Episodes

In this episode, we explore powerful insights from Reimagining Church as Family by Dr. Shelly Melia, focusing on a group often overlooked in church life: single parents. Too often, churches approach single-parent families as recipients of ministry rather than vital contributors to the body of Christ. This conversation challenges that mindset and invites churches to move beyond simply serving single parents to fully including them—empowering them to lead, serve, and belong. We discuss how many c...

In this episode, we explore a powerful vision from Reimagining Church as Family: the church’s role in fostering and adoption. While not everyone is called to adopt or foster, every church is called to be a family—a place where children and parents can truly belong. As believers adopted into the household of Christ, we have a unique opportunity to reflect that same love and welcome to others. I sit down with Dr. Rich Griffith to hear his personal journey as a single dad who adopted three boys, th...

Second intervew on the book, Reimagining Church as Family! In this episode, we explore the powerful and often overlooked role of grandparents in God’s design for family discipleship, drawing from the vision behind Reimagining Church as Family and the work of Legacy Coalition. Larry Fowler shares his personal journey—including his move to Southern California to be closer to his family—and reflects on the spiritual legacy passed down grandparents to the future generation. Together, we discuss why...

What does “family” really mean—and what if the church was meant to be more than just a place we attend? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with JJ Jones to discuss his contribution to the book Reimagining Church as Family and the deeper, biblical vision of what it means to belong. When many of us hear the word “family,” we picture something like a perfect Norman Rockwell scene—but reality is often far more complex. From single parents and adoptive families to empty nesters and spiritual ...

Church conflict doesn’t just hurt people—it clouds God’s glory and weakens the church’s witness to the world. While there are many causes, one often overlooked issue is that many church members haven’t been taught how to think well about pastoral authority or how to follow in a healthy, biblical way. In the wider world, “followership” is being studied more seriously, but the church has largely neglected it—or worse, confused it. Because of real concerns about abuse, many avoid talking about auth...

Several months ago, former actor and apologist Kirk Cameron stepped squarely on an evangelical hornet’s nest—and didn’t flinch. On a podcast with his son, he planted his apologetical feet firmly on one of the most controversial views of hell: annihilationism, also known as conditional immortality. The backlash was swift—but so was something else: renewed interest in a doctrine many have quietly avoided. What is hell, really? What does the Bible actually say? And how do we square it with a just ...

We live in a broken world, and that can often leave us broken. Trauma is often the result of specific events in our lives that leave a lasting mark, often leading to a profound deep deep-seated sense of isolation and pain that can also lead us to make bad choices. A child is molested at a young age, and this event leaves a lasting mark as they grow older, finding it difficult to enjoy life, function well at work, or live in healthy relationships. A soldier sees things in war, comes home, and nev...

Choosing godly elders is essential to the health of the church. Pastor Charles Swindoll writes, Every church is the lengthening shadow of those who lead it. Therefore, no issue is more important in any church than having the most-qualified people who model true spirituality serving in leadership as elders. This explains why the lists of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9 are so strict and demanding. Unfortunately, in most churches of America, the method of appointing and selectin...

Those who grew up during World War 2 are gradually leaving us. Most who are alive are in their 90s or older. It’s important we keep their memories alive. Both my father and mother grew up in Europe and experienced the trauma of growing up under Nazi Occupation. In this podcast, I interview my 93-year-old mother about her story. Three years ago, my father passed away at the age of 93. My mother lives near us, and while diagnosed with stage three cancer, she remains independent and relatively heal...

Charles Spurgeon said of the Bible, “To me the Bible is not God, but it is God’s voice, and I do not hear it without awe.” I did a quick review on Amazon of the number of books titled “Hearing God’s Voice.” I was amazed at the dozens of books written on that title. For example, Priscilla Shirer in her book, He Speaks to Me, writes, “God desires to speak to you through His Word and His Holy Spirit. By learning to listen to God’s voice and committing to obey Him, you will draw closer to God with a...

To understand transgenderism, we must understand our fallen nature. God created us in his image, and this is distorted by sin. The pressure from society to accept that you are born in the wrong body only leads to fatalism and despair. The gospel, however, brings hope and points to the restoration of our God created design through the God-man, Christ Jesus. In this podcast, my cohost and I discuss the origins of transgenderism, societal pressures, and how the church can better address the issue. ...

John Owen wrote, “A minister may fill his pews, his communion roll, the mouths of the public, but what that minister is on his knees in secret before God Almighty, that he is and no more.” Most pastors that I know are committed to a prayer life. However, it is something that is easily neglected. The weight of the sermon and the burdens for his people will cause the pastor to look for help, and the best help comes from the Lord Jesus. King David wrote in Psalm 34:6, “This poor man called out, and...

What is good, Gospel preaching. We believe it must center on preaching both the law and the gospel. According to Eric Beach from 9 Marks, Scripture contains both commands to obey (law) and promises to believe for salvation (gospel). These are not antithetical to each other. Instead, they play indispensable yet different roles in the lives of Christians. A “gospel-centered” hermeneutic which unintentionally downplays or sidelines the commands of God for Christians will often result in significan...

I interviewed Pastor Matt Cohen on the discipline of expository preaching. Below is a summary of what expository preaching is from Qot Questions. See the link here. Expository preaching involves the exposition, or comprehensive explanation, of the Scripture; that is, expository preaching presents the meaning and intent of a biblical text, providing commentary and examples to make the passage clear and understandable. The word exposition is related to the word expose—the expository preacher’s go...

Increasingly, parents are carrying a burden for prodigal adult children. Some months ago, out of my own burden, I purchased and read Pastor James Banks’ book called Prayer for Prodigals. I used the book as part of my devotional time and found great courage and comfort from the way James uses scripture to shape his prayers for his own two children. In this podcast, we discuss not only his book but also the humble journey of living and trusting a sovereign God to answer the deep cries of the heart...

We don’t often consider the impact of the pastor’s burnout on the pastor’s wife! I sit down with Tom and Karen Friedrichs to discuss their own journey with burnout, recovery, and how God used it to prepare them to help others in ministry. Often the wife is affected differently than her husband from his burnout. If not addressed, she can withdraw from others and even from her husband. We also discuss how the church could be safer place for pastors if the leadership were protecting him better part...

One Sunday after preaching, I found myself gravitating to a man I knew would compliment me for another great sermon. I found that I did this every Sunday. I bypassed others and went straight for my backslapping, always sermon-affirming, never-to-disappoint friend. The day I caught myself doing this was the day I realized this was unhealthy. So, I ignored that friend and stood in the lobby, eager to talk to anyone, even those who didn’t like my sermon and were honest about it. Why are pastors lik...

The Pastor taking a sabbatical has theological backing. God commanded the Old Testament doctrine of the Sabbath or rest to remember him as our creator and provider. Those who don’t rest tend to forget that. By resting, we join Him and his rest from creation, but it is also our way of preparing us for the final rest that awaits us. “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” (Hebrews 4:1) The church and th...

Pastors struggle to develop meaningful friendships. Imagine struggling, striving, and working for the good of others. But then, when you have a need, there is no one with whom you can be honest and share your heart. Many pastors are going through this. Almost all go through it eventually. In this podcast, Pastor Ken Cluck and I discuss why friendships are difficult for pastors but why they are still critical to his personal health and effective ministry. Pastor Ken has been in pastoral ministry...

Do you know what is worse than a salvation without assurance? It is an assurance without a salvation. According to Jesus that is what is going to be worse for many. This book has been written to give you the opportunity to assess your own story of salvation and the way Jesus has come to you, as well as your response to him. God saves each of us individually so each of our stories are uniquely different. At the same time, God’s work in saving us is consistent. He works in the same way so there is...

When I heard the news of Steve Lawson’s sexual sin, I threw up my hands and said, “I give up! Is there anyone we can look up to anymore? Who is next?” If you need to find out who Steve Lawson is, he was right up there with giants like RC Sproul and John MacArthur. Lawson was a board member and teaching fellow of R. C. Sproul’s Ligonier Ministries. Lawson also served as the dean of the Doctor of Ministry program at The Master’s Seminary, founded by John MacArthur. Dan and I discuss what happened...

The nation of India has over 1.4 billion people. There are 2,289–2,554 groups that are considered unreached, meaning that less than 2% of the people in those groups follow Jesus. In this podcast, I interview Dan (last name withheld) to discuss his ministry of training pastors in India. Dan and the ministry he serves travel to India regularly and holds online training sessions for thousands of pastors across India. Many of these pastors have no biblical education. It’s a vital ministry. Dan and I...

Many of us get stuck when we see contradictions in the Bible. Pastor John Fogal argues that exceptions in the Bible are never contradictions. This podcast interview will open a window to worship an amazing God who made the greatest exception ever when he extended to us redemption. John W. Fogal lives in Ft. Wayne, IN. He pastored for twenty years and served as a district superintendent with the Christian and Missionary Alliance for 18 years. He has also served as a coach for pastors and churches...

In the five previous podcasts we reviewed Dr. Rob Reimer’s Soul Care Ministry and teachings. It is appropriate that we follow those up with a discussion of spiritual abuse in the church. I had the honor of interviewing Dawn Hill for this podcast on this subject. Dawn Hill is a Christian blogger known as The Lovesick Scribe, and the host of The Lovesick Scribe Podcast. She is passionate about sharing the truth and pointing others back to Jesus Christ through the written Word as the standard of au...