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Words have healing power. Don’t believe us? Well, the fact is that many of us have been engaged in some type of bibliotherapy at some point in our lives. When we read a book, we begin empathizing or identifying with characters or start gaining factual information about our problems. Furthermore, when we pen our thoughts on a piece of paper, we are actually expressing ourselves and giving words to our emotions in the form of stories, writing a letter to a loved one, or simply jotting down any event in your journal.
Though words cannot change reality, they can change people’s perception of the reality of life. Believe it or not, reading for pleasure can be deeply therapeutic for many, and in fact, a good piece of writing can impact a person’s mind.
Of course, when we say words can heal wounds, similarly, they can also bring you pain. You can change people’s lives and make someone’s day with just a few positive or appreciative words. Practices such as poetry therapy, journal therapy, or writing therapy – the common denominator of each being the expressive use of words, can help people feel better about themselves and the world around them as well.
Greg Atkinson, the Founder of Worship Impressions and the First Impressions Conference and Co-Founder of the Social Media Church Conference, is an entrepreneur, inspirational speaker, leadership coach, bestselling author, consultant, and member of the Forbes Coaching Council. He has been associated with different kinds of churches, including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the country. Moreover, he has worked with businesses, non-profits, and various organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries, among many others.
He has been in the ministry for nearly three decades and has been writing, training, speaking, and encouraging tens of thousands of church leaders worldwide since 2000. Greg has a degree in worship with a minor in religion and has done graduate work in worship and leadership.
When we talk about being a best-seller author, Greg Atkinson has carved a niche for himself. He is an established writer who believes in hospitality and generosity. What sets him apart from the rest of the authors is his ideas of bringing people closer to faith, opening new doors for them, and making them feel comfortable and loved. He is passionate about being welcoming to strangers and wants church leaders to understand that it’s a Biblical mandate to be hospitable.
Greg’s writing projects include numerous articles for magazines, blogs, and websites. His eBook ‘Church Leadership 101’ has been downloaded over 38,000 times. Moreover, he has four #1 bestselling books to his credit, including ‘Church Leadership Essentials’, ‘Strange Leadership’, ‘Secrets of a Secret Shopper’, and his latest, ‘The Hospitality Handbook for Volunteers’. His work has been read by over a million people and touched their hearts.
In fact, ‘Secrets of a Secret Shopper’ is a 5-Star Reviewed book that made it to Danny Frank’s Year in Review of Books of 2017 and was number 4 on the Must Read Books for Preachers in 2018.
Along with this, he has been a part of several book projects. When Christianity Today updated their ‘Leadership Handbook on Management and Administration’, they approached Greg to write the technology chapter. In addition to that, Greg has written a brief section on social justice in Shawn Wood’s book ‘Wasabi Gospel’ as well as the Foreword for the book ‘Facebook for Pastors’.
Greg has also written eBooks for Church Fuel and The Center for Church Communication and Church Marketing Sucks. There is more! He had two articles featured in the book Churchleaders.com Top 100 Book: The Best Leadership Articles, Practical How-Tos and Features of the Year 2012 Edition. Also, he wrote a devotional for YouVersion (the Bible app) and Bible.com entitled Take Courage: Winning the War on Fear.
With all these books and articles to his name, Greg Atkinson is a humble soul who spreads the word of God. “I love books. Not only do I love to read, I love building my library and holding a fresh book in my hand. I wanted to do that for others. I get excited every time I see someone post a picture of one of my books on social media. I get excited walking in a bookstore and seeing my book on the shelf. I’m very driven and ambitious and don’t think I have even scratched the surface of my writing career,” said Greg.
Greg is also a coach and consultant specializing in areas such as first impressions (also called hospitality or guest services), leadership, and the entire worship experience. Being a member of the Forbes Coaching Council and a featured contributor, some of his coaching advice has been featured on Forbes.
Furthermore, Greg’s blog was selected as one of the Top 35 Blogs Christian Leaders Need to Read in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. All his achievements and contributions to the literary world showcase his flair for words and the ability to touch people with his writing.
His writings and talks focus on subjects like business, leadership, customer service, guest experience, ministry, and mental health, to name a few. His books and articles have not just motivated people to do better in their lives but have also helped train church leaders across the world in their conduct with people and ways to be more welcoming.
His words have worked wonders for leaders, whether they belong to a church or the business sector. His bestselling books are a testament to his prowess on the subjects. With his support, he has made churches and businesses more approachable for people where they feel welcomed and wanted. Greg Atkinson uses the power of his pen to make people become better versions of themselves, thrive, and succeed in life.
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Photo provided by the author with written permission from owner Greg Atkinson