Trench Talk

Do we have evidence in Scripture that men of God suffered through seasons of depression, and even anxiety? Do grief and sorrow have a valid, spiritual place in the life of pastors? What happens when pastors try to suppress pain and depressive impulses in their lives? Is it wrong for pastors to grieve before their people? What spiritual and physical practices might help during times of depression and anxiety? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these and other questions in this episode.

What does it mean for a pastor to “take heed” to his physical wellbeing? Is there any spiritual value in stewarding our physical bodies well? How might a pastor balance and practice well the three disciplines of eating, exercise, and sleep? Listen as Brian and Jim address these and other questions from a biblical perspective.

How does a pastor press on and not grow weary in well-doing when there is little visible fruit resulting from his ministry? Is it possible to pastor well in a church that does not experience significant growth? In such circumstances, how does a pastor maintain hope, joy, and a vigorous ministry? What standards should a pastor of a small church use to evaluate the effectiveness of his ministry? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

Moral failures by pastors–whether they be financial failures, sexual failures, abuse of authority, or some other form of gross immorality–seem increasingly common. Is any pastor immune to moral failure? How is it possible for a pastor to live a double life? How might a pastor guard himself against moral failure? What areas of pastoral life warrant special care? How might a pastor strike a reasonable balance between due caution and complete paralysis? How do we respond to those pastors who do fall into moral failure? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

An oft-overlooked reality in pastoral ministry is that the pastor is a churchman first, and then a pastor. Pastors need those who can minister and speak God’s word into their lives and hold them accountable. In a word, pastors need pastors. Pastors need to be, first and always, disciples; the extraordinary call of a pastor never negates the ordinary call of a man to be a faithful follower of Lord Jesus. How might a pastor ensure that he partakes of the ordinary means of grace in the course of his ministry?Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these issues and more.

As a pastor, do you sometimes feel overwhelmed and ill-equipped to help some of your people? Given the brokenness, struggles, and sins of people living in a fallen world, how does a pastor who finds himself in over his head help the broken? How might you go about seeking help for others when you must search outside of yourself? How involved should a pastor be if he refers a member to counseling from someone else?Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio discuss these questions and more.

What issues should influence the rhythm of our preaching? Holidays? Church calendar? Cultural traditions? Significant world events? Significant events in the life of the congregation? When should a pastor deviate from his planned preaching schedule? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this podcast.

Biblically speaking, what should a church plant or church revitalization look like? What deficits might emerge in a church plant and a church revitalization respectively? How might pastors navigate such deficits? How might pastors prioritize and persevere in church plants and church revitalizations? What distinct advantages exist in church planting and church revitalization respectively? What kind of commitments are necessary for pastors in church planting and church revitalization? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this podcast.

How might a pastor shepherd well one who is leaving the church? What biblical truths should influence how we handle a member leaving our church? What church documents might dictate how we deal with a member leaving our church? How does a pastor and church address sin issues when they are an influencing element in a member leaving the church? How might a pastor and church handle feelings of rejection when a member leaves the church? How should a pastor and church interact with a member who is leaving the church? How should the reality that a church is a family influence how a member leaves the church? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more in this podcast.

What are the circumstances under which it is right to resign your church? Should hostility and adversaries prompt us to resign our churches? Is an attempt by the church to “fire” you as pastor sufficient reason to leave a church? How do internal pressures influence the decision stay or go? Should outside counsel play a role in the decision to stay or go? If so, how? Should a pastor tell his church when he is considering resignation? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these questions and more in this podcast.