Pastors Talk - A podcast by 9Marks

Mez McConnell, a Scottish pastor, author, and founder of 20schemes, shares his journey from childhood abuse, crime, and prison to radical conversion through Romans. He discusses Christ’s substitutionary atonement, forgiveness and justice for abusers, and the challenge of planting healthy churches in Scotland’s poorest housing communities. He also explores perseverance, leadership development, and serving hard places without changing the gospel.

Ben Lacey, pastor of Trinity River Baptist Church, and Matthew Bingham, a Reformed theologian and Talbot School of Theology dean, explore spiritual formation through a distinctly biblical lens. They discuss meditation, rules of life, mysticism, guidance, regeneration, and the sufficiency of Scripture. The conversation also considers how prayer, self-examination, and ordinary means of grace shape lifelong devotion.

Jonathan Leeman, 9Marks editorial director and author on church authority, explores how authority can strengthen, form, and protect rather than exploit. He discusses its place in creation, redemption, family life, complementarian convictions, and church governance. The conversation also confronts abuse, abdication, cynicism, submission under flawed leadership, and the challenge of leading like Christ.

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.