One of the best tools young parents have, is the tips from older parents a little further down the road! On today's episode of The Glass House, Ben and Lynley share with you practical tools for being intentional in your parenting while serving in ministry. From family closers to teaching your kids how to return a question, you'll hear practices that can cultivate an intentional and healthy family culture. Ben and Lynley have picked up several of these tips from other families along the road o...
There is no typical work week for a pastor. Unforeseen life events, people in crisis, or administrative tasks will always be ever-changing week to week. While being flexible is necessary in ministry, so is establishing healthy boundaries and time management skills. On today's show, Ben Skipper, Senior Pastor of Carterville Baptist Church in Petal, Ms, and his wife Lindsay, share their insights on time management as a pastor and pastor's wife. Ben and Lindsay discuss the challenges of ha...
We cannot believe we are already at our 100th episode! It’s been quite a journey and we are so thankful for the guests who came and shared their life and story with us. This show wouldn’t be what it is without vulnerability and transparency, and we’re thankful to create a space where ministry leaders can experience both. To our listeners, we are so thankful you’ve chosen to join us in this journey. We hope by listening you've realized you’re not alone, or have been encouraged by the experienc...
Head to college, get married, land your dream job, have kids, go to church, and live the American Dream. It's the reality most American Christians are living in, and it's where the Ley Family found themselves when they experienced a calling from God asking them to leave it all behind. On today's episode, Michael and Naomi Ley share their experiences as missionaries and the challenges they faced from letting go of dreams and expectations, difficulties in learning a new language, and the comple...
A recent study discovered that over 1/2 of pastors over the age of 50 had less than $50,000 in their retirement fund and no expectation they would ever retire. On today's episode of The Glass House, Ben and Lynley dive into a topic that no pastor likes talking about: finances! Dr. Hance Dilbeck from GuideStone joins in this conversation and shares alarming research and statistics on pastoral compensation and the emotional impact it can have on a pastor and their family, yet encouraging a...
Too often pastors and their wife feel pressure to step into any role necessary and serve the church. However, we all have different personalities, gifts, strengths, and yes, even weaknesses. On today's show Ben and Lynley discuss Clifton Strengths Finder with Ed O'Neal. Ed O'Neal is an American Veteran, leadership developer, and executive coach for leaders of non-profits, banking, and small businesses. Ed shares the importance of working in one's strength rather than obsessing over weak...
Ministry leaders typically spend time caring and discipling their congregation, and often times forget the very people they're in the trenches with. Caring for your staff and team is crucial for the overall health and impact of a church's ministry. On today's show, Pastor Mark and Jenna Hallock share ways they've created a healthy culture and cared for their staff over the years. Mark and Jenna are from Englewood, Colorado. In 2009 God called the couple to revive Calvary Church. They ha...
We all know that living in the glass house is hard, but growing up in it can be even harder. Today Ben and Lynley are concluding this 3 part series on what it's like to grow up in the glass house. Today's conversation is two Lifeway employees, Tyler Litton and Heather Burczynski. Tyler is the manager of Media Creative and Heather serves as the Executive Assistant to President Ben Mandrell. The two discuss the need to be adaptable, being wired to protect their father, ways of processing loss, ...
One of the most common feedback we hear is how much you love hearing about raising kids in the glass house. You've spoken, and we've listened! We're so excited to share this series with you! Over the next few episodes you'll hear from those who grew up in the glass house. And even though all of these people were pastor's kids, they all have unique stores! On today's show, two Lifeway employees, Joel Polk and Shelly Richardson, share with us their experience growing up in the glass house...
One of the most common feedback we hear is how much you love hearing about raising kids in the glass house. You've spoken, and we've listened! We're so excited to share this series with you! Over the next few episodes you'll hear from those who grew up in the glass house. Today's we're kicking off this series with Kelly Minter. Kelly Minter is an author, Bible teacher, and podcaster. Her most recent Bible study from Lifeway publishers is called Encountering God: Cultivating Habits of Faith Th...
The Glass House is starting a new series interviewing pastors' wives! We will hear from the different generations what it required of them to be a pastor's wife when they were younger. On today's show we have Veronica Geear, wife of JD Greear, Senior Pastor of The Summit Church in North Carolina. Veronica shares some incredible wisdom in having people speak into our blindspots, how we carefully speak into areas in our husband's life that only we can, and how little control we actually have in...
Have you ever asked your spouse a simple question, like, "whats for dinner?" and all of a sudden they're making a snarky comment back to you? Have you ever found yourself responding out of irritation and frustration when your spouse or kids simply ask you a question? On today's show Nicole Zasowski describes to us what happens when we are operating in our pain cycle, how we can regulate our emotions, and why the simplest of questions can push us over the edge. Nicole Zasowski is a marriage an...
On August 23rd, 2005 people all over the country were glued to the television watching the largest hurricane in recent history move towards the Gulf Coast. As if a category 5 hurricane wasn’t enough of a threat, the levees that protect New Orleans, Louisiana from incoming water, collapsed. On today’s show Dr. Fred Luter shares his experience of losing everything to a natural disaster, the onset of depression he endured, and the joy of seeing the greater church body come together in a time of ...
What happens when we hide who we really are? What happens when we let God do a work in 90% of our life, while trying to hide the other 10% from Him? It's so incredibly powerful to come clean to people in your life and confess your sins to others. Typically, it's where the healing that needs to take place begins. In today's episode you'll hear a message that Ben preached at Long Hollow Church. This message is filled with conviction to confess, but also filled with so much hope of the healing G...
Today, on this special episode of the Glass House, we are dropping into your feed on a Friday to bring you an important re-air of an episode that means a great deal to us at the Glass House. This episode on transitioning church, with our guests, Adam Mason and Dr. Phil Jett, is especially dear to us because of Dr. Jett's recent passing. It was our desire to honor him by putting these wise words out for you to enjoy, once again. We hope this will encourage you to think of min...
In today’s episode, The Glass House shares a sermon Ben preached recently at Sagemont Church in Houston, Texas. The message is from Luke 16, where Jesus tells of a shrewd manager who used worldly wealth to gain friendships. Ben shows how the most important thing a church can do – including both staff and members – is to invest in its relationships with one another. He concludes with five questions to consider as you navigate relationships with the people in your life. We hope you are both enc...
With only 20 days left in the year many of us are reflecting on the past and looking ahead to the new year. This season is often seen as an opportunity for reflection, gratitude, renewal of commitments, and the setting of new goals. But what does a new start really bring us? Do we have more excitement in the anticipation of a new season, or in the actual season we’ve been waiting for? On today’s show Ben and Lynley tackle the topic of starting over with producer Angie Elkins. They get re...
Over the last several episodes we’ve talked about the unique challenges of ministry leaders living in the glass house of church leadership. We’ve recently received a letter challenging one of our episodes addressed to small churches, and the lack of relevancy to the "super small church", a category of churches we didn’t realize we weren’t speaking to. According to feedback, these super small churches are less than 100 people with 1-2 pastors on staff, typically with the second staff member be...
Picture yourself in a situation where telling a small lie could potentially save someone from a great deal of harm. Is it ever morally justifiable to deceive for the greater good? Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of "The Glass House" with Ben and Lynley Mandrell. It’s a special episode this week as our producer, Angie Elkins, puts us “on the spot” with a series of ethical dilemmas and asks the question, “Is this right or wrong for a ministry leader?” Topics range from singing...
Ministry is complex and making mistakes is inevitable. On today’s show Ben and Lynley sit down with three ministry couples who are transparent about their biggest mistakes they’ve made and learned from over the years. Jarrett and Debbie Stephens, Corey and Melody Caine, and Mark and Janet Dance share with us how they have navigated the challenges of ministries and what they have learned on the other side of some of their biggest mistakes! Learning from leaders who have gone before us is ...