The Pastorate Podcast

Today’s episode features a conversation between Tammy Giffen, Lead Pastor of Groundswell Church in Turo Nova Scotia and Shaila Visser, National Director of Alpha Canada and Senior Vice President at Alpha International. It’s a recording of a conversation that took place live in front of our Lead Pastor Fellowship cohort, two weeks ago when they were gathered together in Vancouver for a city meetup. Over the course of that week together, the cohort, made up of 15 pastors from across Canada, spent time learning from local pastors and leaders, touring local churches, and enjoying quality time together. This conversation between Tammy and Shaila was one of the sessions of the week that was designed to help encourage our cohort members and sharpen their pastoral imagination, specifically around the themes of evangelism, prayer, and ministry to Gen Alpha and Gen Z. Shaila shares how a late-night encounter with the Holy Spirit reframed her entire sense of calling and how that moment has shaped Alpha Canada’s vision for the next generation. In this conversation, Shaila unpacks the four questions God gave her in the middle of the night and how they’ve become a compass for her leadership. She reflects on what it looks like to hold a big vision while cultivating deep spiritual rhythms of prayer and fasting, and why people across Canada are uniquely open to the gospel during this time.Along the way, Shaila highlights:Why naming 4.4 million Canadian high school students has expanded Alpha’s vision for youth ministry.How Made for This, a national prayer initiative, is mobilizing churches to cover schools across the country.Why she believes Gen Alpha is more spiritually open than any generation in decades.How equipping students to run Alpha for their peers strengthens discipleship and mission.This conversation will encourage pastors to think bigger about the next generation, lean deeper into spiritual dependence, and not grow weary in ministry. Shaila closes with a moving word of encouragement: to keep going, for the sake of those who do not yet know Jesus.Show NotesShaila’s WebsiteGen Alpha Data and Resource PackMade for This CampaignAlpha Student Leadership Collective Coram Deo Foundation Joseph Chung Scholarship PartnersThe work of strengthening pastors across Canada is only possible because of generous partners like you. As we look to the future, would you consider joining us in prayer, sharing this episode, or ⁠making a gift to invest in a vibrant, Jesus-centered church in every community⁠?Generis helps churches to cultivate a culture of generosity. Contact Jon Wright at Generis to learn more. 

In this conversation, Jason sits down with Ryan Johnson, pastor of Church Untitled in downtown Vancouver. Ryan shares openly about how the church began after the collapse of another, walking through seasons of anxiety and depression, and learning to cultivate a dependence on God while shepherding people who were hurting. What started with a small group meeting in the corner of a nightclub has grown into a worshipping community in the heart of the city marked by prayer, consecration, and God’s presence.Jason and Ryan explore themes that matter deeply to pastors today, including:- Consecration before vision: The formative role of Joshua 3:5, focusing on internal formation and God’s presence ahead of programs and plans.- Dependence vs. strategy: Learning to follow the Spirit’s guiding, and how to keep choosing dependence even after growth and momentum arrive.- Worship as shepherding: How worship shapes us beyond emotion, trading what we feel for what we know of God, and the importance of extended spaces of prayer and song.- Ongoing healing for leaders and churches: Naming self-protection, practicing vulnerability, and letting love perfect what fear distorts in the life of a community.- Citywide unity and hunger: Stories of collaborative worship nights, overflowing prayer ministry, and a growing hunger for God across ages and backgrounds.If you’ve walked through church hurt, or are leading people who have, this episode offers an honest, hope-filled account of how God turns ruins into foundations and pain into worship.Show Notes- Church Untitled | https://www.churchuntitled.com/- Fall City Meetups⁠⁠ | https://www.thepastorate.ca/gatherings- Lead Pastors Fellowship⁠⁠ | https://www.thepastorate.ca/lpf⁠⁠- Fall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas Landing⁠⁠ | https://www.thepastorate.ca/events/pastorsretreatfall2025- The Pastorate Listener Survey⁠ | https://www.thepastorate.ca/surveyThank You to Our Episode SponsorSpecial thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for making this episode possible. We invite you to explore their ⁠Bible Course⁠ to help your church grow in Scripture engagement. | https://biblesociety.ca/thebiblecourse/

Today’s episode of The Pastorate looks a little different. Instead of our typical format where Jason interviews a guest, we’re pulling back the curtain on our Lead Pastors Fellowship and inviting you into a conversation that Pete Hughes, pastor of KXC London, had with our cohort participants during one of their monthly Zoom sessions. We’re sharing it here because it speaks directly into the cultural moment we find ourselves in, and because applications for the next round of the Lead Pastors Fellowship open next month.In this conversation, Pete Hughes unpacks the “quiet revival” taking shape across the global West, especially among Gen Z, and what courageous, Spirit-led pastoring looks like in this season. He names why many are rejecting secularism both intellectually and experientially, and why this surge of spiritual openness demands bold, clear invitations to follow Jesus.Pete invites pastors to imagine what courageous and Spirit-dependent leadership looks like in a cultural moment hungry for more. This conversation wrestles with how to speak with clarity in contested spaces, how to shepherd both skeptics and seekers, and how to walk at a pace that can endure renewal. It points to a vision of ministry that pairs bold invitation with deep formation, offering hope for leaders who long to see Jesus meet people with power and presence. Stay tuned until the end of the episode as Pete concludes the conversation with a prayer for Canadian pastors.Show NotesKing’s Cross ChurchPete’s InstagramFall City MeetupsLead Pastors FellowshipThe Pastorate Listener SurveyFall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas LandingPartnersThe work of strengthening pastors across Canada is only possible because of generous partners like you. As we look to the future, would you consider joining us in prayer, sharing this episode, or ⁠making a gift to invest in a vibrant, Jesus-centered church in every community⁠?Generis helps churches to cultivate a culture of generosity. Contact Jon Wright at Generis to learn more. 

In this conversation, Jason sits down with Dom Ruso, pastor of The 180 Church in Greater Montreal, to talk about the joys and challenges of church planting in one of the most secularized contexts in North America.Dom shares openly about his discernment journey, how God drew him and his wife back to Quebec despite initial resistance, and what it has looked like to build a church community from scratch in a region where many are spiritually open but institutionally skeptical.Jason and Dom explore themes that matter deeply to pastors today:Dom’s honest wrestle with returning to Quebec, and the slow ways God confirmed the call to plant a church there.The unique dynamics of Quebec culture and what it means to preach the Bible in ways that connect with people who carry wounds from religion or who feel indifferent toward Christianity.How congregations can embody health and unity in a divided cultural landscape, and what Canada’s regional differences can teach us about God’s work across the country.Why it’s not enough to “tell” people what the Bible says, but to invite them into its story, and how plot points of Scripture resonate with modern longings for justice, meaning, and identity.Why it matters to recover a distinct vision of pastoral calling, and how the overlap with modern leadership and coaching culture can blur what shepherding the people of God really means.Dom also talks about his new book, The Bible for a Shifting Secular Age, which brings together his pastoral experience and academic work to offer handles for understanding secularism and fresh ways of presenting Scripture today.Show Notes
The 180 ChurchThe Bible for a Shifting Secular AgeGive to our $30,000 August Match Campaign⁠⁠Fall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas Landing⁠⁠The Pastorate Listener Survey⁠Thank You to Our Episode SponsorSpecial thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for making this episode possible. We invite you to explore their ⁠Bible Course⁠ to help your church grow in Scripture engagement.

Howard Jolly has served as a pastor, musician, and leader among Indigenous churches across Canada for decades. Recently retired as Executive Director of the Indigenous Alliance Churches of Canada, Howard carries a deep passion for reconciliation within the Church and the renewal of Indigenous communities in Christ.In this conversation, Howard shares his journey from growing up in Moose Factory, Ontario, to pastoring First Nations Community Church in Winnipeg for 15 years, and leading a national network of Indigenous Alliance churches. His life and ministry have been shaped by a conviction that First Peoples reaching First Peoples is central to the gospel’s witness in Canada, and that reconciliation is not just for the healing of Indigenous communities, but for the health and fruitfulness of the whole Church.Together, Howard and Jason explore:How ministry to Indigenous peoples must engage colonial history, identity loss, and generational trauma,Why reconciliation is essential for the whole body of Christ, not just Indigenous peoples,The role of relationship, dignity, and presence in pastoral ministry,Howard’s personal story of coming to faith through the transformation of his father’s life,and Howard’s hopes and prayers for the future of the Church in Canada and the righteous reign of Jesus in our land.Howard speaks with warmth, humility, and deep wisdom born of a long obedience to Christ. His story invites pastors to move toward reconciliation with courage, to honour the dignity of all people, and to believe afresh in the hope and healing found in Jesus Christ.Show NotesIndigenous Alliance Churches of CanadaGive to our $30,000 August Match Campaign Fall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas LandingThe Pastorate Listener SurveyPartnersContact Jon Wright at Generis for help cultivating a culture of generosity in your church.

The Old Testament can feel daunting to preach, but it’s an essential part of the story we’re called to tell. Many pastors avoid preaching texts of violence, trauma, and grief but what if these difficult texts are exactly what our churches need to hear? In this conversation, Old Testament scholar and Anglican priest Dr. Lissa Wray Beal offers a thoughtful and deeply encouraging guide for engaging the harder parts of Scripture. Drawing from her current writing on the book of Jeremiah and her years of pastoral ministry and academic scholarship, Lissa makes the case that these ancient texts are essential for helping congregations find language in time of suffering and struggle.Together Lissa and Jason explore: - Preaching texts of trauma with both theological clarity and pastoral care, especially in communities shaped by grief, abuse, or injustice,- Finding solidarity with Jeremiah as a model for faithful ministry in seasons of exhaustion, obscurity, or rejection,- Navigating denominational shifts with humility, theological conviction, and an openness to the diverse expressions of the Church,- Recovering the Psalms as vital resources for congregational prayer, especially in times of cultural and spiritual disorientation,- Rethinking the future of seminaries: the importance of embodied formation, theological depth, and renewed partnership with the Church.Lissa is thoughtful and pastoral, blending scholarly depth with real-world insight. This is a thoughtful conversation about formation in the word, pastoral faithfulness, and the steady grace of God in the complexity of everyday life.Show NotesLissa Wray Beal’s PublicationsThe Pastorate Listener SurveyFall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas LandingSupport the Work of The PastorateThe work of strengthening pastors across Canada is only possible because of generous partners like you. As we look to the future, would you consider joining us in prayer, sharing this episode, or ⁠making a gift to invest in a vibrant, Jesus-centered church in every community⁠? Thank You to Our Episode SponsorSpecial thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for making this episode possible. We invite you to explore their ⁠Bible Course⁠ to help your church grow in Scripture engagement.

In this episode, we welcome Matthew Price, Lead Pastor of North Langley Community Church, for a deeply personal conversation about pastoral ministry.Matthew opens up about his unexpected journey into preaching, the powerful influence of mentors like Darrell Johnson, and how a vision from God reshaped his love for suburban ministry.Matthew and Jason explore:• The complexities and beauty of multi-site church leadership, including revitalizing declining churches• Matthew’s experience of burnout—the physical and emotional toll, and practices that led to healing• Wrestling with theological questions and pastoral identity in public ministry• Leading differently now: embracing limitation, trusting his team, and cultivating a slower, more sustainable paceMatthew’s story is a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness in the midst of suffering—and an invitation for pastors to slow down, be honest about their limitations, and rediscover their identity as beloved children of God.This is a conversation about learning to lead from a place of rest, receiving God’s love afresh, and finding joy in the ordinary work of pastoring.Show Notes:North Langley Community ChurchThe Pastorate Listener SurveyFall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas LandingSupport the Work of The PastorateThe work of strengthening pastors across Canada is only possible because of generous partners like you. Would you consider joining us in prayer, sharing this episode, or making a gift to invest in a vibrant, Jesus-centered church in every community?Thank You to Our Episode Sponsor:Generis helps churches cultivate a culture of generosity.Contact John Wright at Generis to learn more.

In today’s episode, Jason sits down with pastor and church planter Pradeepan Jeeva for a vulnerable conversation on calling, suffering, and leading a church where everyone can find their place. Pradeepan and his wife Amritha co-lead Kalos Church in Bellevue, Washington, a vibrant, multicultural community born out of a literal dream and built one backyard barbecue at a time.With tender honesty Pradeepan shares about the joy and heartbreak of planting in one of the most unchurched cities in America, and how his family’s story, from Sri Lankan refugees to pastors in Seattle, has shaped the unique multicultural demographic of their church. From his personal mental health challenges to his children’s autism diagnoses, Pradeepan opens up about what it means to keep pastoring when life gets tough, and how the Church he founded became an essential support to his family.In this conversation, Pradeepan shares:The spiritual roots of Kalos Church and how a dream led them to plant a church in Seattle,How the Church helped carry him through personal grief, personal breakdown, and family hardship,How his son became the inspiration behind their church’s thriving special needs ministry,A fresh, practical model for discipleship borrowed from his son’s individualized education plan,and why story-sharing and vulnerability are non-negotiables for building a diverse, healing community.Pradeepan’s passion for Jesus, love for the Church, and unwavering commitment to those on the margins will leave you encouraged, challenged, and deeply moved.Show NotesPradeepan’s Mailing List and Book NotificationsKalos Church The Pastorate Listener Survey Fall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas LandingSupport the Work of The PastorateThe work of strengthening pastors across Canada is only possible because of generous partners like you. As we look to the future, would you consider joining us in prayer, sharing this episode, or making a gift to invest in a vibrant, Jesus-centered church in every community? Thank You to Our Episode SponsorSpecial thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for making this episode possible. We invite you to explore their Bible Course to help your church grow in Scripture engagement.

In a time when Christian sexual ethics are increasingly seen not just as outdated but as morally offensive, how can pastors lead with both clarity and compassion? In this conversation, author and apologist Rebecca McLaughlin engages with questions around Christian sexual ethics and makes a case for why the Christian story is ultimately good news for everyone. Rebecca reflects on how the cultural conversation surrounding Christian apologetics has shifted over the last two decades, from intellectual skepticism to moral resistance and she explores how the Church can respond to increasing secularism without losing its moral conviction or its tenderness.Rebecca explores key challenges and opportunities facing pastors today including: Articulating historic Christian beliefs on sexuality and gender in ways that draw people toward Jesus with both conviction and compassion,Reframing singleness as a vital, gospel-shaped calling, not a transitional or secondary state,Recovering a vision of Christian marriage and singleness as signposts pointing to Christ and His love for the Church,Recognizing that today’s cultural objections often reveal a deeper hunger for love, identity, and belonging that only the gospel can satisfy.Rebecca is bold and gracious, bringing sharp cultural insight, theological depth, and a pastoral sensitivity to the conversation. You’ll be encouraged to lead with both truth and tenderness, and to see even the hardest conversations as opportunities to point people to Jesus.Show Notes: ⁠Rebecca's Website and Books⁠⁠⁠The Pastorate Podcast Listener Survey⁠⁠⁠Fall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas Landing⁠⁠The Pastorate CareersPartners: Contact ⁠John Wright at Generis⁠ for help cultivating a culture of generosity in your church.We couldn’t do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠give⁠⁠⁠⁠ towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.

In this episode, Jason sits down with long-time pastor, professor, and marketplace theologian R. Paul Stevens to explore the sacredness of daily work. Paul’s ministry journey spans decades, from student ministry in Halifax to pastoring in Vancouver, teaching at Regent College, and even a mid-career stint as a carpenter. Paul unpacks the heartbeat behind his conviction that every follower of Jesus is in full-time ministry and that whatever your vocation, be it a pastor, a police officer, or a mother, your work matters to God. In this conversation Paul shares about: How Ephesians 4 set helped him come to realize that all Christians are in “full-time ministry,” The danger of dualism among our congregations and the importance of reclaiming whole-life, integrated discipleship,How pastors can empower their congregations for Monday-to-Saturday faithfulness, A story of meeting a young seeker on public transit and the unfolding of their year-long discipleship journey.Paul is thoughtful and intentional, bringing over 50 years of ministry experience and theological rigor to the conversation. In this episode Paul will remind you that pastoral leadership isn’t confined to a platform or pulpit, and you’ll be inspired by stories of a seasoned pastor living out the Gospel in his ordinary, everyday moments. Show Notes: Fall 2025 Pastors Retreat at Barnabas LandingPaul’s WebsiteInstitute for Marketplace TransformationPartners: We couldn’t do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠give⁠ towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society's "Bible Course."