

Trench Talk
Practical Shepherding
Practical Shepherding is a Gospel-driven resource center for pastors and church leaders to equip them in the practical matters of pastoral ministry. In this podcast, pastor Brian Croft sits down with other pastors to discuss the gritty details of pastoral ministry. Our goal is to examine the life and work of a pastor and give helpful guidance for our brothers laboring with us. This is a podcast by pastors for pastors. We are in the trenches of ministry with you, and we want to equip you to continue in this task.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 26, 2024 • 56min
Ep. 271: Thriving pastors roundtable
Show notes will be added shortly.

Nov 19, 2024 • 35min
Ep. 270: Understanding administration and delegation
Give financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveContact us we’d love to serve youExplore our online resourcesFind rest at a Shepherd’s House location nearest youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(01:36) Biblical foundation and setting up the topic(06:36) The pastoral struggle with delegation and administration(09:34) Two pastors: too much or too little administration(18:04) The importance of administration(23:43) Practicing and growing in administration(32:18) Final word and prayer

Nov 5, 2024 • 36min
Ep. 269: Preparing our people to suffer well
Give financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveContact us we’d love to serve youExplore our online resourcesFind rest at a Shepherd’s House location nearest youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(01:33) Setting up the topic and biblical framework(07:15) Distinguishing sufferings(11:55) Important questions: Who are you?, how do you live?, and how do we suffer well?(16:51) Pastoring in the realities of grief and death with the goodness of God(21:11) Public versus private handling of these crises(23:30) Tension between focus on the eternal and today(30:05) Practical ways to prepare your people to suffer well(32:17) Final word and Prayer

Oct 22, 2024 • 36min
Ep. 268: Pastoring as the election draws near
Give financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveContact us we’d love to serve youExplore our online resourcesFind rest at a Shepherd’s House location nearest youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(01:37) Setting up the topic and biblical framework(07:31) The pressure of how much do you say or not say? (09:42) Handling congregational pressures (13:12) Distinguishing pastoral responsibility, and responsibility as a citizen(17:52) Should church members vote in elections?(22:58) Should you encourage your members to vote for a particular candidate?(32:19) Determining your line as a pastor in a local church(33:29) Final word and prayer

Oct 15, 2024 • 37min
Ep. 267: Pastors battling spiritual warfare
Contact us we’d love to serve youExplore our online resourcesFind rest at a Shepherd’s House location nearest youApply to the 2025 Practically Trained Pastor’s CohortGive financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(02:07) Biblical understanding(13:59) Ways to discern warfare versus failure(19:33) Signs the enemy is attacking the church(24:22) Combatting fights from the enemy(35:27) Final word and prayer

Oct 8, 2024 • 30min
Ep. 266: Becoming life long learners
Contact us we’d love to serve youExplore our online resourcesFind rest at a Shepherd’s House location nearest youApply to the 2025 Practically Trained Pastor’s CohortGive financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(03:19) Biblical understanding and setting up the conversation(06:43) Strive to master the Bible(09:48) Perfect your preaching craft(12:54) Learn to wisely access and digest information(16:48) Learn from a wise older mentor and mentor a younger pastor(18:44) Cultivate an intellectual and biblical curiosity(23:22) Audit formal theological courses(25:41) Develop a new hobby(27:04) final word and prayer

Oct 1, 2024 • 31min
Ep. 265: Learning from ministry falls
Contact us we’d love to serve youExplore our online resourcesGive financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(03:41) Biblical Framework and setting up the conversation(08:01) The misconception that good theology protects us from falling(10:57) The misconception that being older protects us from falling(13:42) The combustible nature of our own heart—1 Corinthians 10(19:18) Genuine safeguards to stand and be accountable(24:52) Protecting and shepherding the flock when a prominent pastor falls(28:04) Final word and prayer

Sep 10, 2024 • 36min
Ep. 264: Advancing the Church
Brian, Stephen, and Matthew provide an update on how SBC went and other
developments from the last few months for ATC.

Sep 3, 2024 • 37min
Ep. 263: Feeling enslaved to the study
Contact us we’d love to serve youExplore locations of The Shepherd’s HouseRegister for the Practically Trained Pastors Cohort Explore our online resourcesGive financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(02:24) Setting up the topic and biblical foundation(12:42) The pursuit of a home run sermon(15:00) Fear of man in preparation and preaching(18:21) A healthy rhythm for sermon preparation(24:21) Preparation in your early days of ministry(26:06) Encouragement to pursue faithfulness in preparing sermons(29:19) Strategy in using commentaries in preparation(34:29) Practical ways to fight isolation in the study(38:13) Final words and prayer

Aug 27, 2024 • 38min
Ep. 262: Am I called to be a missionary or pastor?
Register for the Practically Trained Pastors Cohort Explore our online resourcesContact us we’d love to serve youGive financially to support the work of helping pastors thriveExplore locations of The Shepherd’s HouseWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(01:41) Setting up the topic and biblical framework(04:49) Defining what a missionary is and the Internal and external call(11:32) Supporting versus being a missionary(16:39) Helping someone discern the call to mission work(22:29) The unique gifting of missionaries (23:37) The difficult toll on the family(25:59) Helping someone discern the call to pastor(26:32) Do you have language skills and do you travel well(28:40) Is your wife supportive and do you have a shepherds heart(32:35) Shepherding as the training ground to join the missionary work (33:30) The congregations roll in affirming and sending missionaries and pastors(36:33) Final word and prayer