followHIM
followHIM
Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20 • Dr. Jeff Thompson • Oct 19–25 • Come, Follow Me 2026
1 hour 59 minutes Posted Oct 14, 2026 at 3:46 pm.
Welcome00:01:41 Meet Dr. Jeff Thompson00:03:51 Jeff's background and bio00:05:35 Jeff's lead role in a musical00:09:24 Why Jeremiah is relatable00:13:56 The Sorensen family's quiet influence00:16:15 Jeremiah's tough times and tough assignment00:20:05 Divine identity and unique gifts00:23:27 Being yourself in the Church00:28:00 Harmony is being different together00:31:25 A student's hidden leadership gift00:34:11 Being gentle with youth who don't fit in00:38:04 Finding your calling: zookeepers00:41:54 The Christ-Centered Leader Model00:44:09 Love, agency, and accountability00:47:29 Seeing the three principles in Jeremiah00:49:42 Letting people learn from mistakes00:52:04 Jeff's mohawk story00:55:06 Learning through consequences00:58:09 Leadership that keeps the door open01:02:04 Love and accountability together01:06:20 Leading with questions01:09:17 Why we reach for control01:13:18 Compliance versus conversion01:15:38 Grace for parents01:18:39 The potter and the clay01:21:37 Growth mindset01:23:04 A man who changed on death row01:26:43 Jeremiah's raw honesty01:29:09 Jeff's dramatic reading01:33:29 Faith and pain together01:35:46 Leadership measured by faithfulness01:37:40 Jeff's story about his children01:41:12 Giving the burden to the Savior01:43:22 Hope for families in the middle of it01:45:53 "Church is still in them"01:48:54 Control is the opposite of faith01:51:04 Jeremiah will be okay01:52:29 Why Jeff returns to scripture01:54:48 Where real power comes from01:57:33 Closing thanks01:59:22 End of Episode Dr. Jeff Thompson
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Touched by an episode? Click here to send a voice note.How do you lead people who have the agency not to follow you? Dr. Jeff Thompson, inaugural director of BYU’s Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership, joins Hank and John to explore Jeremiah’s 40 years of faithful service without success and what his story teaches us about letting go of control, trusting the Lord, and leading through our own unique gifts.SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT243ENALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIM.coFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBookWEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletterSOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followhimpodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODES00:00:00 Welcome00:01:41 Meet Dr. Jeff Thompson00:03:51 Jeff's background and bio00:05:35 Jeff's lead role in a musical00:09:24 Why Jeremiah is relatable00:13:56 The Sorensen family's quiet influence00:16:15 Jeremiah's tough times and tough assignment00:20:05 Divine identity and unique gifts00:23:27 Being yourself in the Church00:28:00 Harmony is being different together00:31:25 A student's hidden leadership gift00:34:11 Being gentle with youth who don't fit in00:38:04 Finding your calling: zookeepers00:41:54 The Christ-Centered Leader Model00:44:09 Love, agency, and accountability00:47:29 Seeing the three principles in Jeremiah00:49:42 Letting people learn from mistakes00:52:04 Jeff's mohawk story00:55:06 Learning through consequences00:58:09 Leadership that keeps the door open01:02:04 Love and accountability together01:06:20 Leading with questions01:09:17 Why we reach for control01:13:18 Compliance versus conversion01:15:38 Grace for parents01:18:39 The potter and the clay01:21:37 Growth mindset01:23:04 A man who changed on death row01:26:43 Jeremiah's raw honesty01:29:09 Jeff's dramatic reading01:33:29 Faith and pain together01:35:46 Leadership measured by faithfulness01:37:40 Jeff's story about his children01:41:12 Giving the burden to the Savior01:43:22 Hope for families in the middle of it01:45:53 "Church is still in them"01:48:54 Control is the opposite of faith01:51:04 Jeremiah will be okay01:52:29 Why Jeff returns to scripture01:54:48 Where real power comes from01:57:33 Closing thanks01:59:22 End of Episode - Dr. Jeff Thompson