Trench Talk

Show Notes:Write a review on Apple Podcasts or SpotifyExplore resources that help pastors thrive at practicalshepherding.comVisit the contact Page if we can serve you in any wayIf we’ve served you please consider a tax-deductible donationPurchase The Unhurried Pastor at The Good book company or 10ofThose(02:42) The background of The Unhurried Pastor(07:33) The essentials of ministry and The Unhurried Pastor(10:12) How detrimental are the regular distractions to faithful pastoral ministry? (17:05) The purpose of the book: reorient your ministry around the essentials of faithful ministry(18:01) The structure of the book(23:48) Tools for re-orienting your day-to-day schedule as a pastor(25:40) The need for silence and stillness(28:21) Personally wrestling with being the hurried pastor(30:26) Testimony of burnout being hurried(32:10) Final word and prayer

Show Notes:Write a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotifypracticalshepherding.comVisit the contact Page(01:55) Biblical understanding(06:05) How the church changing effects your housing(12:48) Jim’s ideal location for ministering near the church(14:22) Brian’s story and changes in ministry(19:31) Practical considerations (19:43) Where are your people?(24:08) What can you afford?(26:17) Can you be hospitable there?(31:13) Final word and Prayer

What does Harbor Network do to care for pastors? What are common hardships that pastors are facing? How can pastors develop a resiliency to stay in a hard place? What words of encouragement do pastors need today? Brian Croft and Ronnie Martin address these, and many more on this episode of Trench Talk.

Discover articles written by pastors for pastors so that they might thrive Request a stay at one of the 6 locations of The Shepherd’s HouseIf you have a question or need encouragement contact us!Explore resources from our Women’s MinistryWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(02:54) Biblical Background(06:23) When a pastor shifts theological positions(10:37) The blessing of mentors in helping not break more things than you need to (14:15) Something Jim needed to fix: my own combative attitude(16:13) Something Brian needed to fix: my preaching(17:49) Something Jim needed to fix: More grace less law (20:06) Something Brian needed to fix: too rigid decision-making(22:20) Something Jim needed to fix: too rigid expectations for new members(24:42) Something Brian needed to fix: pastors and deacons, and training and investing in women(27:09) Final word and prayer

Need help in the trenches of ministry? Contact us here.Explore our many digital, print, audio & video resources Find out how Practical Shepherding is working to see churches planted and revitalized in the world’s poorest communities through Church in Hard PlacesImpact pastors around the globe by giving a financial gift to the ministry here. Write a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(02:36) Biblical background (04:35) Auburndale’s ability to care for those with physical disabilities(06:57) Making this a priority among your congregation(13:47) Differing degrees of care to meet differing degrees of needs(16:56) Practical ways to care for those with disabilities(17:29) Ways to care for those with physical disabilities(20:45) Ways to care for those with mental disabilities(25:09) Final word and prayer

Give a financial gift and help pastors thrive in the ministryContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(01:48) Jim’s Brazil trip Recap(04:01) Biblical Framework(08:41) Why going to the hospital is important(10:48) Seize the moment to minister amidst difficulty (13:10) Overcoming fear and anxiety(19:20) Practical ways to minister in this context(19:22) The ministry of presence(20:18) Stay for only 5 to 10 minutes(22:45) Pray with them(23:20) Bring a physical bible(25:05) Dress appropriately(29:38) Ask if you can help them with something(31:25) Final word and prayerResources: Visit the SickThe Pastor’s Ministry

Explore new Shepherd’s House LocationsDiscover services available to women in ministry and pastor’s wivesContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(02:21) Biblical framework (06:21) Pastoral limitations and the expectations of others(09:10) Expectations a pastor faces(09:12) You’ll be able to fix every problem(10:28) You will preach your best sermon every Sunday(12:10) My family will have it all together(12:32) How to die to expectations without letting them kill you(14:57) Awareness of your own limitations(16:27) Acknowledging I cannot change anyone(18:27) Paul and the Thessalonians(21:26) A balancing act in pastoring(25:21) Realizing what you are responsible for(26:36) Final word and prayer

Find our online ResourcesShepherds house expansion brings refreshing closer to you than everOut Now: Pastoral Perseverance Contact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(02:30) Biblical framework (06:47) Scenarios that create a difficult hiring (08:04) Misinterpreting calling and evaluation of gifts(10:25) Misjudging their gifting(13:50) Misunderstanding the role of seminary(17:00) Too narrow of requirements in an ideal church(18:49) A propensity to be with the sheep(25:35) Practical Steps to preparing for vocational ministry(25:45) Look for opportunities to preach(28:24) Look for areas to grow(29:20) Engage in widow care(30:54) Trust God’s providence(32:11) Final word and prayer

Support the ministry with a financial giftExplore our resources onlineRequest a stay at The Shepherd’s House in 2024Women’s MinistryContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(01:37) Setting the table and theological understanding (04:00) Aspects of ministry that were surprising(09:31) Aspects of ministry that were most difficult(15:19) Aspects of ministry that were the most joyful (21:35) Final word and prayer

Explore our resources onlineRequest a stay at The Shepherd’s House in 2024Women’s MinistryContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(02:23) Introduction and how Brian and James got to this point(04:26) Background and ministry of James Carroll(08:55) How Facing Snarls and Scowls came to be(18:11) How Being a Pastor came to be(21:56) How Practically Trained Pastors came to be(32:13) What is Pastoral Perseverance about?(38:47) Friendship, Final word and prayer Purchase Pastoral PerseverancePurchase the Practical Shepherding Pack

Show notes coming soon.

Explore our resources onlineRequest a stay at The Shepherd’s House in 2024Women’s MinistryContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(02:04) Biblical Understanding(03:39) Life: “You’ve got to have more faith”(05:53) Preaching: “You’ve got to find your own set of jokes”(07:45) Altar call: “Learn how to manipulate the emotions of your congregation”(10:56) Friendship: “don’t make friends in the church”(12:23) Ministry: “change everything at first”(14:16) Ministry: “You can only spend 5 years at a church”(16:51) Preaching: “Don’t write your own sermons”(18:00) Ministry: “you can’t build a church on doctrine”18:37 Ministry: “Grow the church by catering to needs”(19:51) Ministry: “throw away the methods of how church used to be done”(23:40) Training: “don’t get in the way of a persons calling”(25:31) Preaching: “Have your pulpit ready for the recent headlines”(27:10) Preaching: “you can adequately shepherd the flock from the pulpit”(28:25) Ministry: “if you do everything right you will have ministry fruit” (30:00) Final word and prayer

Explore our resources onlineRequest a stay at The Shepherd’s House in 2024Support the ministry with a financial giftContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(02:59) Biblical understanding(08:31) Serious accusations where an investigation must take place (11:15) Different levels of accusations and how to handle them(13:48) The importance of qualified Elder/Pastors within the church(16:46) Technology and the secret lives of pastors(19:21) Technology and the destruction of ministries through false accusations(23:22) Advice to pastors to minister in the tension(29:15) Final word and prayer

Explore our resources onlineContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or SpotifyFind more information about Practically Trained Pastors in Spanish(02:25) Biblical foundation(08:15) Faithfully evaluating spiritual fruit(14:13) Lack of fruit and evaluating calling(19:48) Fruit from following a faithful ministry(22:04) Lack of fruit tied to gifting(25:11) Finding a pastoral mentor to help grow in gifting(26:19) Is faithful ministry enough to be labeled as fruitful?(31:11) Final word and prayer

Explore our resources onlineRequest a stay at The Shepherd’s House in 2024Support the ministry with a financial giftContact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(01:58) Biblical Foundation(05:37) Jim’s complicated relationship with social media(10:17) Brian’s intentional use of social media(14:39) Awareness in social media use(19:32) Avoiding conflict on social media(24:37) Guarding from sensual vices on social media(26:22) Leveraging social media for faithful ministry purposes(36:13) Final word and prayer

Explore our resources onlineRequest a stay at The Shepherd’s House in 2024Contact us if we can serve youWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(03:34) Biblical foundation(09:46) The use of NDA’s in unjustified terminations (11:29) How this HappensPainting the picture Reasons why this happens(17:42) Unclear expectations of the qualifications of a pastor(19:50) The hiring process is broken from the beginning(23:48) You upset the wrong personWhat do you do?(25:58) Challenge the termination honestly(28:45) Amend the NDA(30:47) Encouragement to the congregation(32:50) Challenge the leadership(36:15) Final word and prayer

(02:20) How Jim, as an outsider, viewed the beginning of the ministry (07:04) Brian’s reflecting on how the ministry began(09:18) Auburndale Baptist Church as Practical Shepherding began (17:03) Who came up with the name Practical Shepherding and why?(22:00) The formation of the ministry(27:20) What does a typical week look like for you?Find out more about the NAMB Replant Cohort(30:40) How will the growth of the ministry continue to help pastors thrive?(34:28) How do you evaluate the core calling when opportunities of growth arise? The event mentioned has already taken place at the time of posting (36:58) The stewardship of the ministry for years to come(39:51) Jim’s view from the beginning of the ministry(43:53) PrayerThank you to all who have supported the ministry through out the years!

Access our resourcesContact us and recommend a podcast topicWrite a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify(02:20) Biblical foundation(08:28) Where do you start?(16:54) Steps to reconciliation(25:35) Your priority in ministry is your wife(31:26) Final word and prayer

Explore our ResourcesLook into staying at The Shepherd’s HouseGive a financial gift that Helps Pastors thrive(01:53) Biblical framework(04:20) Challenges in bringing in new members(05:20) Shepherding the delivery person(08:49) Challenges in a Revitalization context(10:00) Practical Ways to welcome new members wellWelcome them through preachingWelcome them through living life togetherWelcome them through connecting them to othersWelcome them through connecting them to servingWelcome them through theological contextualizationWelcome them through committed prayer(22:13) Final word and prayer 

Explore our resourcesApply to stay at The Shepherd’s HouseSupport the ministry with a financial giftWrite a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify(03:16) Biblical framework for this discussion (07:25) Reasons for comparison and pulling back the curtain(10:19) Questioning your calling(11:29) A stewardship of pastoral giftingWays to avoid the comparison game(14:51) Content but longing for more(17:15) Pray for spiritual eyes(19:32) Growing in gratitude (20:48) Recognize the stewardship you’ve been given(25:00) Getting away from asking, “how big is your church?”(29:30) Final word and prayerMea Culpa and the importance of place