy relationships, and prosperous, meaningful work, and they expect their Pastors to help them find it. When that doesn’t happen as quickly as they expected (and their expectations are often unreasonable), they become critics who subvert their own goals.
To get them where God wants them to go, you have to develop a new mindset that believes all God’s truth, accepts responsibility for choices, and aligns desires with the Bible so that things start working.
People need a new way of thinking through problems so that biblical solutions appear like kisses from heaven.
That was my story, too, frustration and misery until I admitted, "Something has to change!" I was tired of paying thousands of dollars for strategies (from noted Christians) that taught worldly tactics based on the idea that "success comes from working harder" or (my least favorite) "working smarter." Highly touted coaches fed me sunshine and rainbow clichés that sound good but far too often, their advice was inconsistent with the Bible.
Changes began after I did a deep dive study of what the Bible says about motivation. I combined that with research in neuroscience, and found that what brain scientists “discovered” in the last thirty years has been in the Bible for thirty centuries (I love it when science catches up).
I soon realized that my problem was not my effort or intelligence. My brain was working against me because I believed things that are not true and those beliefs led me into infertile fields. I had no peace because my mind was at war against God’s word! None of the battles were major doctrines, they were all small things, but death by a thousand cuts is still death. Moreover, perhaps you’ve noticed that God expects us to attend to the details of His teaching, and without them, a sacrifice is not accepted (I offer Cain, Nadab and Abihu, Saul, and Ananias and Sapphira as examples). God, however, is so kind and graceful, He does not send us packing when we screw up; He uses biblical examples and personal trials to align us to Himself.
Four years and hundreds of clients later, I arrived at a proprietary methodology that has worked on everyone who tried it. Everyone, 100%! I know, I’m amazed too, but why? Because we have been so immersed in our unbelieving culture that we forget to believe God!
Why should I listen to this guy? (Actually, that’s a good question.)
I’ve learned to avoid people who have not done what they’re teaching. Everything I teach, I’ve done.
Moreover, everything I teach aligns with the Bible. I’ve also learned to avoid taking advice from people who ignore or contradict the Bible.
Let me be blunt: success has a track record. I’ve worked with over 800 clients to help them find success. I’ve spoken to audiences large and small, over 300,000 people across the U.S. and in several other countries. I’ve trained over 250 people to start and grow churches, and another 50 to start and grow their own businesses.
I’d love it if you ask God if He wants you to work with me. I’m not kidding. If we’re a bad fit, I don’t want to waste your time. I’ve shown hundreds of people how to hear directly from God, which solves a ton of problems very quickly and is the primary reason that I’ve led successful churches, ministries, businesses, and classrooms. I’ve found that if you ask with sincere motives, God will tell you how to proceed.
Ready to take the next step? Book an appointment with me today. I’ll listen to your needs and we can decide how to get you on the path to achieving your goals.
How's it work?
Perhaps you will agree that everything in life happens through relationships. When you jump on a call with me, I’m listening to your story, getting to know you, and helping you find the obstacles to your growth. Clear the obstacles, you grow.
Greg said, "We turned elephants [of opposition] into gnats."
You were made to grow, to succeed, to overcome challenges. God did not save you so your critics could tear you down. He wants to build you up.
My proprietary process uses the latest neuroscience and the biblical principles of motivation to build an unshakable mindset. We add wise habits that are proven to allow God’s built-in growth processes to run. You will see improvement quickly, it will last, and you'll start getting what you want instead of merciless criticism.
What's the order?
Assessment clarifies where to start.
Easy mindset hacks to have a better day every day.
Shutting up the inner critic while developing a peaceful mind.
Discovering what, specifically, has stunted growth.
Clarity to know what you want and how it aligns with what God wants.
Clearing the obstacles, freeing you and your church to get where you want to go.
A system for staying on track.
An end to procrastination, toxic relationships, dead end programs, sacred cows, unnecessary bureaucracy, and feeling inferior.
Proven tactics for more time, more money, more talent, more insight and accountability, less waste, and way more fun.
The types of relationships to nurture, those to avoid, and the courage to maintain boundaries.
What's the Result?
Peace.
Barriers fall.
Clarity on what to do next.
Better decisions.
Growth.
Every client says that the stuff that sabotaged their work simply disappeared. Matt spoke about his vision, "For the first time, I knew. I found surprising clarity." Stacey saw decisions come faster with fewer nagging regrets.
Decisions drive toward desired destinations. Bob said he accomplished more in two weeks than the two previous years. Danny says he has more confidence and assurance of his calling, and things just stopped bothering him like they used to. Mike said it felt like he “found buried treasure.”
How long does it take?
Individuals notice positive changes within two weeks. Within two months, every client reported feeling more peaceful, and saw progress in areas that stumped them for years. Within a few months, the critics quieted, and many became allies.
Church Leadership Teams spend about a month finding the obstacles to growth. In the following three months, they clear a path to allow growth to begin. After that, things improve rapidly, often hitting yearlong goals well ahead of schedule.
Just a few of the problems, clients solved.
Any of these ring a bell?
Constant, unfair criticism. Much of it from myself.
Too many hours wishing I was doing something else.
Lack of clarity and buy-in from other leaders on goals.
Not enough money to pay bills, much less get ahead.
Visitors don’t stick and new hires don’t assimilate.
Exhausting, expanding workload (and waistline from not enough time to exercise).
Too little time with spouse, kids, and extended family.
Unending stress.
Incompetent, demanding, disrespectful people problems.
Politics and drama.
Interruptions, calls, emails, and demands on days off.
Constant, nit-picky rules and oversight from people who should be leading by example, but who actually achieve little.
Goals that make no sense or are impossible to achieve.
Bickering.
Cut throat environment where doing the right thing goes unrewarded.
Working longer hours but running in place.
