The Jim Bradford Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jim Bradford & Chase Replogle
A Weekly podcast of conversations with Pastor Jim Bradford. Each conversation focuses on life, faith, and leadership. We hope it helps you grow as a whole person and to minister out of a real depth of spirituality. Hosted by Chase Replogle.
While the scriptures often direct our attention to how we spend money and our motivations for generosity, the topic can be uncomfortable for some people. In today’s episode, Pastor Jim describes why generosity matters and how church leaders can cultivate generosity in honest and transparent ways. It’s a helpful conversation for those responsible for teaching and for all who seek to live a more generous life.
We live in an age of distraction. From our phones to twenty-four-hour news cycles, there's always something competing for our attention. It affects us as leaders and also as Christians. Our attention can be hijacked, and our eyes pulled toward worthless things. In today's episode, Pastor Jim offers advice for cultivating deeper focus and explores why distraction is one of the discipleship challenges of our age.
For more than 9 years, Pastor Jim served as the General Secretary of the Assemblies of God. In today's episode, we look back on that time and discuss lessons he learned from that work and what surprised him most. As the General Secretary, Pastor Jim oversaw the credentials of close to 40,000 ministers, giving him a unique perspective on the calling, challenges, and trends in pastoral leadership. We hope the conversation gives you a similar perspective and perhaps new motivation to pray for those who bear the responsibility of guiding our fellowship.
This weekend, as our nation celebrates its 250th year, Pastor Jim explores what it means to be patriotic, why we can be grateful for this nation, and how we can lead in praying for the decades to come.
There are those who see ambition as only a virtue and others who see it as pure vice. Is it good to be ambitious, or is it a dangerous self-obsession? Perhaps most importantly, how should faith impact ambition? In our conversation today, Pastor Jim explores the real meaning of ambition and how Christians should think about hard work, goals, and the work it takes to do great things. We hope the conversation helps you pursue all that God has for your life with clarity and better wisdom.
Surrounded by conflicts and controversy, there can be a lot of pressure to speak, whether you're a Christian in a workplace or a pastor speaking to a congregation. The Bible encourages both holding the tongue and the courage to be bold with the truth. It takes wisdom to discern the moment and when God is asking us to speak and when he is asking us to remain silent. In this week's episode, we're exploring the question of how leaders can cultivate the discernment to steward their voice in a noisy and chaotic culture. Pastor Jim offers some practical advice for finding a way forward.
Many are reporting on an unexpected spiritual awakening in our culture. More people are exploring the Christian faith than before, and more are open to spiritual conversations. But how can the church steward this moment well? And what does discipleship look like in an age of awakening? Pastor Jim explores the realities of the moment we're in and offers both encouragement and warnings for leading in this cultural moment.
We increasingly live in an age of skepticism. People do not trust institutions, and often they do not trust the church or pastors. Moral failures and corrupted leaders have violated the trust of many followers. But trust is one of the foundations of a healthy and vibrant community. In this episode, Pastor Jim describes how leaders can build trust, how they can lose trust, and why trust matters for the communities we're a part of.
Today, we’re talking about boundaries. There can be a lot of expectations in life and ministry. How do you know when to say yes and when to say no? Boundaries are important, but when can they also become boundaries to work God might be calling us to? Pastor Jim explores how we should manage our lives and our commitments as ministers and as Christians.
For decades, Pastor Jim has led multigenerational churches. Today, serving at Central Assembly, the church is known for its multigenerational approach to ministry and worship. Pastor Jim explores both the challenges and rewards of serving all ages and offers practical advice on how pastors can serve their own multigenerational congregations.
Forming a friendship can be difficult. Life and ministry can be full of loneliness. In today's conversation, Pastor Jim and I discuss the value of relationships and how we can be more intentional in forming them. Pastor Jim offers advice from his own experiences and helps us think more deeply about our relational needs.
At the center of the Christian message is the claim that Jesus rose from the dead. But the gospel makes an even bigger claim. Because of Jesus's resurrection, we too will be resurrected. In this week's episode, we discuss why the resurrection matters and how it should change the way we live as followers of Jesus.
Ministry is full of both great joys and often great challenges. Today, we're answering listeners' questions about the most challenging lessons of ministry. We'll look at how challenges often change from the early years of ministry to lessons that tend to emerge later in life. We hope the conversations also prove to be an encouragement for the challenges you may be facing even now.
It's a common adage that leaders are readers. In this week's episode, Pastor Jim and I discuss some of our favorite books and how we stay disciplined in our reading. We hope our conversation helps you pick up a new book and helps you incorporate reading into your spiritual disciplines.
Too many people are hurt by the church and pastoral abuses. The consequences are real, but the greatest loss is the loss of faith that often follows hurt. In our conversation today, Pastor Jim and I discussed the need for the church to do better and how Christians can both serve the church and guard their faith against its failures. We also hope the conversation can help church leaders better care for those who have experienced hurt. It's an important topic that's too big for one episode, but we hope our conversation can be both helpful and encouraging to those looking for a way forward.
In today's episodes, we are answering a listener's questions about studying in the Holy Land. Though it has not previously come up on the podcast, it's a topic both Pastor Jim and Chase are passionate about. We'll discuss how it can impact your study of scripture and answer some common questions and concerns about the trip.
We never know how long God will keep us in one place. God often calls leaders to new work and new places, but there are both benefits and challenges to staying in one calling for a long time. In this episode, Pastor Jim discusses his own transitions in ministry and why longevity can be both a gift and a benefit to a church.
Most churches participate in giving to support missions and missionaries, but in today's episode, we discuss why missions matter to every believer. We all play a role and bear responsibility for Jesus' great commission. So, how can people participate in missions and, as leaders, how can we inspire greater support? Pastor Jim shares about his personal passion for global missions and how he participates in what God is doing around the world.
Some people seem to be naturally wired to take risks. Others seem more naturally cautious and risk-averse. Is courage just a personality trait? The scriptures often call us to boldness and to take up difficult work, so how can we find the courage to take risks, and when does our risk-taking reflect a lack of wisdom? In Today's conversation, Pastor Jim explores the topic of courage and who he thinks about taking risks.
The ministry is about people, but there are also plenty of administrative responsibilities in leading a church. For many pastors, the balance between relationships and administration can feel constantly out of balance. Ignore administration, and the organization falls apart; ignore people, and you're failing to do the real work of the ministry. In today's episode, pastor Jim explores how to evaluate that balance and how pastors should think about being faithful to the work of both relationships and administration.
We live in the information age. The internet is full of voices, advice, and increasingly theological teaching and commentary. Every day, we're forced to evaluate what is true and who is worth listening to. In our conversation today, Pastor Jim explores the necessity of believers learning to recognize false teaching and why, as leaders, it's one of our primary jobs.
While you may have a job at a church, our families are also a part of the church community. Sometimes churches can have expectations of the whole ministry family. And sometimes growing up in the pastor's home can come with both benefits and challenges. In our conversation, Pastor Jim and I explore how we've navigated raising a family while serving in ministry. How do we serve both our families and the church toward loving Christ?
As we continue taking you’re listener questions, today we have a question about the role of prophets and apostles in the modern church. From the New Apostolic Reformation to online YouTubers who claim to be prophets, there seems to be a growing interest in apostleship and prophecy. In our discussion, pastor Jim and I explore what the Bible has to say about these roles, their function as offices in the church, and how Christians can discern the proper use of these gifts.
Today, we have a question from a listener about the experience of loss in ministry. It doesn't take long serving in ministry to face disappointment and loss. As a pastor, we are asked to lead through death but also through conflict, division, and transitions. The loss can add up. Pastor Jim shares how he has experienced seasons of loss and how we can sustain our hope and optimism in the midst of sadness.
While Pastor Jim spends most of his time preaching the Bible and leading a church, he still keeps up with his love of science. In today's episode, we talk about what advancements in science have him excited and how he continues to find the integration of faith and science strong. It was a fun conversation to explore deep into one of Pastor Jim's favorite topics and hopefully inspire future Christian scientists and students. It might be a great episode to pass on to a friend or child with similar interests.
We're continuing our study, taking questions from listeners, and today we have a question about staying healthy for ministry. Pastor Jim and I look at the topic of health, fitness, and pursuing longevity. We discuss how we have both failed and succeeded, and why Christians should think more about the body and recognize how the Christian faith leads to physical responsibility.
Is it possible to be both humble and confident, or does confidence lead to pride? In today's episode, we continue answering listener questions as we discuss the relationship between humility and confidence. If you've listened to previous episodes, you know that humility is often a topic of our conversations, but this conversation looks at how leaders and believers can be confident while also being people of genuine humility. We hope the conversation helps you investigate you're own life and helps you grow in both humility and confidence.
In today's episode, we're answering a question about God's will and how we should think about God's will when we face loss, suffering, and challenges. If God is sovereign, does that mean that everything that happens is his will? How can we trust God when things don't seem to be going our way? As we discuss, it's a familiar theological question, but it's also one of the most personal. It's a chance for Pastor Jim to reflect both personally and pastorally.
Over the last few weeks, we have been answering questions about the Holy Spirit. Though leadership is often a discussed topic in the church, we rarely talk about how to lead a church in the things of the Spirit. In today's conversation, we're talking about spiritual leadership and learning to discern the work of the Spirit in our services and churches.
In today's episode, we answer a listener's question about the proper function and purpose of the gifts of the Spirit. It's not surprising that there is often confusion and misuse of the Spirit's gifts. It also happened in the earliest churches, but Pastor Jim will help us better understand what the gifts are, why things sometimes go wrong, and why they are still a gift to the church.
Today, we have a listener's question about the meaning of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Jim and I explore how the Bible presents this baptism, why it's often misunderstood, and how believers today should seek the baptism of the Spirit. While it's a lot to cover in one conversation, we hope it might be helpful in inspiring your own study of scripture as well.
In today's episode, we're discussing questions about women in ministry. While we've talked about this question before, we hope this episode will pull together all of the various biblical passages and cultural questions, offering clarity on what the Bible really says about men, women, and church leadership.
Today we're discussing another listener's question. "How do you know when you're ready to be a lead pastor?" Pastoring requires a lot of responsibility and experience. Pastor Jim and I discuss our own transitions and what Pastor Jim has observed in others as they make that transition. We hope it offers some practical help to anyone seeking guidance on their next calling in ministry.
The world around us is changing fast. Christians aren't called to live isolated from the world. We're supposed to be in the world but different from it. In our conversation today, Pastor Jim and I are exploring how to recognize the changing trends of culture and how, as Christians and pastors, we should engage the cultural questions of our day.
We're in a short series answering listener questions. Today, we have a question about preparing a sermon. Pastor Jim and I explore how we go about studying a passage, preparing a sermon, and how new tools like AI are helping us study. We hope it's a helpful conversation for any preacher, teacher, or believer who is trying to study and better understand God's word.
As part of our current series answering listener questions, we discuss how churches and pastors should think about power and authority. Authority is a hot topic in our culture and is often misused in our churches. We ask what scripture has to say about power and how we can handle it with wisdom and discernment in our churches and ministries.
As we continue our series answering your questions, today we're talking preaching. One of the challenges of preaching can be finding your own voice. It's easy to sound like the preachers you listen to. In our conversation today, Pastor Jim discusses how to find your own voice and how long it takes to really feel comfortable in the pulpit. We hope it's a helpful conversation for anyone who finds themselves preaching regularly.
For many, transitions are a part of a lifetime of ministry, but how do you know when what you're feeling is your own restlessness vs a genuine call from God? In today's conversation, we're going to explore how to recognize God's call to a new place of ministry. Pastor Jim shares lessons he's learned from several of his transitions and offers advice for how to navigate your own.
We're starting a new series answering listener questions. Special thanks to those who submitted questions. In today's episode, we talk about how we became Assemblies of God credential holders and what keeps us in the AG. We'll discuss some of the strengths of our movement and the challenges we face moving forward.
In today's episode, we're wrapping up our conversations through the book A Sharp Compassion. If Jesus was willing to risk offending people, should we seek to offend people like Jesus did? How should we think about hard words and hard conversations? And does Jesus offer us wisdom for knowing when to risk offense? We'll explore how Christians and ministers should think about their own words of offense.
As we continue our look at the book A Sharp Compassion, we unpack what it really means to follow Jesus. We've talked about how insecurity and imitation of this world draw us into offense, but in our conversation today, we'll discover how by imitating Jesus, we are freed from offense. We hope this conversation helps you focus your own life on following Jesus and being healed from insecurity and offense.
In our conversation on A Sharp Compassion, we have been looking at what we've called the mechanism of offense, the complex series of emotions and desires that lead from insecurity to offense. In today's episode, we're looking at the final step of that process: accusation. We'll explore how insecurity moves us to accusation and how this spirit of accusation has consumed our modern culture.
Over the past few episodes, we've been talking about the mechanism of offense. How insecurity creates idols and leads us into imitation. That imitation leaves us more insecure and desperate for affirmation. In today's episode, we're taking a look at why our culture is so desperate for affirmation and the temptation the church faces to offer grace as a cheap form of affirmation. We're continuing our conversation on the book A Sharp Compassion.
As we continue our look at A Sharp Compassion, we come to the topic of imitation. With our attention fixed on an idol, we are drawn to imitating them. We become like what we worship. But imitation is more pressing than most realize. Wherever there is insecurity, there is a temptation to imitate the things of the world. We take a closer look at how Jesus freed his disciples from the things of the world and offered them a better form of imitation.
As we continue our discussion of the book A Sharp Compassion, we take a closer look at the consequences of our insecurity. Wherever there is an insecurity, there will inevitably be an idol, a hope for some salvation and security. We discuss how we become blind to idols in our hearts and how it often takes a hard word for us to recognize them.
As we continue our discussion of the book A Sharp Compassion, we turn to the topic of insecurity. There is a deep connection between the feeling of offense and insecurity to which we are often blind. You might not have recognized it, but insecurity is one of the oldest themes in the Bible. In our conversation, we'll describe how insecurity works, how it is connected to offense, and why it's so hard for us to recognize.
We're continuing our discussion around the topic of offense, based off of Chase's new book, A Sharp Compassion. In today's episode we track the theme of offense through the Old and New Testaments and discuss why the theme is often negelcted in our reading and theology. Through our conversation you'll come to not only better understand the biblical theme but also learn to recognize it in your own reactions.
In this episode, we have a special conversation about the hard words of Jesus and how we should think about them in a world that is increasingly sensitive to offense. We discuss the idea of offense and how it appears in the Biblical gospels. We hope the conversation helps you better navigate hard conversations in your own life and leadership.
In the final episode of our Christmas conversations, we take a closer look at the shepherds and the magi who came to worship at the birth of Christ. We discuss how the Christmas season moves us to worship and how we can receive the incarnation anew this Christmas season. As we wrap up this year of conversations, we'd also like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
We're continuing our December conversations on the birth of Christ by taking a closer look at the scene of the nativity. While most of us have nativity sets in our homes, they don't always convey the full details the gospels record. We discuss how the night of Jesus' birth might have really looked and what it teaches us about the meaning of Jesus' coming into history and humanity.
Over the next few weeks, we're taking a closer look at the Christmas story and why it matters to the story of Jesus. In this week's episode, we're looking at how the gospels begin and how the story of Jesus's birth connects the Old Testament story with the New Testament story. We hope these conversations through the Advent season will help you reflect more deeply on Christ's incarnation and deepen your worship of him.
We have spent the last 66 episodes working our way through each book of the Bible. In this week's episode, we take a closer look at the book of Revelation and the incredible way in which the Biblical story comes to a close. Pastor Jim helps set Revelation in its context and offers thought not only on its interpretation but on its application for believers today.
We are coming close to the end of our conversations through the Bible. In this week's episode, we discuss the book of Jude. The next to last book of the Bible, Jude is often missed by readers of the Bible. Though it is not long, it gives us a fascinating look into the world of the early church and a compelling description of the work of discipleship. Pastor Jim helps us better understand the book, its history, and how it can guide believers today.
In this week's conversation, we're wrapping up our look at the letters of John. Pastor Jim offers an explanation of 3 John and its historical setting. It gives us the opportunity to talk about false teaching and the dangers of accumulating power as leaders.
As we continue our conversations through the Bible, we come to the second letter of John. Though one of the shortest books in the New Testament, 2 John offers some important warnings to the Church. Pastor Jim helps us better understand the historical context of the letter and what we can learn from John's advice.
As we continue our conversations through the Bible, we come to three letters attributed to John. In today's episode, we explore John as an author and the unique time and setting of John's letters. It gives us a chance to see how the church was growing and the new challenges the church faced. Pastor Jim will help you apply John's first letter to your life as a believer and leader as well.
In this week's episode, we continue our conversations through the Bible by discussing the book of 2 Peter. Last week, we had a chance to discuss the role of Peter in the New Testament; today, we dig deeper into his life and his second letter. Pastor Jim explores the book's major themes and helps us reflect on lessons we can learn for today.
In this week's episode we're exploring Peter's letters in the New Testament with a conversation on 1 Peter. A familiar figure to the gospel stories and the book of Acts, Pastor Jim explores Peter's life and writings to the churches of Asia Minor. We also discuss what today's believers can learn from Peter's teaching.
We're continuing our series through the books of the Bible with today's conversation on the book of James. James is a unique book in the New Testament. It has often raised questions about the relationship between faith and works. In our conversation today, Pastor Jim explores the book's authorship and how James' advice shapes us as followers of Christ.
In today's episode, we continue through the books of the Bible by discussing the book of Hebrews. While the authorship of the book is debated, it is certainly one of the richest and most complicated books of the New Testament, full of Old Testament allusions and theological comparisons. We take a closer look at the letter, its famous warnings, and also its encouragement of faith.
In today's episode, we continue through the books of the Bible by discussing the book of Philemon. Among the Bible's shortest books, Philemon recounts a complicated personal situation that Paul sought to reconcile. In our conversation, we'll discuss ancient slavery and how the gospel transforms our identities and relationships. Though short, there is a lot to be learned from this little book.
In today's episode, we continue through the books of the Bible by discussing the last book of the pastoral epistles, Titus. Pastor Jim helps us better understand the historical context of the letter and compares it to Paul's letters to Timothy. We get to see how Paul instructs a pastor to lead a new church, and we find advice for our own day as well.
In this week’s episode, we take a closer look at Paul’s second letter to Timothy. In a past series, we spent several weeks working through this letter. Today, we’ll do it with just one conversation, but it's a chance to reconsider Paul’s words and the important lessons the letter contains. Pastor Jim offers historical context and practical applications that every believer can take away from this letter.
In today's episode, we discuss Paul's first letter to Timothy. As one of only three letters written to an individual, 1 Timothy is among some of Paul's most personal words. Paul offers advice to the younger minister, Timothy. Pastor Jim helps us better understand the context of the letter and what lessons we can learn from Timothy and Paul's advice to him.
In this week's episode, we're discussing Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians. Last week, we saw how questions about Christ's return had been spreading in Thessalonica. In his second letter, Paul returns to the topic and expands the conversation in his discussion of the lawless one. Yet Paul will see the truths of Christ's come as the source of real hope and an opportunity for the Thessalonians to stand strong in their faith.
In this week's episode, we're taking a look at the first letter to the Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians may be the earliest of Paul's letters, and it was written to a church Paul loved, but one which faced very real persecution and some challenging questions about Christ and his return. Pastor Jim helps us better understand the historical moment and how Paul's answer for the church in Thessalonica can be an encouragement to believers today as well.
We are continuing our conversations through the Bible as we come to another of Paul's prison letters. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the background and message of Colossians. We discuss its geographic setting, its historical context, and what is some of Paul's greatest writings on the divinity of Christ. It's an important letter to people living through challenging times, and it can be the same for believers today.
We are continuing our conversations through the Bible as we come to another of Paul's prison letters. For many people, the letter to the Philippians is a favorite book of the Bible. And for good reason. It offers some of Paul's most moving and encouraging words. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the background of the letter and how it can be an encouragement to believers today.
As we continue our conversations through the books of the Bible, we come to Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Known as the first of Paul's prison letters, Ephesians was not only an important letter in the life of Paul but the church played an important role in Paul's life and ministry. Pastor Jim describes the situation of the letter and offers thoughts on what we can learn from it today.
As we continue our conversations through the Bible, we come to Paul's letter to the Galatians. The book is one of Paul's strongest and most direct words. And it also offers one of Paul's most impassioned appeals for the centrality of the gospel. Pastor Jim explores the historical context for the book including the tensions that risked dividing the early church. We also discuss how Galatians can serve Christians and churches today.
As we continue our conversations through the Bible, we come this week to the book of Second Corinthians. Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church is one of Paul's most personal and painful. Paul was forced to defend his own claim to be an apostle. Pastor Jim explores the difficult situation that led to this letter and what we can learn from it as believers and ministers.
As we continue to work our way through the books of the Bible, we come to two of Paul's most well-known letters, his letters to the church in Corinth. The Corinthian church was facing pretty serious problems, but Paul took the time to work through them in two theologically rich letters. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the first of those letters. We discuss the background and the major themes.
The book of Romans is one of the most theologically dense books of the Bible and can be one of the most challenging to understand. In today's episode, we take a closer look at the background of the letter, Paul's situation, and the context of writing to Rome, and we explore the letter's major themes and lessons. Though challenging, Romans also contains some rich explanations of the gospel and the hope we have for Jesus.
In this week's conversation, we take a closer look at the Book of Acts. We discuss how Luke structured the book to work with his gospel and how Acts introduces us to the early church and the ministry of Paul. Pastor Jim explores what the church today can learn from those first days of the church, taking Jesus's message from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
As we continue our conversations through the books of the Bible and over the last few weeks, the gospels, we come to the book of John. John stands out amongst the Gospel writers as containing a unique style and a significant amount of unique content. In our conversation today, Pastor Jim takes a closer look at John, his gospel writing, and what we can learn from it.
As we continue our conversations through the books of the Bible and over the last few weeks, the gospels, we come to the book of Luke. As perhaps the only gentile writer in the New Testament, Luke offers a carefully constructed two-part account of Jesus and the church. Pastor Jim explores Luke's approach, his reason for writing, and what we can learn from Luke's work.
This week's episode takes us back to the gospels to take a look at Mark's account. As normal, we discuss the author, the book's historical context, and its major themes. Each of the gospels offers a unique perspective on Jesus' life and work. Pastor Jim explores the unique place of Mark's gospel in those accounts.
In today's episode, we're moving from the Old Testament to the New. Over the next few weeks, we'll be looking at each of the gospel accounts. We'll discuss the author, the reason for writing, and what makes each of the gospel books unique. In our conversation today, we're discussing the book of Matthew. We hope these conversations will help you learn and inspire you to read and love Scripture in all of its fullness.
Today is a milestone conversation for us. We are discussing our final book of the Old Testament, Malachi. As the last of the minor prophets, Malachi offers us some of the prophetic words closest to the arrival of Jesus in the New Testament. We take a closer look at Malachi's words, his lessons, and reflect on our time together in the Old Testament.
As we come close to the end of our conversations in the Old Testament, we find ourselves in the post-exilic period discussing the prophets of that time. In today's episode, Pastor Jim looks at the life and work of Zechariah. We'll see the unique challenges Israel faced upon their return from exile and how Zechariah called them to faithfulness and obedience. We'll also discuss how Zechariah's words can be read for today.
We are continuing our conversations through the Bible. Today, we come to a new section within the minor prophets. For the next few weeks, we will be looking at the post-exilic prophets, those prophets who did their work after Israel's return from exile. Pastor Jim helps us better understand the historical moment, the work of these prophets, and how their voices prepare us for the story of the New Testament.
In today's episode, we're taking a closer look at the book of Zephaniah. Working our way through the Old Testament minor prophets, we've been exploring how God speaks to his people and the prophetic warnings against sin, corruption, and injustice that are often themes of these books. The scope of the coming judgment Zephaniah saw was immense, including not only Judah but also the surrounding nations. Zephaniah also included one of the prophet's most expansive views of coming salvation as well.
In today's episode, we're taking a closer look at the book of Habakkuk. Working our way through the Old Testament minor prophets, we've been exploring how God speaks to his people and the prophetic warnings against sin, corruption, and injustice that are often themes of these books. Habakkuk offers us a unique kind of prophetic work. Habakkuk describes his own personal struggles as a prophet and the challenges that go with seeing the sin of his people and speaking the truth of God.
In today's episode, we're taking a closer look at the book of Nahum. Working our way through the Old Testament minor prophets, we've been exploring how God speaks to his people and the prophetic warnings against sin, corruption, and injustice that are often themes of these books. Naham turns his prophetic attention to the ancient Assyrian empire. Pastor Jim offers historical background on Naham and suggestions on what we can learn from this prophet today.
In today's episode, we're taking a closer look at the book of Micah. Working our way through the Old Testament minor prophets, we've been exploring how God speaks to his people and the prophetic warnings against sin, corruption, and injustice that are often themes of these books. Pastor Jim offers historical background on Micah and suggestions on what we can learn from this prophet today.
Lately, we have been working through the books of the minor prophets. Many of those books are unfamiliar to believers, but the story of Jonah is one of the Bible's most recognized stories. In today's episode, we discuss the book of Jonah and take a closer look at the often neglected portions of the story. Pastor Jim offers lessons and a compelling case for the heart of God, which is to reach all people.
We are continuing our conversations through the Bible with today's discussion on the book of Obediah. Recently, we have been discussing the minor prophets and recognizing similar themes but also the frequent quotation of these prophets in the New Testament. Obediah is a short book, but it is significant enough to have been passed down for generations. Pastor Jim explores the book's historical setting and what it can mean for believers today.
In today's episode, we are continuing our look at the minor prophets. Each episode, another conversation on a book of the Bible. Pastor Jim explores the historical setting for Amos as well as its major themes. We also recognize the overlapping themes between these minor prophets and their role in the larger prophetic section.
As we continue our series through the books of the Bible, we come to the minor prophet Joel. Well known for its quotation in Acts 2, we explore the fuller historical context for Joel's prophecy and its major themes, how it warns of destruction but in the midst of that judgment also holds out the opportunity of repentance and the promise of hope. Joel recognized a day was coming when God's Spirit would be poured out on all people.
Hosea is the first of what is commonly called the minor prophets. In today's episode, we discuss the category of minor prophets and take a closer look at the book of Hosea. Pastor Jim offers some historical context for the book and its major themes. Hosea is a book full of emotional images and prophetic actions but also offers one of the Old Testament's most moving descriptions of the gospel.
In today's episode, we're continuing our conversation on the books of the Bible by taking up the book of Daniel, the last of the major prophets. Pastor Jim explores its historical context, images, and themes featured in the book. Daniel is a mix of narrative and poetic prophecy and it offers readers powerful examples of faithfulness and obedience. We hope our conversation helps you read the book with better clarity and recognize its importance in the Biblical canon.
In today's episode, we're continuing our conversation on the books of the Bible by taking up the book of Ezekiel. Listed as one of the major prophets, Ezekiel is an important but complex book. Pastor Jim explores its historical context as well as its images and themes. We hope our conversation helps you read the book with better clarity and recognize its importance in the Biblical canon.
As we continue our progress through the prophetic works, we come to the unique book of Lamentations. Attributed to Jeremiah, Lamentations acknowledges the destruction of Jerusalem and offers readers both language and reflection on loss. But that loss is never without hope. Pastor Jim explores the historical moment in which Lamentations was produced, the grief it articulates, and also the hope to be found at the book's center.
The prophet Jeremiah worked in complicated times and left us not only his prophecies but stories of his own life and struggle. In today's conversation, we continue our look at the prophets as we discuss the book of Jeremiah. Pastor Jim explores the prophet's life, historical moment, and the major themes of his work, many of which reemerge throughout the New Testament. In spite of the challenges Jeremiah faced, he remains a model of faithful obedience, one that can inspire any believer today.
Beginning with today's episode, we're moving into the books of the prophets, beginning with one of the longest prophetic books, the book of Isaiah. Key to reading the prophets is situating them in their historical context. Pastor Jim describes the person of Isaiah as well as the historical moment in which he did his work. We also explore the book's themes, how it was used by New Testament writers, and what believers today can take away from the book of Isaiah.
As we continue our conversations on the books of the Bible we come to our final wisdom book, the Song of Songs. There have been a lot of debates throughout history on how best to read the Song of Songs or if they should be read at all. A collection of love poetry, the book is about human love, marriage covenant, and sexuality. It also raises those questions in the context of divine love and a divine covenant. In today's episode, Pastor Jim offers help reading the Song of Songs, and we discuss where this book fits best in the life of the believer.
We continue our conversations on the wisdom books of the Bible with today's discussion on the book of Ecclesiastes. As Pastor Jim notes, Ecclesiastes can be a challenging book to read, but for the careful reader willing to take their time, it offers profound wisdom and a particular kind of freedom from the pressures of the world. We discuss the book's major themes, how Pastor Jim has preached from the book in the past, and how it can impact believers today.
In today's episode, we're exploring the book of Proverbs. As part of the books of wisdom, Proverbs offers readers a collection of sayings and wisdom statements meant to describe a life of wisdom. In our conversation, Pastor Jim helps reveal the book's overarching structure and some of its key themes, critical to understanding the whole. The conversation will help you better understand the Book of Proverbs and how to apply its lessons to your life
The book of Psalms is the longest book of the Bible. It is also the book the New Testament authors quoted most often. The book of Psalms offers the language of prayer and faith used by generations of God's people. In today's episode, we explore the structure of the Psalms as well as its major themes and topics. We also consider the role the book can play in the life of today's believers.
Today's episode transitions our conversations into a new genre of the Bible. The book of Job is considered part of the wisdom literature. Job is a challenging read for many, full of poetry and philosophical speeches, but it also raises some of the most deeply held questions of suffering and justice. Pastor Jim gives a summary of the book and helps work through its major themes and what lessons we can learn from it.
The book of Esther is a unique story in the Bible. Set in Persian exile, the story is full of dramatic tension, ironies, and unexpected redemption. In this week's episode, we take a closer look at the storyline of Esther, its historical context, and the major themes of the book. We explore how to live well in exile, why everyday character matters, and why even when God seems absent, there are always signs of his sovereign direction.
The book of Nehemiah continues the story from the book of Ezra. Nehemiah tells of the third return of Jews from Exile to Jerusalem with the goal of rebuilding the city's walls and gates. But Nehemiah faced challenges from external opponents and from within God's people. Like Ezra, the book is full of some of the Bible's greatest moments of celebration but also complications and disappointments. In today's episode, we explore the book of Nehemiah, its themes, and lessons for believers today.
In today's episode, we take a look at the book of Ezra and the incredible story of God's people returning from exile. After 70 years in Babylonian exile, the Persian king Cyrus granted permission for the Jews to return, but it would be no easy task. We discuss the place of the book in the Biblical story and also discuss lessons that can be learned from the work of Ezra and the people of God to rebuild the temple and reinitiate worship in the land.
We're continuing our look at the books of Chronicles this week with 2 Chronicles. The two books offer a broad overview of Israel's history and God's faithfulness throughout the story. In 2 Chronicles, the story focuses on the period of the kings, covering a list of failures and successes. Pastor Jim offers lessons that can be learned from these kings as well as observations on the final image of Israel's history.
In today's episode, we dig into the book of 1 Chronicles. The book plays a unique part in the Biblical story, reflecting on the history of Israel and the important lessons God's people were to have learned. From Adam to David, the book covers a major swath of history. Pastor Jim offers perspective on the book's themes and suggestions on how the book can be best read, taught, and preached.
In today's conversation, we're continuing our look at the kings of Israel through the book of 2 Kings. We'll look at some of the kings of reform but also the tragic story of Judah's exile to Babylon. Pastor Jim offers advice from the book for any pastor or leader as we unpack the book's major themes.
The time of Israel's kings proved to be both for their good and bad. The period of the kings saw some of Israel's greatest achievements but also their slide into greater idolatry. In today's episode, we take a look at the book of 1 Kings and discuss the tragedy of Israel's fall and exile. Pastor Jim offers lessons for believers and leaders from the book.
Last week we looked at the book of 1 Samuel and were introduced to Saul and David. In this week's episode, we warp up the books of Samuel with a discussion of 2 Samuel. We discuss the passing of the throne to David and the complicated life David lived of faithfulness, sin, and confession. Pastor Jim offers both encouragement and warning from David's life, and we discuss how the book contributes to our own task of leading and serving God.
The books of 1st and 2nd Samuel are filled with familiar names: Saul, David, and Samuel. The books tell the story of Israel's first kings and the struggles they faced to be faithful to God and his call. In our discussion of 1 Samuel, Pastor Jim explores the life of Saul and the emergence of David. We discuss the book's themes and what we can learn from them today.
In today's episode, we take a closer look at the book of Ruth. Ruth is an easy book to overlook. It's not long, and it doesn't have tales of kings or empires, but the story proves surprisingly critical to the history of Israel and to Jesus himself. We discuss the story, its major themes, and the role of Ruth alongside the books of Judges and 1 & 2 Samuel.
The book of Judges tells the story of the time between the conquest and the kings. It is a time the book describes as everyone doing what was right in their own eyes. In today's conversation, we take a look at the time period of the judges and the major themes of the book. We also recognize important parallels with our own day and what lessons believers can learn from the book.
The book of Joshua tells the story of a new generation and a new effort to enter and take the promised land. Joshua, taking the leadership mantle from Moses, lead the people over the Jordan and into battle. In today's episode, we look at the book's major themes and also discuss some of the challenges of the book, including war in the name of God.
We're continuing our series looking at each book of the Bible. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the background and themes of the book of Deuteronomy. Not only does Deuteronomy conclude the Pentateuch, but it also depicts the end of Moses's life and the transition of Israel's leadership. We discuss Moses's life and his call for God's people to remember.
Continuing our series of conversations on the books of the Bible, today, we discuss the fourth book of the Torah, Numbers. The book of Numbers, often associated with the counting of its censuses, offers an important view into the years of the Hebrews' wilderness wanderings. Pastor Jim explores the theme of wilderness, the struggle of the Hebrew people, and the challenging leadership task Moses faced.
Continuing our series of conversations on the books of the Bible, today, we discuss the third book of the Torah, Leviticus. Many readers struggle to make it through this book of detailed laws and regulations, but Pastor Jim helps explore why the book matters, its critical themes fo the Bible, and how a book of Old Testament regulations can point us to Christ.
As we continue our series looking at each book of the Bible, we come to the second book of the Torah, Exodus. Its story of Moses and the escape of the Hebrews from Egyptian captivity is central not only to the Biblical text but continues to be a theme in our cultural imagination. Pastor Jim explores the major themes of the book and how they can shape our lives as believers.
We begin our new series of conversations through the Bible by discussing the opening book of Genesis. What are the major themes and key concepts? Pastor Jim explores the Bible's opening and the significance of the God who created all things.
In today's episode, we wrap up our series looking at the pastoral letters of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Pastor Jim reflects on the major themes of the letters and the lessons we can take away as followers of Christ and those serving in ministry. We also discuss what comes next for our podcast conversations.
As we have seen Paul do many times before, he again returns to the topic of controversy, specifically a charge to avoid foolish controversies. Pastor Jim explores Paul's advice and how it can help guide us in our ministry work today. He offers helpful advice on how to differentiate between legitimate concerns and foolish division which should be avoided.
In a day when we face growing divisions and arguments, Paul's advice is desperately needed, and each of us must cultivate the wisdom and discipline to avoid things that are unfruitful. Today's conversation can help guide you in those considerations.
Submission is not just a disciple, it's a practice formed in our reception of the gospel. We have been changed by the power of the gospel. The father's love, the spirit's work, and the son's sacrifice demonstrates submission and frees us from the things of this world. Submission is a sign of our faith in the gospel.
In today's episode, Pastor Jim continues exploring the topic of submission and looks at one of Paul's great descriptions of the gospel.
No one likes to talk about submission. It's one of the challenges of following Christ. He calls us not only to submit to His Lordship but to submit to those in authority over us. Paul, having previously explored the relationship between slaves and masters and men and women, next turned his attention to the believer's relationship with governing authorities. Paul encouraged the believers of Crete to submit to those authorities and to submit their lives to all people. Pastor Jim helps explore how we can live this calling today.
Having worked through various relationships in the church, Paul encouraged Titus and the church at Crete to turn away from worldly passions. Paul called them to live holy. Crete wasn't an easy place to live a holy lifestyle, but it is the calling of every Christian and Paul gave them another reason for living set apart from the world; Christ was coming again.
In our conversation, Pastor Jim explores the hope we have in Christ's return and how it should change the way we live here and now.
The Bible was written in a very different age and time. One of the challenges of studying scripture is learning how to understand its meaning then and now. Certainly one of those challenging topics is Paul's advice to slaves and masters. In today's episode, Pastor Jim takes a closer look at that advice, giving it historical context and helping us recognize what it says to us today.
As the pastoral epistles previously reminded us, all scripture is God-breathed and useful. It's true even of hard passages like today's.
Paul was a pastor at heart. He understood how to preach and how to correct false teaching, but he always had his eye on the community life of the church. In writing to Titus, Paul offered advice for though men and women should serve one another and the younger generations. In our conversation, Pastor Jim explores how older men and women can set an example for those younger than themselves and why younger generations should honor and respect the lives and lessons of those older than themselves.
Central Assembly continues to be a multi-generational congregation and Pastor Jim offers helpful insights on how generations of believers can learn from each other.
As we continue our look at Paul's letter to Titus we see that the church in Crete was also facing false teaching. It was different from the false teaching Timothy faced in Ephesus, but Paul recognized it needed to be dealt with. Paul was looking for a unique kind of Christ-like leader who could embrace humility but also have the courage to stand for truth.
In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores how we should face false teaching today and why we still need humility and truth.
The church at Crete was not very old, but it was growing. Part of Titus's task was to appoint new leaders to help shepherd that growth. Paul wanted to make sure Titus looked for the right kind of leaders.
While we have previously, looked at Paul's qualifications for church leadership, the book of Titus gives us another chance to dig into that list and make comparisons. What we discover is that Ephesus and Crete were very different places with very different churches, and Paul seems to have recognized some differences in their leadership needs.
As we begin the book of Titus, we take a closer look at Titus's assignment in Crete. Paul opens with a long introductory sentence in which he describes himself as, first, a servant. We discuss what it means to be a servant of Christ and how ministry is not just a job or a profession, it is a calling into service.
Pastor Jim helps us recognize that Titus has a lot of hard work ahead of him, but like Paul, he must hold on to his identity as a servant if he hopes to do that work well.
It's a new year, and we have a new series of conversations to kick off this week. Over the past year, we've been slowly working our way through the pastoral epistles, having covered 1 & 2 Timothy. In today's episode, we introduce the final of the epistles, Paul's letter to Titus. We'll discuss who Titus was, his relationship to Paul, and what prompted Paul to write this letter, as well as how the letter to Titus differs from Paul's letters to Timothy.
In this week's episode, we're continuing our mini-series of conversations with the staff of Central Assembly. Pastor Anthony Matrone joins us to talk about his unconventional path to pastoral ministry and how young ministers can navigate their own call. The early years of ministry can sometimes be plagued with restlessness and impatience. Pastor Jim and Pastor Anthony offer advice for finding contentment and joy wherever God has you.
We're continuing our mini-series over conversations in which we've invited new voices onto the podcast to talk about ministry, team relationships, and growing trust. Today, we're joined by Carter McDaniel, who has been a longtime central employee, serving in roles from sound and IT to his current position as Executive Pastor. Jim and Carter offer helpful advice on cultivating healthy team culture and how staff pastors and lead pastors can support one another.
Over the next few weeks, we've invited some new voices to join us on the podcast. These conversations are a chance for us to discuss the relational dynamics of ministry and how members of a team can better serve one another.
Our first guest is Pastor Don Tucker. As a long-time missionary and pastor, Don brings a broad perspective and experience to the Central team. We discuss building trust and how staff and lead pastors can cultivate deeper relationships.
In today's episode, we're finishing up our look at Paul's letters to Timothy. We take time to discuss Paul's final words and to also reflect on what lessons we've learned from these two books. Though in our look at the Pastoral Epistles, we still have the letter to Titus to go, we've now spent almost 50 weeks discussing Paul's letters to Timothy, and there have been some important lessons along the way. I hope you've learned as much as I have.
As we near the end of Paul's second letter to Timothy, Paul begins to further explain his personal situation. Paul knew he was close to death and found himself abandoned, isolated, betrayed, and alone. Paul had suffered many physical consequences of his ministry, but it is these emotional wounds that seem most painful. Still, Paul has not lost hope. Even alone on trial, he senses the presence of Christ, who stands with him. It's a reminder to all of us as we faithfully seek to serve our savior. We are never really alone.
Paul realizes that his death is near. To quote his words, he is being poured out like a drink offering. But Paul has fought the good fight, and he encourages Timothy to do the same. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores perseverance and endurance in ministry and how for those who wait and watch and long for Christ to appear again, there is coming a crown of righteousness. Our hope is not based on what we accomplish but on our longing to be with Christ.
As Paul moves toward the end of his letter, he gives Timothy a series of short pieces of advice: keep your head, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and do the duties of your ministry. Pastor Jim explores these simple statements and why collectively they form a whole picture of Timothy's work in ministry and how they can form and shape our ministry as well. For anyone dealing with discouragement or burnout, Paul's words are wise counsel.
Paul gave Timothy encouragement to be faithful in preaching the word. But Paul wasn't naive. He knew that not everyone would listen. Instead, many would be drawn to teachers who spoke what they wanted to hear. Paul described them as having itchy ears. In today's episode, we take a closer look at Paul's warning and how easy it is to accumulate the teaching we want in a world of online streaming and digital downloads.
Chapter four of Paul's second letter to Timothy is full of familiar phrases. Perhaps at the top of that list is Paul's charge for Timothy to preach the word. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the call to preach and why preaching is central to pastoral work. We also take a look at that similarly familiar charge to be ready in and out of season and how to do it with patience and careful instruction.
It's one of the most famous verses from 2 Timothy. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." Paul recognized that Timothy possessed a great gift. He had been instructed in the scriptures since he was a child. Paul encouraged Timothy to trust what he had learned. He encourages him to make the scriptures the center of his service to God.
In today's conversation, we explore how the scriptures equip us for the work of ministry and how we can keep this priority in the churches and families we lead.
Paul has been detailing the corruption and spread of false teaching. He has been warning Timothy about it. And again, he highlights his own suffering in the past and still to come. It's a serious challenge, and Paul builds to the point of advice for how Timothy should face it. Paul encourages Timothy to continue in what he has previously learned.
We might have expected something more profound, more strategic, but Timothy has everything he needs to serve God faithfully. He simply needs to hold on to it. In Today's episode, Pastor Jim explores how we continue well in what we have received.
Having dealt with general false teaching, Paul also gives attention to the corruption of leadership. False teaching leads to abusive and corrupt behavior. Pastor Jim takes a closer look at how corruption can work its way into the minister's life. We also take a look at how ministry leaders can avoid corruption and instead embrace humility, truth, and holiness.
Having repeatedly turned his attention to false teaching, in 2 Timothy 3, the Apostle Paul turns his attention to characteristics of the end times. Paul believed the end times would be marked by more false teaching. He didn't want Timothy to be surprised or discouraged by it.
Pastor Jim explores the list of sins Paul described and how the end times are always eminent, and why we shouldn't be surprised by these same events in our own day. Our conversation is both a warning but also an encouragement that faithfulness is always possible.
Quarreling was a topic the Apostle Paul repeatedly returned to in his pastoral letters. He warned Timothy not to get drugged into endless quarreling and useless controversies. It wasn't just a first-century temptation. Pastors today face constant temptation to comment on every controversy and to join every quarrel.
Pastor Jim offers advice on how to avoid being baited and why character is so important for discerning the controversies of our day.
Paul had previously encouraged Timothy to not be discouraged by his youth. In a culture that honored age and wisdom, Timothy's age must have made him feel insecure and vulnerable. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul comes back to Timothy's age and offers him a warning. Timothy is to flee the evil desires that are too often associated with youth.
In today's episode, Pastor Jim discusses those youthful desires and how they can rob us of the work God is preparing in us. We also take a closer at pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace.
One of Timothy's primary pastoral tasks at Ephesus was dealing with the spread of false teaching. It's not the first time Paul has brought up the topic, but he does so again in 2 Timothy 2. He reminds Timothy of the simple Gospel message that is at the center of true faith.
Pastor Jim explores how to hold on to that simplicity in a world awash with controversy, conflict, and false teaching. He reminds us that we are not competitors but stewards of the truth. He calls us back to the truth that God knows who is His, and those who follow him will pursue holiness.
Paul briefly returns again to the topic of quarreling. It's a topic that seems to have been at the forefront of Paul's concerns. It's easy to get caught up in it. Even today, we find ourselves drug into arguments, controversies, and quarreling. Paul wanted to make sure Timothy avoided that trap. Instead, he encouraged Timothy to present himself as one approved by God.
Pastor Jim explores the meaning of Paul's words and also how leaders today can avoid being baited into every controversy and quarrel.
As Paul continues to help TImothy better understand the reality of suffering, he turns to what may have been an early hymn of the church. Paul calls it another trustworthy saying. In today's episode, pastor Jim works us through the hymn and how it can be a tool for helping us keep perspective even in the midst of suffering.
As Paul continued to warn Timothy about coming suffering, he feared that Timothy would be tempted to give up. You would expect Paul to talk about commitment. That's the language we usually use. We should show commitment. But Pastor Jim helps us recognize why Paul uses the language of surrender.
What is the difference between commitment and surrender and why is submission so important for thinking about suffering and the power of the gospel?
In describing suffering and the endurance that produces good from it, the Apostle Paul offered Timothy three images: the solider, the athlete, and the farmer. Even as Paul anticipated greater suffering to come, he understood that by God's grace it could be transformed into something better. In today's episode, Pastor Jim unpacks these three images and helps us recognize how suffering can lead us to greater rewards.
As we continue our look at Paul's second letter to Timothy, we come back to the topic of suffering. Paul knew physical suffering, but he also knew the disappointment of ministry and the risks that awaited himself and Timothy. Paul didn't urge Timothy to rely on his own inner strength. Instead, he reminded Timothy that his strength was in the face of Christ.
Pastor Jim explores how we can return to the power of the gospel when we find ourselves suffering. It is our strength even when we feel beat or overwhelmed.
Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy during a season of suffering. Paul knew his death was coming soon. He asks Timothy to share in his suffering. Paul was no stranger to suffering and he wanted to make sure Timothy understood what might be coming.
In our conversation, Pastor Jim shares thoughts on suffering and why we should not allow suffering to lead us into shame. We take a closer look at the suffering Paul faced, including disappointments in ministry, and how Paul could sustain hope in the midst of it.
As we continue our look at 2 Timothy, we discuss Paul's encouragement to fan into flame the gift Timothy had received. Paul understood that what lay ahead for Timothy would not be easy. So he encouraged him to hold on to his calling and to keep the ember of his faith burning hot.
Those words have often been an encouragement to believers long after Timothy received them. Pastor Jim offers advice for keeping our passion alive and avoiding timidity. We also discuss why the continual work of the Spirit in our lives is so important to longevity.
Paul and Timothy shared a strong friendship. Paul even remembers Timothy's tears when they last parted. Their relationship is just one of the things Paul urges Timothy to remember as he fights to keep a sincere faith.
In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the dangers of spiritual drift and why Paul was worried about Timothy's future. We also discuss the value of relationships and prayer support for sustaining faith. All of this working together to produce a legacy of faith steadfast even in the face of loss.
Having completed our look at Paul's first letter to Timothy, we're next turning out attention to Paul's second letter to Timothy. Pastor Jim explores the background to the letter and what may have occurred in the years between the two letters. Jim explores the current situation of both Paul and Timothy.
We also discuss the importance of blessings and the unique relationship Paul and Timothy shared.
In today's episode, we take a look at Paul's final charge and encouragement to Timothy. Paul urges Timothy to press on, to fight the good fight, to avoid endless controversy, and to avoid sin. We discuss the importance of holiness and how worship is key to our endurance.
Pastor Jim looks at these final encouragements but also the major theme of the letter.
As leadership issues were central to the challenges Timothy faced in Ephesus, it's not surprising false teaching was at the center of it. These false teachers were stirring up controversy and conflict all over the church. Paul recognized that their pride was related to greed and a desire to use ministry for financial gain.
Paul encouraged Timothy to pursue contentment not only to overcome greed but also to overcome controversy and the endless debates that left the church constantly conflicted. Pastor Jim looks at how our own contentment can protect us from gree and endless controversy.
In today's episode, we explore Paul's advice to slaves and masters. It's a complicated situation but while it seems so different from our own day, Pastor Jim believes Paul's advice still matters for us too. We take a closer look at Paul's opinion of slavery and why our attitude about life and work matters, especially in ministry.
It's a conversation about the context of the ancient world and also about the complexity of our own day.
As we continue our look at 1 Timothy, we address Paul's warning that Timothy should be slow to lay hands on new leaders. Appointing leaders was one of the primary challenges Timothy faced but Paul didn't advise rushing to feel open spots.
Pastor Jim explores how to recognize when someone is ready for leadership and why we too should be patient and wise when handing out responsibility.
Paul repeatedly returns to the topic of leadership. Timothy faced real challenges in sorting out false teaching, removing greedy leaders, and raising up those worthy of honor. A painful part of Timothy's task would be dealing with leaders who failed. It continues to be a challenge for today as well.
Pastor Jim explores the challenge of leadership failures, how to handle accusations, and why accountability is so important for anyone serving in ministry. It's a frank and sober conversation about challenges every leader should consider.
As we continue to look at Paul's letter to Timothy, we come back to the topic of leadership. Paul returns to the topic because it's one of the greatest challenges Timothy faces. As false teaching and compromised leaders threaten the church, Timothy is tasked with making tough decisions and raising up new leaders. But not all of the church's leaders were bad, Paul instructs Timothy to offer double honor to those who served faithfully and taught truthfully.
In today's episode, we discuss the importance of honor, compensation, and encouragement for faithful leaders.
Paul had some very specific advice for how Timothy should handle needs in the church. There were apparently problems with how the church at Ephesus was caring for widows. Paul's advice is detailed and focused and helps us better understand our own responsibilities to those in need.
Pastor Jim explores how churches care for needs in the church and the surrounding community. We explore how Central has gone about that work and what we can learn from the church in Ephesus.
We often talked about the challenges Timothy faced in leading the church at Ephesus. Timothy was charged with ending false teaching and developing leaders. But Paul wanted to ensure that Timothy didn't view the people in his church as a project or mere volunteers. Paul urged Timothy to see them as family.
We'll explore what it looks like to lead relationally, embracing the people in your church as brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers.
Pastor Jim has called chapter four of 1 Timothy one of the Bible's most important chapters on leadership. Paul builds his advice to Timothy to the final line, that by watching his life and teaching closely, he will save himself and those who hear.
That verse became a framework for Jim's ministry and how he thinks about his calling. It continues to be the way he thinks about his life and task. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores how this verse became so important to him and how it can help you persist in ministry.
One of the challenges Timothy faced in Ephesus was attacks on his influence. Paul recognized that to be effective, Timothy would have to earn the trust and respect of the churches he lead. Paul gave him some pretty simple advice; teach people the word of God and live it out in front of them.
There is a lot of talk about influence in our world, but Pastor Jim unpacks Paul's simple advice to Timothy. Pastor Jim helps us think about the work of cultivating our own influence, the patience it requires, and the integrity. Today's episode is a good reminder for all of us, especially those facing challenges of our own.
Paul has spent much of his letter to Timothy addressing organizational leadership questions and the spread of false teaching in the church. But Paul abruptly turns the conversation personal. In the middle of chapter four, he shifts the conversation to the personal habits in Timothy's life.
Pastor Jim calls chapter four of 1 Timothy one of the best chapters on leadership in the entire Bible. Pay close attention and the same questions Paul raised to Timothy are raised to you. What are the habits of your life?
The church at Ephesus was overrun with false teaching. Paul left Timothy to face these challenges and encouraged him to remain strong and committed to the task of declaring the truth. Timothy's work required clear theological convictions but it also requires those convictions to be worked out in the messy reality of people and relationships.
In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the challenges Timothy faced and how false teaching shows up in our own churches. How should today's pastors think about false teaching and how to address it with the same conviction and character as Timothy.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim takes a closer look at Paul's call for Godly conduct within the household of God. We discuss the meaning of godly conduct, how it relates to the community of believers, and how a person can begin to grow in godliness. Pastor Jim offers practical advice for individuals and for the church body. With this conversation, we wrap up chapter three and prepare for chapter four.
As we continue our look at 1 Timothy, Pastor Jim describes the differences between Elders and Deacons and Paul's expectations for each role. We also discuss how churches should think about these roles and qualifications and how you can use the list to evaluate yourself, recognizing areas of continual growth.
In today's episode, Pastor Jim takes a closer look at Paul's list of leadership qualifications. We work through the entire list as a kind of checklist, both for those who might be entering the ministry and for those already serving. Pastor Jim describes each of the qualifications and why they are particularly relevant to ministry leadership.
In this week's episode, we continue our look at 1 Timothy by turning to Paul's qualifications for church leaders. Paul introduced that list with his second trustworthy saying. Those who desire to lead desire a noble thing.
Pastor Jim explores the nobility and dignity of pastoral work and offers some general thoughts on Paul's list of qualifications including what surprises him most about Paul's list.
As we wrap up the second chapter of 1 Timothy, we pause to talk about how the Holy Spirit empowers all people for ministry. Pastor Jim explores the well-known prophecy of Joel that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all people: men and women, young and old.
We discuss how the church can recognize the Spirit's call to ministry and how we can participate in the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy.
In this week's episode, we continue our look at 1 Timothy 2. It is perhaps the most difficult section of Paul's writings and central to the chapter is Paul's prohibition against women speaking in Ephesus. Pastor Jim explores the cultural and historical backgrounds of the city, how to interpret difficult passages by turning to other scripture, and finally what we can all take away from this passage.
Having opened chapter two with the topic of prayer, Paul next turned to practical advice for how men and women should pray. Paul's advice to Timothy regarding gender issues in the Ephesians church is nuanced and often misunderstood. Pastor Jim takes some time to investigate some of the challenges Timothy faced and why Paul chooses to address his advice to men and women individually. Ultimately, Paul's point is for more than just Ephesus and we explore how his advice might be properly applied today.
Paul encouraged Timothy to pray for all people, but he went on to specifically request prayer for those in authority. Pastor Jim explores why prayer is of central importance to Paul and why even in a place like Ephesus, prone to persecution and abuses of power, leaders should be prayed for. Pastor Jim also gives advice on how believers and congregations can continue to implement Paul's advice.
Paul charged Timoty to stay in Ephesus and take a stand against false teaching. He also offered Timothy a trustworthy saying, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst."
In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores Timothy's charge, and why the simple message of the gospel was critical to Timothy's work. Timothy would need to hold fast to it in a culture that found its simplicity uninteresting. Paul's charge and his passionate depiction of the gospel's power are still relevant and powerful for all who serve today.
In this week's episode, we jump into chapter one of 1 Timothy. Pastor Jim explores the situation and unique charge Paul gave to Timothy. Paul encouraged Timothy to stay in Ephesus and stand against the false teaching that was spreading within the church.
We also explore that pastoral charge today. Where do we find false teaching? How do we face it in our own time? And perhaps most import, how do we do it with the love and peace Paul describes to Timothy?
As we begin our closer look at the pastoral letters, we took some time to talk about the relationships between Timothy, Titus, and Paul. Pastor Jim describes each of these men as well as the unique place in which they served.
Understanding the challenging context of their ministry, the uniqueness of their call, and the depth of their relationship with the Apostle Paul helps us better understand the letters written to them. We also took some time to draw comparisons between their pastoral work and our own.
In this new series of conversations, Pastor Jim explores the pastoral epistles, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Though not as often preached to a congregation, the pastoral letters are rich material for anyone serving in ministry or spiritual leadership.
In today's episode, we explore how the pastoral epistles have impacted Pastor Jim and what makes them unique in the New Testament and within the letters of the Apostle Paul.
Pastor Jim explores the topic of doubt and the recent emphasis many have placed on deconstructing faith. Often these doubts are brought on by questions and uncertainty, but often they track deeper than the questions themselves. Pastor Jim explores his own experience of doubt and the relationship doubt has to faith. Our conversation will be helpful in processing your own doubts but also in learning how to pastor Christians through these trying seasons.
When it comes to the intersection of faith and science, there is no avoiding the conversation of creation. For centuries, Christians and scientists have been struggling to understand how our universe came into existence and trying to read both the evidence and the Biblical account.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim offers his thoughts on the questions as well as how he reads Genesis 1 and 2 as both a Christian and a scientist.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores some of the recent breakthroughs in science and how what we're discovering can serve to build your faith. But we also discuss the limits of the scientific method. There are things science can teach us and there are things that it can not. Pastor Jim explores where that line is and where faith forces questions on all of us.
If you’re around Pastor Jim for long, you’ll eventually hear someone refer to him as a rocket scientist. Before becoming a pastor, he received a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering. In this weekes episode, we look at Pastor Jim’s love of science and how that pursuit, at the highest levels, built his faith in God.
As we wrap up our series of conversations on Pastor Jim's book, Lead So That Others Can Follow, we turn our attention to spiritual stamina. We've previously looked at the importance of stamina and managing emotions, but this week, Pastor Jim explores the importance of spiritual stamina.
At the center of our spiritual stamina is the reality of spiritual warfare. Pastor Jim explores why we should take that warfare seriously and what it means to tarry in prayer through intercession.
Over the past few episodes, we've been looking at the work necessary to maintain healthy stamina in ministry. Key to that work is learning to manage your emotions.
We too often assume that emotions are spontaneous and uncontrollable. When we feel them, we do our best to ignore them and get back to work. But Pastor Jim gives some suggestions for what you should do to manage those emotions and why that work is key to longevity.
This conversation is practical and realistic about the challenges we all face and how we can manage our emotions in the process.
We live in a culture that has elevated feelings to the seat of truth. What you feel becomes your perspective on life and your impulse to act. But Pastor Jim explores why feelings should be seen as followers, not leaders.
This conversation will help you gain a better perspective about what you are feeling and help you build the emotional capacity necessary for stamina and longevity in ministry. You'll learn to stop asking what your feeling and gain the necessary skills to begin asking why.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a look at stamina and how it can be cultivated for a lifetime of ministry. A big part of stamina is health. When we are worn out and sick it's hard to keep our stamina and emotions high.
Pastor Jim explores several practical considerations for improving your health as a means of cultivating energy and longevity in ministry. He shares his own experiences, struggles, and goals for cultivating physical health and how it is related to S\spirituality.
Ministry usually involves a long process. It takes time and commitment. It, like the Christian faith, is a marathon race. Repeatedly, scripture encourages us to run that race well with perseverance and stamina. In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores why stamina is so important to ministry and how we can lose that stamina. The good news is, stamina lost can be refound. Pastor Jim offers helpful advice on recovering and building healthy habits for a lifetime of ministry.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim wraps up our conversations on change by looking at the importance of teams. Change is always a process of managing emotions and anxiety. By focusing on leading with teams, you can better understand objections and fears and share the burden of managing them well.
Key to this work is trust. We explore how to earn it, and how to keep it even as you implement change.
An endless process of change disconnected from a church's mission will sabotage progress and leave people feeling tired and distrustful. In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores why change must be connected to mission. We look at how mission helps guide change and communicate it.
We also look at the reality of resistance. A part of change is bringing as many people along as you can, but we also recognize that there will always be resistance. So, how should we respond?
Everyone faces change. For some it comes naturally, for others change creates anxiety and reluctance. Leading change comes with its own set of challenges. Over the next few epsiodes, Pastor Jim explores the topic of leading change.
That all begins begins with recognizing when change is needed and where to start. For Pastor Jim, change always begins with an honest look at yourself and your own emotions.
A part of growing as a preacher is listening to preachers. It's not uncommon to be inspired by greater preachers and to learn from their expertise. But listening to others can also lead to imitation and insecurity. In this week's episode Pastor Jim explores the topic of authenticity in preaching.
He also offers advice for those just beginning as preachers and encouragement for those who may feel stuck or running out of energy for the work.
Most preachers have heard of breaking each sermon point into explanation, illustration, and application, but Pastor Jim explains why application has become increasingly important to his preaching.
We explore how to find the right application for the questions people are asking, how to make the application clear in your points, and how simple illustrations can help reinforce application. It's a helpful conversation to anyone writing or even listening to sermons regularly.
In this week's episode, we continue our conversation around preaching by looking at the work of sermon preparation. Every preacher is unique, and so too are their ways of preparing. Pastor Jim breaks down his sermon preparation process and offers advice on improving yours as well.
As always, a big part of our discussion is integrating your spiritual life into the work of sermon preparation. We hope this conversation helps you find new energy and improvements in your own preparation.
Anyone who has preached for very long knows that improving is challenging and too often frustrating. It's easy to get discouraged and settle into a plateau. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the importance of growing as a speaker and offers some advice on how to continue improving.
Over the past few weeks, we've been looking at the importance of teams and team development. In our final conversation on the topic, Pastor Jim explores ten competencies teams should work to improve.
As usual, these competencies demonstrate an integration of spirituality and leadership. We cover things like dependence on the Holy Spirit, creating safe interpersonal environments, and how to inspect without disrespect. We hope these ten areas of focus will help you and your team become more competent in the work God has called you to.
In today's episode, Pastor Jim continues to describe his ten values for building a better team. This conversation builds on the previous episode's list. This next list includes things like budgeting time, family commitments, and dealing with team conflict.
We conclude the conversation by talking about how pastors can be more intentional with developing their own teams and team values.
We are currently in a series of conversations discussing the critical importance of teams in doing ministry together. Over the next few weeks, we want to look at the values and competencies that make for a better team.
This week, Pastor Jim explains where these values came from and how each can help you evaluate and build better teams within your own organization.
In this new series of conversations, Pastor Jim explores the critical place of teams in doing ministry. We discuss when he recognized the importance of teams and how Jesus intentionally utilized a team-based approach to ministry.
At the center of building and maintaining a team are the important topics of trust, encouragement, accountability, and mission.
Pastor Jim explains that the church is always in need of called ministers and leaders but we can never take that call lightly. In our conversation we discuss how to evaluate your own sense of calling.
The conversation will help those who may be considering entering the ministry, considering a career change, or just needing a reminder of why they took up this work in the first place.
Pastor Jim continues to discuss his list of questions for evaluating a new team member and yourself. In today’s conversation, we talk about humility, handling criticism, culture, and how you can use these questions for evaluating your own life.
Pastor Jim continues to discuss his list of questions for evaluating a new team member and yourself. In today’s conversation, we talk about working well with others, loyalty, and handling financial budgets.
Pastor Jim continues to discuss his list of questions for evaluating a new team member and yourself. In today's conversation, we talk about effective communication, knowing what you're good at, and how you lead others.
Pastor Jim states that selecting the right leaders is holy work. In this new series of conversations, we explore 16 questions he uses to evaluate a new team member, but we also discuss how these questions can, and should, be used for self-evaluation.
In this first conversation, we look at the three critical questions of spirituality, character, and motivation.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim wraps up our series on developing a philosophy of ministry by looking at a leader's responsibility for cultivating excellence and offering appreciation. Pastor Jim explains that we are always called to the integration of anointing and excellence and that it is totally unacceptable for anyone under your leadership to feel unappreciated.
We continue in our series looking at the elements of Pastor Jim's philosophy of ministry. In today's episode, we explore the topic of people and authority.
Jim points out that too many leaders spend their time showcasing their own gifts instead of developing the gifts of others. We discuss how to help others grow and why sharing authority can be difficult but necessary for doing ministry the way Jesus did.
We continue our series looking at Pastor Jim's philosophy of ministry. This week we discuss the pastor's responsibilities in setting attitudes and sharing vision.
Pastor Jim explores how our attitudes are often indicators of our anxieties and insecurities. A pastor is responsible for setting proper attitudes and offering people a sense of security and stability. That includes hopefulness about the future.
A few months ago, we looked at a series of personal commitments Pastor Jim created for his life and ministry. Similarly, we begin another series looking at the ministry commitments that guide pastor Jim's public work in the church.
He refers to it as a ministry grid or a philosophy of ministry. Over the next few weeks, we hope these conversations help clarify your own commitments and help you develop your own philosophy of ministry.
Over the past few weeks, we've been exploring four areas of pastoral oversight: Spiritual, Missional, Organizational, and Relational.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim describes how these oversights fit together and how they help you recognize inevitable signs of decline. We also discuss how a leadership team can use the four oversights to discuss and monitor the health of the church. Pastor Jim offers questions to help in your assessment.
A pastor bears responsibility for important organizational questions and that oversight is about much more than your administrative to do list.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores the topic of organizational responsibility and how Jesus demonstrated organizational oversight.
Each week we are considering one of the unique oversights pastors must steward. This week, we discuss the topic of mission.
Slowly, and sometimes undetected, the mission of a church can drain. We can lose the missional reason for our existence. Pastor Jim explores that danger and how churches, pastors, and individual believers can maintain a vibrant sense of mission.
Over the next few weeks, Jim discusses the four oversight roles a pastor plays: Spiritual, Missional, Organizational, and relational.
In this week's episode, Jim talks about how to pay attention to relationships and why managing relationships is an important task for spiritual leaders.
Humility is an often used word in Christian ministry. It is used so often it has a tendency to be taken for granted. But humility is central to following Jesus and serving in ministry.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores the topics of humility and meekness and how they lead to greater freedom and a deeper experience of Christ.
Self-pity is pleasurable pain, a self-loathing that leaves us wallowing in the world's unfairness. Jim explains how self-pity is really unbelief and why it can trap us in life and ministry.
Jim calls listeners to make an up-front commitment to put more into life than we ever expect to take out.
It's easy to get frustrated at the people you lead. It's easy to stop believing in their potential and to instead slip into a kind of manipulation that uses them for your own purposes.
Jim believes that one of the central axioms of leadership is that people tend to rise to what we expect of them. That means a pastors job is always to believe in who out people can be.
In our conversation we explore how that optimism can be lost and how leaders can regain their belief in the potential of the people they lead.
When it comes to Christian leadership, one of the most common phrases is servant leadership, but for all our talk about serving, we haven't talked a lot about power. What is it? How should Christians handle it?
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim discusses the three types of power and how Jesus taught his disciples to think about it.
It's easy for us to neglect the work of the Holy Spirit or to understand the Spirit's work as relegated to a handful of powerful moments. But in this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores how maturing in faith involves learning to live in a constant fellowship with the person of the Spirit.
Jim describes that fellowship in his own life, why it's critical for life and ministry, and how pastors can lead congregations into it.
Christians pray. As Pastor Jim explains, it is the breath of a believer. To be alive to God is to be in prayer.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim discusses his own prayer life, how Christians can abide in prayer, and what to do when you feel inadequate or uninterested in praying. It's an encouragement for those who have been discouraged by pryer and those searching for ways to deepen their experience of prayer.
A spiritual center begins with brokenness that leads to the disciplines of abiding in scripture and embracing a life of prayer. In today's episode, Pastor Jim discusses his commitment to scripture.
The conversation is both inspirational and practical. How does scripture shape your life and interior and how can you find ways to abide more deeply in those words. We also explore the challenge regular Bible reading can be. What should you do when reading scripture feels slow or boring?
I hope this episode helps you find new ways to spend your days living in the word.
Brokenness is not a best-selling topic but it is universal, and for Pastor Jim, it is at the center of who we are in Christ and the work Christ wants to do in and through us.
In this week's episode, Jim explores how brokenness can deepen our dependence on God and why that dependence is at the center of spiritual leadership.
In today's episode, we explore the ways that Christian faith and ministry can become externalized and reduced in authenticity. Jim explores the danger by looking at the tendencies of several First-Century religious groups: the Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, and Zealots.
For several weeks we have been looking at the seven personal commitments Pastor Jim crafted for his life. In today's episode, we finish up that discussion by looking at the topic of joy. What is joy? Why is it so hard to hold on to it? And how do you get it back once lost?
Jim also gives advice for crafting your own personal commitments and why the practice is so important not just for leaders but all believers.
It's easy to think about learning as something we do in our youth. Once we've graduated, we spend our time applying what we've learned. But coasting on previous thinking is not only risky but misses out on one of the great gifts of God—curiosity and the joy of discovery.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim discusses his commitment to love learning and how he continues to learn for both his career and as a hobby. We talk books, education, and learning for fun.
Leaders talk a lot about change, but sometimes we can be the one most resistant to it. Over time, nostalgia can rob us of our faith for the future. Attempts at leading change can leave us frustrated and discouraged.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores why change is important and how the Holy Spirit helps lead us into it.
After years of pastoral and leadership responsibilities, Jim writes that he has come to the conclusion that his greatest leadership challenges and problem are his own heart.
In this week's episode, we look at the impact of unresolved anger and the risks of blaming others. Jim describes his personal commitment to owning responsibility.
If you are finding yourself frequently frustrated and angry, it may be a warning that things have gone unaddressed in your heart.
Questions about identity can drive us crazy. Fueled by endless opportunities for comparison, its easy to live and lead out of insecurity and anxiety about who you are or who you wish you could be.
In this week's episode, Pastor Jim discusses how he came to terms with who he was and overcame the dangers of comparison by learning to think theological and not just emotionally.
We're discussing the seven personal commitments Jim has sought to live in life and in ministry. The second of those commitments is to pursue integrity.
Integrity is a word that gets used by a lot of leaders, but what does it really mean? How do you live a life of integrity and why are secrets so destructive to ministry and life?
Jim offers advice on pursuing integrity and on taking steps to face the secret portions of our lives.
For several weeks we've been looking at the public commitments Jim made when coming to Central Assembly. Alongside those public commitments, Jim also made seven personal commitments.
In this week's episode, we discuss the first of those commitments, but also why it's important to take the time to make your own commitments. Jim's are a guide, but he recommends you sit down and write out your own.
Spend any time reading or learning about leadership and you will run across the definition that leadership is influence. For some, influence becomes an obsession, for others, it's intentionally neglected.
Pastor Jim takes some time to talk about influence and how spiritual leaders should think about it.
For several weeks, we've been discussing the commitments Jim made when he came to Central Assembly. Collectively, they form a distinct view of ministry which Jim refers to as Spiritual Leadership.
In his book, Lead So That Others Can Follow, Jim describes spiritual leadership as, “walking in the Spirit’s life, making and keeping life commitments, earning trust, demanding little for ourselves, and lifting others up.”
In this week's episode, we discuss this definition and what makes this spiritual approach to leadership unique.
As pastors, we spend a lot of time thinking about and planning for the future. Vision has become a central element of pastoral work. But Jim offers some warnings about the importance of shaping vision with people and why believing for a future is sometimes more important than envisioning it.
Jim explains that servant leadership has to do with seeing the potential of your church and the people in it and serving that potential. But that takes a growing and faith-filled inner life to hold onto that belief for the future.
It's easy to allow the ministry to become abstract: techniques, systems, and procedures. In this week's episode, Pastor Jim calls pastors to rekindle their love for people through a people-centered approach to ministry.
You have to hold onto the "why" of ministry before you attempt to determine the "what." The "why" is always people. Ministry is a call to people.
Jim extends his focus on people to how he approaches leading a church staff in a team-based approach.
Just about everyone agrees that the COVID crisis will have a lasting impact on our world and on the church. The question is what will change. In this conversation, Jim and I discuss the lasting impacts of the crisis on the church.
Jim shares how the crisis has impacted him personally and how preaching online has impacted Central. No one can predict the future, but Jim offers some helpful thoughts about what might be ahead.
Most pastors and leaders are facing new levels of complexity and controversy within the congregations they lead. Making decisions is complicated by all of the diverse views and opinions—often to opposite extremes.
How does a pastor navigate these complexities and continue to make faithful and wise decisions? Can a pastor remain politically neutral?
Pastor Jim addresses how he is thinking about these controversies and how he leads through them.
One of the universal experiences COVID has created for pastors is the need for rapid decision making, often without all of the information needed to feel confident about those decisions. In today's episode, Jim and I discuss how to make good decisions during a crisis and how to avoid decision fatigue.
Jim offers wise counsel on how to evaluate capacity, where to seek counsel, and when you can trust your gut. We also discuss the danger of comparing your decisions to others.
The church is making important decisions and we need all the help we can get to make the best decision possible.
Maybe the most memorable of Jim's pastoral commitments was the commitment to disappoint his congregation—"I will disappoint you."
Every pastor understands the difficulty of navigating complex expectations. The truth is, we will disappoint people and people will disappoint us. But that's not an excuse, its a reality that frames the work we do as pastors. In this episode, Jim discusses how to handle expectations, disappointments, and experiences of pain.
There are a lot of resources to help pastors and churches address the rapid changes of the COVID19 crisis. Over the next few weeks, we want to discuss the personal impacts of stress, anxiety, and decision fatigue.
In this episode, we catch up on how Central is implementing changes and how Jim is handling leadership during this crisis. How do you adjust to changing routine, how do you adjust to preaching online, and how do you recognize signs of stress.
In, Lead So That Others Can Follow, Jim outlines five commitments he made when becoming the pastor of Central Assembly. In this episode, we look at the commitment to be a growing person.
There is a risk that you can grow a church while neglecting to grow as a person. Eventually, that disparity has consequences. Jim describes why a leader must be constantly giving attention to personal growth and why ministry can't be sustained by outward attention alone.
In 2015, Jim published the book, Lead So Others Can Follow. It was a call for a different kind of leadership, what he calls "Spiritual Leadership."
In this episode, we discuss the church's current interest in leadership topics and what is missing from those discussions. Jim shares how he came to recognize the need for leadership to flow out of a personal spiritual depth and why ministers must find better ways to unite these two parts of themselves.
Jim's path to ministry has been an unconventional one. As he shares in this episode, Jim was finishing a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering when he began to sense a call to pastoral ministry.
We discuss how Jim wrestled with that transition and how God often uses unconventional paths to ministry. I think this conversation will help you process your own vocational interests and the unique path God has you on.
We want to take a few minutes to introduce you to this podcast. What we hope to offer you are an ongoing series of conversations around life, faith, and leadership. My name is Chase Replogle and I’m a pastor in Springfield, Missouri, and the host of the Pastor Writer podcast.
I’ve known pastor Jim for a long time. First, as a college student sitting under his preaching at Central Assembly, then as a staff member at that church. I have several credential cards with his signature and it was our honor to have him officiate our wedding eleven years ago. I've listened to him speak as a pastor, as a scientist, as a leader in our fellowship, and standing on some of the great Holy Land sites.
Over and over Jim has won my respect and admiration. He is humble, wise, and always generous. I’m excited to be helping with this podcast because Jim has helped me through so much of life and ministry. His unique path to ministry and perspective on "spiritual leadership" is desperately needed in the church today.
So, what we hope this podcast will be is a wide-ranging series of conversations to help you grow as a person and as a spiritual leader. In this first episode, we take a few moments to introduce one another and introduce you to what’s to come.
Thanks for listening. And I hope you enjoy these conversations as much as I have.