Pastor Greg Ford: How to Lead Your Family, Battle Mental Health & Find Purpose

Pastor Greg Ford opens up about the "overwhelming" season of raising two sons with autism while leading a growing church, and why men must fight for their mental health.In this episode: We sit down with Greg Ford, Lead Pastor of One Church in Columbus, Ohio, for a raw conversation on leadership, resilience, and the "messy" work of building community. Greg shares his unique testimony of starting a church while working at a gym, the spiritual impact of the Ohio State football team (including TreVeyon Henderson and C.J. Stroud), and why he stepped into a boxing ring to prove a point about spiritual warfare. We dive deep into the silent struggles of pastors, the danger of "Christian Atheism," and how to navigate the mental health crisis without losing your faith. Greg also challenges men to reject the "looks-maxing" vanity trend and find their true identity in Christ.About Greg Ford: Role: Lead Pastor at One Church (Columbus, OH) Known for: "The Tony Robbins of the Church," bridging faith and high performance, and mental health advocacy.🔗 Connect with Pastor Greg Ford: Website: https://one.church⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: Who is Pastor Greg Ford? 01:00 - Greg’s Testimony: From Football Player to "The Gym Pastor" 05:30 - Building a Church from Scratch: The "Scanning Keys" Strategy 09:40 - The "Overwhelming" Reality of Ministry and Parenting 14:15 - How to Disciple "Baby Christians" into Maturity 18:30 - The Ohio State Football Revival: How Faith Spread in the Locker Room 23:45 - The "Parable of the Sower": Why You Can't Control the Outcome 28:00 - Mental Health in the Church: Why We Need More Than Just Prayer 34:15 - Greg’s Personal Battle: Parenting Two Sons with Autism 40:00 - How to Fight for Your Marriage When Life Gets Hard 46:30 - The "Looks-Maxing" Trend: Why Men Are Obsessed with Vanity 54:00 - Discipline vs. Motivation: How to sustain Your Walk with Jesus 01:00:00 - Finding Your Purpose: Discovery vs. Dynamic Growth 01:08:00 - Can You Miss God’s Will? (The Theology of Regret) 01:13:30 - The Boxing Match: Why a Pastor Stepped into the Ring 01:19:00 - Greg’s Legacy: Faithfulness Over Fame📚 Resources Mentioned: One Church Columbus: https://one.churchConnect With Zach and Path of the Cross Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@PathoftheCrossPodcast?si=I8aPszhY_vvQbvebFollow Zach "SchuZ" Schumaker: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachschumaker/ X: https://x.com/ZachSchumaker Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zach.schuz.schumaker TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachschumaker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachschumaker/Path of the Cross Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pathofthecrosspodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574915377314About Path of the Cross: Path of the Cross Podcast bridges the gap between the heart and the mind through raw testimonies and deep theological truth. Hosted by Zach Schumaker, we explore apologetics, Bible history, and the reality of suffering to equip the whole believer. Subscribe to discover not just what to believe, but why it matters.Check out my other shows: The SchuZ Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOMleLQ1xZNiga5HlLG2dkA The Iron Compass: https://www.youtube.com/@TheIronCompassShowHashtags: #GregFord #PathOfTheCross #MentalHealth #AutismParenting #OneChurchColumbus #OhioStateFootball #ChristianLeadership #FaithAndFitness #PastorsInBoxing #SpiritualWarfare #MenOfGod #BiblicalMasculinity #ChurchCulture#POTCP Episode 23