Trench Talk

Child sexual abuse in evangelical churches is shockingly more common than many think. Sexual predators often view the church as a “safe” environment for finding, grooming, and abusing their victims. What steps might a pastor and church take to establish a culture of prevention and recognition of sexual abuse? What responsibilities do pastors have in the investigation of accusations of sexual abuse? How should pastors prepare themselves to minister well to sexual abuse victims?  Do pastors and churches need a written policy for dealing with sexual abuse? How does the hope of the gospel speak to victims of sexual abuse? Listen as Brian and Jim interview Rachel Denhollander concerning these issues and more.

Child sexual abuse in evangelical churches is shockingly more common than many think. Sexual predators often view the church as a “safe” environment for finding, grooming, and abusing their victims. What steps might a pastor and church take to establish a culture of prevention and recognition of sexual abuse? What responsibilities do pastors have in the investigation of accusations of sexual abuse? How should pastors prepare themselves to minister well to sexual abuse victims?  Do pastors and churches need a written policy for dealing with sexual abuse? How does the hope of the gospel speak to victims of sexual abuse? Listen as Brian and Jim interview Rachel Denhollander concerning these issues and more.

What is unique about the pastor’s schedule? What scriptural mandates influence how we steward our time? What priorities influence the way a pastor schedules his time? How do unforeseen circumstances influence a pastor’s schedule? How might a pastor schedule his time to reflect his limitations? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss the complexities of the pastor’s schedule.

Church finances are too often the source of scandal. How does Scripture address the pastor’s responsibilities in relation to stewarding the finances of the church? What priorities should dictate financial expenditures? What safeguards should the pastor insist upon to guard against the abuse of finances? What level of financial disclosure is appropriate when handling church finances? Listen as Brian and Jim address these and other issues associated with faithful stewardship of church finances.

In receiving members from another church, to what biblical principles should the receiving pastor and church adhere? Given that many leave their former church upset or hurt, does the receiving pastor and church have a responsibility to help them resolve such issues? What courtesies does a receiving church owe the former pastor and church? Listen as Brian and Jim address these and other critical issues related to rightly receiving members into our flocks.

In light of the Sutherland Springs Texas church shooting, the question of safety and security at churches is front and center in the minds of conscientious pastors. What theological issues should inform our views on safety and security? Is it “spiritual” to think in terms of possessing a right to safety and security? How did Jesus address these issues with his disciples? Is there a biblical doctrine of self-preservation? Do concerns for safety at times limit our effectiveness in advancing the gospel? Practically, what measures should a pastor and church take to ensure the safety of the congregation? Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these and many other related questions.

In our cultural milieu where accusations of sexual harassment headline each day’s news, pastors must exercise wisdom and discernment in relating to female church members. How may pastors shepherd female members well in such a context? Do women in our congregation feel neglected in relation to pastoral care? What does Scripture have to say about how pastors should relate to women in their congregation? What role does the pastor’s wife play in determining how a pastor relates to his female congregants? How might a pastor relate to women in his church in a manner that is both properly guarded and biblically relational?Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these issues and more in this podcast.

Many pastors identify faithful prayer for their flock as an area of failure in their ministries. How does a pastor pray faithfully and consistently for every member of his congregation? How might a pastor create a systematic prayer-guide? What should we pray when praying for the flock? How does Scripture inform the way we should pray for our members? How might we engage the entire congregation to faithfully pray for fellow members? Listen as Brian and Jim answer these questions and more in this podcast.

Pastors’ wives bear a unique burden. To what extent should the pastor share the burdens of pastoral ministry with his spouse? What is the distinction between the pastor protecting his wife and the pastor shutting his wife out in relation to the burdens pressing upon him? Might there be dangers involved in exposing the pastor’s wife to certain problems with which the pastor wrestles? How might the pastor understand when to share with his wife and when to protect her? Listen as Brian and Jim address the critical issue of how much a pastor should tell his wife.

Discussion of the pastor’s salary is often an uncomfortable conversation for both the pastor and the church. How might both parties enter into frank, humble, God-honoring dialogue on this issue? What does Scripture say concerning the pastor’s salary? What should the attitude of the church be regarding the pastor’s compensation? What should the pastor’s attitude be? How might a church approach evaluating the worth of a pastor’s ministry? Should education and experience be factors in determining pastoral compensation? Should the pastor allow someone in the church to serve as his advocate in matters of pastoral compensation? Listen as Brian and Jim address these questions from a biblical, pastoral, and ecclesiastic perspective.