Aspire: Recent Episodes
Aaron Smith & Patrick Benn
The Aspire podcast is all about sharing the stories of those who have gone into vocational Christian ministry. The podcast features a diverse range of men and women, young and old, who have aspired, or who are aspiring towards, different types of ministry. It aims to encourage, excite and equip you in your journey into vocational Christian ministry.
Kathy Dadd is a Bible Translator for Wycliffe Bible Translators in the Northern Territory.
A bonus mini-series called "Book Club", where Sylv and Aaron reflect honestly and openly about their own paid gospel ministry journeys through the lens of Ray Galea's new book, "Eager to Serve".
A bonus mini-series called "Book Club", where Sylv and Aaron reflect honestly and openly about their own paid gospel ministry journeys through the lens of Ray Galea's new book, "Eager to Serve".
Owen Robson is a Student Minister at St Paul's Canterbury.
A new series is coming up reflecting on Ray Galea's new book "Eager to Serve". Check out our Instagram for our giveaway!
Sylv and Paddy had a fab chat with Josh and Anna about:
When paid gospel ministry was never on the radar Serving the less reached The value of AFES ministry apprenterships Getting married!? Dating & Marriage while pursuing paid gospel ministry Their experience at Moore College Why they love learning in community Anna not Hannah, sorry for the Hannah gaffe! *
Megan Stevens is the Children’s Ministry Director at Vine Church.
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If this was helpful, please consider sharing it with a friend! It really helps more people find out about the podcast who would like to listen :)
Joel McMaster is the Digital Pastor at Soul Revival Church, in the Southerland Shire of Sydney.
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After a bit of a hiatus (Aaron church planting craziness/fun haha, Paddy overseas/leave, Sylv blitzing all that she does..) we are back!
We will aim to be a lot more regular over the second half of this year. We'll aim to be fortnightly/monthly with a special surprise mini-series or two.
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Check out the Shock Absorber Podcast (the podcast Joel hosts!) here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4DapVmqLG23v0yqicn51Hq?si=c1289ba2efc34c0a
A raw bonus conversation between Aaron & Sylv. We chat about what's happening for us in 2023, where the podcast has been, and where we think the podcast may be heading. We also quibble over whether Vocational Ministry is a good label & share some stories of how God has been graciously at work in the podcast.
'Students of SMBC' - a mini-series exploring what it is like to be at one particular bible college in Sydney, Australia. Meet some of the people, their stories, their longings, and their questions.
'Students of SMBC' – a mini-series exploring what it is like to be at one particular bible college in Sydney, Australia. Meet some of the people, their stories, their longings, and their questions.
'Students of SMBC' – a mini-series exploring what it is like to be at one particular bible college in Sydney, Australia. Meet some of the people, their stories, their longings, and their questions.
'Students of SMBC' – A mini-series exploring what it is like to be at one particular bible college in Sydney, Australia. Meet some of the people, their stories, their longings, and their questions.
*changed for security reasons
'Students of SMBC' – a mini-series exploring what it is like to be at one particular bible college in Sydney, Australia. Meet some of the people, their stories, their longings, and their questions.
'Students of SMBC' – a mini-series exploring what it is like to be at one particular bible college in Sydney, Australia. Meet some of the people, their stories, their longings, and their questions.
'Students of SMBC' – a mini-series exploring what it is like to be at one particular bible college in Sydney, Australia. Meet some of the people, their stories, their longings, and their questions.
The fourth episode of a four-part mini-series hearing from representatives from four different theological colleges.
The third episode of a four-part mini-series hearing from representatives from four different theological colleges.
The second episode of a four-part mini-series hearing from representatives from four different theological colleges.
The first episode of a four-part mini-series hearing from representatives from four different theological colleges.
Bek Underwood is currently aspiring to overseas mission in a restricted access country.
We hear about her formative experience at YWAM Kona, moving from lukewarm to real Christianity, dropping out of her university degree, and the importance of surrender. Her story is unique to other episodes in that it is 'live’ or ‘in motion’ - just like most of our listeners.
Simon Smart is the Executive Director of the Centre for Public Christianity.
Simon told us about his unexpected journey into vocational public Christian ministry, advice for communicating the Christian faith in our current post-Christian age, and advice for people considering entering public Christian ministry like himself.
Nate Singh is the Director of Gatherings at Vine Church. He has written two songs with the band City Alight, Blessed Assurance and Shepherd. Aaron and Nate chat about Nate's journey into vocational music ministry, and advice Nate would give to those aspiring into vocational music ministry.
Kara Hartley is the Archdeacon for Women's Ministry for the Sydney Anglican Diocese.
Although she initially thought she wanted to do ministry in Africa, she ended up to her surprise doing ministry in Sydney for 20+ years.
James Wong is a pastor at Anchor Church Sydney.
In James story we explored:
- How he came back to faith after a Prodigal season
- How a fire in his heart grew on a Northern New South Wales beach mission
- Weighing up a career in business, doing an internship at a top marketing firm with a graduate role lined up, before changing plans at the last minute
- Importance of teachability & humility when moving towards ministry
- Principles vs prescriptions for rules of what you need to do before you go into ministry
- The danger of finding your whole value and meaning in ministry
- Why he chose to enter church planting & how to figure out what type of ministry to get involved in
- Why he chose to go to SMBC (and Ridley)
- Why he is passionate about seeing the unchurched come to know Jesus
Emma Sibley is an Assistant Youth Minister at St Paul’s Castle Hill.
Emma Sibley jumped into becoming an Assistant Youth Minister at Paul’s Castle Hill at 20 years old.
In Emma’s story we explored:
- Why she never expected to go into ministry
- Studying high school teaching & considering overseas mission
- Formative time doing The Bridge gap year
- Trusting God with your life & how God opens doors
- Challenges of being a young woman in ministry
- Difficulties of faith for young people during COVID
- Loving God more than loving Ministry
- Ministering to people close to your age
Ying Yee is the Pastor of Chinese Christian Church (CCC), Milson’s Point. He has been the pastor there for 30 years.
In Ying’s story we explored:
- How Ying “did a Jonah” to eventually return to convictions about ministry
- Working in Taxation to needing to iron out some character issues
- The challenges of overcoming his parents disapproval
- Why the idea that you always have to do work before vocational ministry may be more middle class rather than biblical
- What it was like getting taken off a ministry position
- Three types of people who may be thinking of going into ministry
Podcast Timings:
Ying’s Story - (0:37-32:35)
Paddy and Aaron Reflections - (32:35-49:56)
Resilience & humility when pushing through ministry challenges - (32:35-34:30)
Avoiding unrealistic expectations about ministry - (34:32-37:35)
Navigating dating & singleness when pursuing ministry - (37:35-45:40)
Avoiding unrealistic expectations about ourselves - (45:55-49:56)
Kellie Nicholas is a cross-cultural missionary to Japan. She has spent 4 terms in Japan. She has been sent and supported by CMS (Church Missionary Society). She studied at Moore Theological College.
As we heard her story we spoke about:
- How learning Japanese in year 10 (somewhat poorly) led her down an unexpected path
- What it was like doing a university exchange to Japan during her university degree
- Why she didn’t think she was initially suitable for mission
- Challenges of cross-cultural overseas mission
- The helpfulness of missionary agencies
- Why it's helpful sometimes to not have an exact country in mind when thinking about overseas mission
Podcast Timings:
Kellie’s story: (1:15-31:25)
Paddy and Aaron reflections: (31:32-44:36)
Which missionary agency should I choose? Are missionary agencies even important? (31:32 - 36:20)
Prayer & overseas mission (36:20 - 38:50)
Can Introverts do ministry? How can we utilize the wisdom of older missionaries? (38:50-44:36)
This is the second part of our Season 1 Q & A.
Thanks for asking such great questions!
Timestamps
Is there a tendency for people to pursue a full-time vocational ministry trajectory too early? (1:23-4:21)
What would disqualify someone from pursuing full-time ministry? (4:21-7:17)
What about those who struggle with pornography? (7:25-9:41)
What if I'm scared of full-time ministry because I'm scared of being in the spotlight as a target (and potentially guilty) for allegations of some kind of moral or systemic failure? (9:43-17:35)
What are the logistical pathways to go in ministry? (17:36-19:38)
Can you speak to the differences - in both the underlying philosophy and then practical implications - of ministry as a vocation vs a 9-5 job? (19:40-22:34)
Should more people be considering part-time work, and part-time ministry? (22:35-27:50)
What do ministries mean when they are telling people to “do the ministry”? What’s the deal with this? Is this ok? (28:02-34:02)
How does the timing of aspiring in to ministry interact with major life decisions/commitments people may make around their 20s-30s (eg purchasing property, starting a family, getting married etc)? (34:03- 41:05)
How strategic should you be in deciding about how to serve? Can you “waste” your gifts? (41:08- 49:33)
How should those in ministry best be aided by “support networks” around them? (49:34-54:31)
Where is the line between unnecessary/unwise burnout and godly suffering for the kingdom in terms of working within/beyond your capacity? (54:31-59:18)
What does it mean when it says that teachers will be judged more strictly in James? (59:44-1:03:23)
In this final episode, we do a special Q and A to end Season 1.
We addressed the first half of the questions( asked in the Facebook Aspire Podcast Community Group) in this episode and will address in part 2 the rest of the questions.
Timestamps:
- What is ministry? (2:39-13:33)
- What should our motivations be to go into ministry? (13:44- 17:21)
- What does a “godly” ambition look like? (17:21-18:59)
- What should you do if you feel the conviction to do ministry, but are enjoying your current circumstances? (18:59-23:31)
- What is the deal with people gifts as described in Ephesians 4? How do you know you are one? (23:31- 26:15)
- Who should do vocational ministry? Is full-time ministry “more valuable” than secular work in terms of God’s kingdom? (26:25-32:12)
- What is the deal with “Kingdom” work? Where secular work acts as a means of the renewal of the earth? (32:12- 38:10)
- How should people considering vocational ministry use the notion of an “inner calling”? (38:10- 45:40)
- Can you “undo” yourself as a people gift? If you are people gifts can we ignore that design/plan for our life? (45:40-48:22)
In this final interview of Season 1, we hear the story of Mandy Curley - the Director of Membership at Christ Church Gladesville.
Mandy shares the path of working in government, having a lack of female role models, loving her secular job, and wondering what type of ministry job she should do, that were all apart of her road into ministry.
Timestamps
Mandy’s Story (1:28-32:16)
Reflections (32:26 onwards)
What is the importance of having a role model? (32:45-39:58)
Paddy’s cat (39:43-39:57)
Why should I consider leaving my ‘secular’ job if I love it? (39:58-42:31)
Is there a temptation to aspire to only ‘impressive’ types of ministry? (42:32- 46:50)
In this fifth episode, we hear the story of Mikey Lynch, a campus director & church planting director in Tasmania.
Mikey shares about his university conversion, his experiences of jumping into a ministry role straight after his arts degree, how he discerned his ambitions, and how he ended up in church planting and university ministry.
Timestamps:
Mikey’s Story (1:39-37:14)
Aaron & Paddy Reflections (37:23 onwards)
Should some “young guns” go straight into ministry? (37:42-41:45)
How can I tell if I am the exception to the rule? (41:46-44:15)
Is ministry “real work”? (44:15- 49:33)
Music: Hugo Wrench
In this fourth episode, we do something different. We hear the story of someone who is not already in full-time ministry but someone who is in the process of aspiring towards ministry.
Shem Jeevaratnam, is one such story! Shem is currently a corporate lawyer and is studying part-time at SMBC while she considers transitioning into full-time ministry at some point in the future.
Timings
Shem’s story - 1:15-35:46
Paddy and Aaron reflections - 35:46 - 50:23
Part time vs Full time study? - 37:53
How can character formation best occur? - 41:19
Should you move to where you study? - 43:47
Intensive study? - 47:24
Intentionality in aspiring - 49:00
Music: Hugo Wrench
In this third episode, we hear the story of David Fell a chaplain to Norfolk Island, an island 1800 kilometres off Australia's mainland.
Dave shares the path of early childhood convictions, recruitment consulting, MTS, and reluctant parents-in-law that were a part of his road into ministry.
He shares wisdom on how to navigate resistant parents, how to understand your convictions and the benefits of MTS.
Timings
Dave’s Story - 1:58- 33:00
Aaron & Paddy Reflections - 33:00- 51:15
Music: Hugo Wrench
In this second episode, we hear the story of Anna Beaver, a former Sydney University Evangelical Union staff worker now looking to do mission overseas.
Anna shares the path of secondary teaching, key mentors, a 3-year plan & financial temptations that were apart of her road into ministry.
She shares wisdom on how to overcome frustrations with work before ministry, how to navigate financial temptations, and how to be authentic once you are in ministry.
Anna’s Story - 1:30- 31:40
Aaron & Paddy Reflections - 31:40 - 47:00
In this first episode, we hear the story of Nathan Campbell, the Night Church Minister of St Matthews Manly.
Nathan shares the path of stress, worry, conviction, and unexpected circumstances that led him into ministry.
He shares wisdom for overcoming challenges in ministry and advice he would give to people who tend to stress about whether to do ministry in the future or what exact ministry to aspire towards.
Personal introduction 0:57 - 4:00
Interview with Nathan Campbell - 4:00 - 38:10
Paddy & Aaron Reflections - 38:10- 50:20
Music: Hugo Wrench
Coming soon, a new podcast seeking to encourage, excite, and equip the next generation to aspire towards full-time Christian ministry.