Trench Talk

Pastor, the hard work of church revitalization is a unique experience and battle ground. It can feel like you’re all alone. But the trials you face are not new. Faithful preachers throughout scriptures and church history have encountered hostility, apathy, and adversity, and continue to do so today. In this episode, Brian Croft, James Carroll and Jim Savastio discuss the intricacies of preaching in difficult environs.

Pastor, the hard work of church revitalization is a unique experience and battle ground. It can feel like you’re all alone. But the trials you face are not new. Faithful preachers throughout scriptures and church history have encountered hostility, apathy, and adversity, and continue to do so today. In this episode, Brian Croft, James Carroll and Jim Savastio discuss the intricacies of preaching in difficult environs.

Why is ministering to the fainthearted and weak so vital to faithful pastoral ministry? How do we define and identify the fainthearted and the weak? How might a pastor guard his mind in relation to his view of weak and fainthearted sheep? What are the pastor’s biblical responsibilities toward the weak and faint of heart? How might a pastor foster sensitivity to those who are weak and fainthearted? How, practically, does a pastor minister faithfully to the weak and fainthearted? How might a pastor avoid becoming fatigued in ministering to the weak?Listen as Brian and Jim address this challenging aspect of faithful pastoral ministry.

Caring for widows and widowers is an area of pastoral ministry that is often neglected. How should we define widowhood? Why is this ministry necessary? What are some needs that are common with widows and widowers? How should pastors lead their churches care for widows and widowers? What are some practical ways pastors and churches can minister to widows and widowers? Listen as Brian and Jim address the particulars of faithful ministry to widows and widowers.

Do those who are sick have a reasonable, biblical expectation that their pastor should visit them? How can pastors take the initiative to faithfully minister to the sick in the hospital and the home? Why do some pastors neglect this pastoral duty? What are some consequences of pastors not visiting the sick? What are some specific, practical things a pastor should do when visiting the sick? What and how should a pastor pray when visiting the sick? Listen as Brian and Jim address this needed aspect of faithful pastoral ministry.

What does Scripture say about pastors receiving gifts? Should pastors exercise caution in receiving such gifts? What might be some issues a pastor should consider when a member offers him a gift? How should a pastor view such gifts? What should be the posture of the pastor’s heart in receiving individual gifts? Listen as Brian and Jim consider the implications and nuances of receiving gifts from individual church members.

What role does the pastor play in the church’s work of evangelism? What does Scripture say about the pastor in relation to the work of evangelism? How does pastoral evangelism relate to the church’s tendency toward apostasy? What does pastoral evangelism look like in the context of the local church and its surrounding community? How might evangelism affect the preaching ministry of a pastor? Listen as Brian and Jim address this oft-neglected aspect of pastoral ministry.

What is that sin which can slowly, almost imperceptibly, permeate a pastor’s entire life and ministry? What is that sin that can, if left unconfronted, silently poison your soul and drive you from the field of faithful pastoral ministry? How might you deal with such a lethal sin and kill it before it kills you? Listen to this episode as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these questions and more.

Every pastor either has or will soon be criticized. What is God doing when people criticize him? How do we determine whether criticism is a mountain or a mole hill? What are some common criticism one occasions in pastoral ministry? Are all pastoral criticisms necessarily baseless? In what unhealthy ways do pastors sometimes handle criticism? How do we resist the impulse to defensiveness when criticized? Should we be comfortable as pastors if we receive no criticism? How should a pastor process criticisms? Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these vital questions and more in this episode.

This month Practical Shepherding is celebrating 10 years of God’s blessing and providence. Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio reflect on God’s guiding hand in the formation and growth of this ministry.