Trench Talk

Is it important to visit members in their homes? How frequently should I meet with them? Do in-home visits benefit my preaching ministry in any tangible way? What depth, if any, do these visits bring to my ministry? What principles do we see set forth in the scriptures? What does Puritan Pastor Richard Baxter have to say about this? How do I move from surface level to pastoral conversation? These questions are covered by Brian and Jim in this episode of Trench Talk.

How does the pastor approach the cultural expectations of weddings from a biblical perspective? Should a pastor be active or passive concerning a couple’s expectations for their wedding? In what cases should a wedding be regarded as a service of worship? What cultural elements are acceptable/unacceptable in a Christian wedding? Should a pastor conduct the wedding of two unbelievers? How long should a wedding sermon be? What music/songs are appropriate for a wedding ceremony? Should a pastor require couples whom he marries to undergo pre-marital counseling? Must a pastor agree to perform any marriage ceremony without exception? Should a church include guidelines in their constitution to regulate how marriages are conducted? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more in this episode.

As pastors mature in ministry, how is it profitable to reflect on what advice they might give to their younger selves? What Scriptural warrant might a pastor have for such reflection? Does being in pastoral ministry increase one’s personal sanctification? How important is a pastor’s personal growth in sanctification? Should a pastor sweat the small stuff? How might a pastors understanding of believers being new creatures in Christ change over time? Why do seasoned pastors gradually learn to talk less and listen more? What is the hardest work of pastoral ministry? How does a pastor’s view of his family change over time? What might be the best advice a seasoned pastor could share with a younger pastor? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more.

Are you a people-person type pastor who derives energy from connecting with and interacting with people? Why does silence make some pastors uneasy? Is the practice of silence and solitude a necessary discipline for pastors? How to noise and business affect the activity of our souls? How might a pastor practice the discipline of silence and solitude? Is there a one-size-fits-all approach to silence and solitude, or might there be various means of practicing these disciplines? What issues might a pastor wrestle with during times of silence and solitude? What might seasons of silence and solitude reveal about a pastor’s soul? Listen as Brian Croft and Al Pino discuss these issues and more on this episode.

Special guest Al Pino, Cuban-American pastor and church planter from South Florida, joins Brian in this episode. What is the church, and for what does the church exist? How does a pastor with a heart for missions plant a church in a diverse place like bustling, hustling Miami? What must a pastor/church-planter understand about himself? What role does pastoral gifting play in the work of church planting? Why do planting pastors have relatively short tenures in the churches they plant? What advice might an older church planter give to his younger self? Listen as Brian and Al discuss these issues and more in this episode.

Every pastor must think through the difficult topic of church discipline. What does Scripture say about the responsibility of the church to confront sin in its membership? Why is church discipline important in the life of the church? Who are the beneficiaries when church discipline is done well? How might a pastor introduce church discipline to a church that has never practiced church discipline? How might a pastor approach this issue slowly and deliberately so as to avoid shocking the church? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issue and more on this episode.

Does a pastor ever “arrive” in his preaching ministry? Should a pastor always progress in his competency to preach? What are some practical ways a preacher can grow in preaching competency? How might a pastor evaluate his own preaching? How might a pastor develop self-awareness in relation to his preaching? How might a pastor evaluate his preaching in relation to other preachers? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more on this episode.

Why is membership important in the life of the church? What does Scripture say concerning church membership? How is membership in the local church defined? What commitments are requisite to church membership? What processes should a person be required to undergo before becoming a church member? How should a church address bloated membership rolls? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

Benevolence is an issue every pastor will deal with in his ministry. How do we handle these issues in a manner that is biblical and honors Christ? How do we practice generosity and demonstrate mercy while avoiding being taken advantage of when dealing with benevolence issues? How do we make the distinction between needs and wants when practicing benevolence?Listen as Brian Croft, Jim Savastio and special guest Denny Dillman discuss these issues and more in this episode.