Pastors Talk - A podcast by 9Marks

Sean DeMars, pastor of Glory Community Church in Alabama and author of Redemption Song, explores congregational singing and biblical worship. He discusses the regulative principle, patient instruction, and why pastors must oversee music as Word ministry. They also consider how songs shape memory, affection, and mutual care, plus practical ways churches can encourage fuller, more confident singing.

Ryan Robertson, president of Reaching and Teaching International and an elder at Third Avenue Baptist Church, discusses the road to missionary service. He explores how churches should test an aspiring missionary’s calling, why character comes before convictions and skills, the need for theological and cross-cultural preparation, and when waiting may be the wisest step.

Connie Dever, a Christian ministry worker and longtime pastor’s wife, joins Mark and Jonathan for an honest conversation about ministry and marriage. They explore why a pastor’s wife is first a church member, how pastors can prioritize their wives and families, and the dangers of unrealistic “first lady” expectations. Connie also shares her journey through severe illness, church support, and finding God’s goodness in suffering.

Matt Boswell, pastor, worship professor, and acclaimed hymn writer behind “His Mercy Is More,” explores the calling and craft of writing hymns. He discusses turning biblical themes into song, the demands of meter, rhyme, melody, and revision, and how suffering church members shape his words. He also considers singing as mutual encouragement and what to do when church music is not your preference.

David Lawrence, preaching and vision pastor at Erbil Baptist Church, and Jeremy Barker, Mustard Seed Foundation programming director, discuss gospel ministry in Kurdistan. They explore the region’s stability, religious freedom, and Christian history; contextualized discipleship for women; multilingual church life; revitalizing Erbil Baptist Church; and building schools, training, and church-planting infrastructure across languages.

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Caleb Morell and Mark Dever sit down with Australian author Tony Payne (co-author of The Trellis and the Vine) to discuss his new book, Let the Word Dwell Richly. Payne makes the case that alongside the public preaching of the Word, the New Testament everywhere assumes a "one another word" — believers speaking Scripture and its implications to one another for mutual spiritual benefit.

In this special episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever welcome John Piper to reflect on his book The Pleasures of God, newly reissued by Crossway. Together they explore why God's self-exaltation is not vanity but love, how grace overflows from a God who is full and free, the connection between God's glory and His happiness, and why a gloomy view of God distorts everything downstream. 

A pastor explains why he broke from expositional preaching for a July 5th sermon tied to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. They debate whether the American Revolution could be considered sinful and how Romans 13 applies. Conversation traces legal and historical ideas from Lex Rex to Magna Carta and wrestles with rightly ordered patriotism versus idolatry.

Connie Dever, pastor's wife who cared for Mark through a sudden medical crisis, shares firsthand testimony. She recounts getting the call, coordinating care, and leaning on the church’s support. Short, vivid stories cover medical shocks, recovery moments, and practical systems churches can build to care for pastoral families.

Michael Lawrence, seasoned pastor and mentor who runs residency programs, and Ligon Duncan, Reformed seminary leader and theological educator, discuss why fewer men enter pastoral ministry. They cover demographics, seminary debt, faith-and-work effects, recruiting and training pipelines, mentoring models, and how churches can fund and cultivate future leaders.