👋 Hi, Who Am I?

I’m Hans. I’m a full-time family man, full-time pastor, half-time leadership coach, and quarter-time writer. (For you math types, that’s 2.75 times something.)

Behind the scenes, yet integral to the entire operation, is Courtney, my editor and social conscience. Once a year, we pose for photos.

Why this, why now?

Most of my life is spent speaking, which comes far more easily. But I’m committing to the written word again for one big reason: I’m writing a marriage memoir with Courtney.

I’ve been told that to get a book published, you first have to prove people actually want to read what you have to say.

This Substack is that proving ground. It’s an experiment to see if these stories are worth telling and these lessons are helpful to more than just a small circle.

Here, you’ll find everything I’ve learned from over 16 years of pastoring, 15 years of parenting, and 20 years of marriage (so far). I got a few degrees in that time, too, but nobody really cares about those.

I’ll be sharing it all in two main sections:

• On Life: Honest, gently-filtered stories from the messy middle of marriage, faith, and family. This is the heart of the memoir project.

• On Leadership: Practical wisdom for leaders of all kinds, drawn from my work pastoring, coaching leaders from all walks of life, and teaching graduate students.

My plan is to post once a week, alternating between the two themes.

Why subscribe?

Leadership posts are a dime a dozen, most offering the latest hack for something you already know you need to do (like “keep a schedule”). I have a PhD in Leadership and I rarely talk about it (except in bios).

What’s less common is someone willing to talk honestly about the messy life behind the leader (and, in my case, the people who receive the good, bad, and ugly of it).

I bring humor, battle wounds, and a deep desire to build a relationship with readers in a way that truly serves them.

Subscribing is a vote of confidence I don’t take lightly. You become part of the extended family.

I’d love to have you join the experiment.

PS - If you’re still skeptical, I’ve also spoken and prayed at the launch of not one but two Chick-fil-a restaurants (yes, the same operator, but still). These are the moments we dream about.