Trench Talk

How do pastors pastor other pastors? What scriptures address this charge? What responsibility do pastors have to call other pastors to repentance for the good of the flock? How do you encourage a healthy eldership that causes equality among other pastors?All of these questions and more covered on this episode of Trenchtalk with Brian Croft and Jim Savastio.

What is cynicism when it comes to pastoral ministry? When diagnosed how do you confront it? What biblical texts provide hope in confronting cynicism? How do we strive to be faithful in what God has entrusted to us while leaving to God what is God’s?These questions and many more, all tackled in this episode of Trenchtalk with Brian Croft and Jim Savastio.

How does a pastor lead his family and children when they may be the only ones that age in the church? How do you lovingly shepherd your family in a difficult situation? Is it okay to have the mentality that my kids and wife should sacrifice for my ministry? How do we parent in a way that will lead them to love the Lord and the Church?

Is premarital counseling a biblical requirement? What should a pastors primary goal be when providing biblical premarital counseling to church members? Should a pastor require premarital counseling for couples under his care? What resources (other than the bible) do you take couples through?All these issues are addressed by Brian Croft and Jim Savastio on this episode of Trenchtalk.

Why is Pastoral Ministry more draining than any other vocation? How do we fight through the fatigue that follows the Sunday gathering? Are there ways to identify a lack of sharpness of mind versus backsliding? Is the enemy scheming in these “blahs”? Am I neglecting caring for my own soul? How do I utilize my down time for rest?

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.