Trench Talk (Practical Shepherding)

Why is Pastoral Ministry more draining than any other vocation? How do we fight through the fatigue that follows the Sunday gathering? Are there ways to identify a lack of sharpness of mind versus backsliding? Is the enemy scheming in these “blahs”? Am I neglecting caring for my own soul? How do I utilize my down time for rest?

Is it important to visit members in their homes? How frequently should I meet with them? Do in-home visits benefit my preaching ministry in any tangible way? What depth, if any, do these visits bring to my ministry? What principles do we see set forth in the scriptures? What does Puritan Pastor Richard Baxter have to say about this? How do I move from surface level to pastoral conversation? These questions are covered by Brian and Jim in this episode of Trench Talk.

How does the pastor approach the cultural expectations of weddings from a biblical perspective? Should a pastor be active or passive concerning a couple’s expectations for their wedding? In what cases should a wedding be regarded as a service of worship? What cultural elements are acceptable/unacceptable in a Christian wedding? Should a pastor conduct the wedding of two unbelievers? How long should a wedding sermon be? What music/songs are appropriate for a wedding ceremony? Should a pastor require couples whom he marries to undergo pre-marital counseling? Must a pastor agree to perform any marriage ceremony without exception? Should a church include guidelines in their constitution to regulate how marriages are conducted? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more in this episode.

As pastors mature in ministry, how is it profitable to reflect on what advice they might give to their younger selves? What Scriptural warrant might a pastor have for such reflection? Does being in pastoral ministry increase one’s personal sanctification? How important is a pastor’s personal growth in sanctification? Should a pastor sweat the small stuff? How might a pastors understanding of believers being new creatures in Christ change over time? Why do seasoned pastors gradually learn to talk less and listen more? What is the hardest work of pastoral ministry? How does a pastor’s view of his family change over time? What might be the best advice a seasoned pastor could share with a younger pastor? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more.

Are you a people-person type pastor who derives energy from connecting with and interacting with people? Why does silence make some pastors uneasy? Is the practice of silence and solitude a necessary discipline for pastors? How to noise and business affect the activity of our souls? How might a pastor practice the discipline of silence and solitude? Is there a one-size-fits-all approach to silence and solitude, or might there be various means of practicing these disciplines? What issues might a pastor wrestle with during times of silence and solitude? What might seasons of silence and solitude reveal about a pastor’s soul? Listen as Brian Croft and Al Pino discuss these issues and more on this episode.

Special guest Al Pino, Cuban-American pastor and church planter from South Florida, joins Brian in this episode. What is the church, and for what does the church exist? How does a pastor with a heart for missions plant a church in a diverse place like bustling, hustling Miami? What must a pastor/church-planter understand about himself? What role does pastoral gifting play in the work of church planting? Why do planting pastors have relatively short tenures in the churches they plant? What advice might an older church planter give to his younger self? Listen as Brian and Al discuss these issues and more in this episode.

Every pastor must think through the difficult topic of church discipline. What does Scripture say about the responsibility of the church to confront sin in its membership? Why is church discipline important in the life of the church? Who are the beneficiaries when church discipline is done well? How might a pastor introduce church discipline to a church that has never practiced church discipline? How might a pastor approach this issue slowly and deliberately so as to avoid shocking the church? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issue and more on this episode.

Does a pastor ever “arrive” in his preaching ministry? Should a pastor always progress in his competency to preach? What are some practical ways a preacher can grow in preaching competency? How might a pastor evaluate his own preaching? How might a pastor develop self-awareness in relation to his preaching? How might a pastor evaluate his preaching in relation to other preachers? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more on this episode.

Why is membership important in the life of the church? What does Scripture say concerning church membership? How is membership in the local church defined? What commitments are requisite to church membership? What processes should a person be required to undergo before becoming a church member? How should a church address bloated membership rolls? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

Benevolence is an issue every pastor will deal with in his ministry. How do we handle these issues in a manner that is biblical and honors Christ? How do we practice generosity and demonstrate mercy while avoiding being taken advantage of when dealing with benevolence issues? How do we make the distinction between needs and wants when practicing benevolence?

Listen as Brian Croft, Jim Savastio and special guest Denny Dillman discuss these issues and more in this episode.

Pastor, the hard work of church revitalization is a unique experience and battle ground. It can feel like you’re all alone. But the trials you face are not new. Faithful preachers throughout scriptures and church history have encountered hostility, apathy, and adversity, and continue to do so today. In this episode, Brian Croft, James Carroll and Jim Savastio discuss the intricacies of preaching in difficult environs.

Why is ministering to the fainthearted and weak so vital to faithful pastoral ministry? How do we define and identify the fainthearted and the weak? How might a pastor guard his mind in relation to his view of weak and fainthearted sheep? What are the pastor’s biblical responsibilities toward the weak and faint of heart? How might a pastor foster sensitivity to those who are weak and fainthearted? How, practically, does a pastor minister faithfully to the weak and fainthearted? How might a pastor avoid becoming fatigued in ministering to the weak?

Listen as Brian and Jim address this challenging aspect of faithful pastoral ministry.

Caring for widows and widowers is an area of pastoral ministry that is often neglected. How should we define widowhood? Why is this ministry necessary? What are some needs that are common with widows and widowers? How should pastors lead their churches care for widows and widowers? What are some practical ways pastors and churches can minister to widows and widowers? Listen as Brian and Jim address the particulars of faithful ministry to widows and widowers.

Do those who are sick have a reasonable, biblical expectation that their pastor should visit them? How can pastors take the initiative to faithfully minister to the sick in the hospital and the home? Why do some pastors neglect this pastoral duty? What are some consequences of pastors not visiting the sick? What are some specific, practical things a pastor should do when visiting the sick? What and how should a pastor pray when visiting the sick? Listen as Brian and Jim address this needed aspect of faithful pastoral ministry.

What does Scripture say about pastors receiving gifts? Should pastors exercise caution in receiving such gifts? What might be some issues a pastor should consider when a member offers him a gift? How should a pastor view such gifts? What should be the posture of the pastor’s heart in receiving individual gifts? Listen as Brian and Jim consider the implications and nuances of receiving gifts from individual church members.

What role does the pastor play in the church’s work of evangelism? What does Scripture say about the pastor in relation to the work of evangelism? How does pastoral evangelism relate to the church’s tendency toward apostasy? What does pastoral evangelism look like in the context of the local church and its surrounding community? How might evangelism affect the preaching ministry of a pastor? Listen as Brian and Jim address this oft-neglected aspect of pastoral ministry.

What is that sin which can slowly, almost imperceptibly, permeate a pastor’s entire life and ministry? What is that sin that can, if left unconfronted, silently poison your soul and drive you from the field of faithful pastoral ministry? How might you deal with such a lethal sin and kill it before it kills you? Listen to this episode as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these questions and more.

Every pastor either has or will soon be criticized. What is God doing when people criticize him? How do we determine whether criticism is a mountain or a mole hill? What are some common criticism one occasions in pastoral ministry? Are all pastoral criticisms necessarily baseless? In what unhealthy ways do pastors sometimes handle criticism? How do we resist the impulse to defensiveness when criticized? Should we be comfortable as pastors if we receive no criticism? How should a pastor process criticisms? Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these vital questions and more in this episode.

This month Practical Shepherding is celebrating 10 years of God’s blessing and providence. Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio reflect on God’s guiding hand in the formation and growth of this ministry.

This month Practical Shepherding is celebrating 10 years of God’s blessing and providence. Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio reflect on God’s guiding hand in the formation and growth of this ministry.

What does faithfulness in pastoral ministry look like? How does a pastor practice gentleness and patience in pastoral ministry and yet remain courageous to boldly guard the truth and protect the flock? How does a pastor discern when it is time to do battle and when it is time to simply be patient and loving? Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio discuss the unusual tensions present in faithful pastoral ministry.

Jim Savastio unexpectedly experienced the onset of Bell’s Palsy in late November and has been unable to fill his pulpit for two months. Listen as Jim reflects on God’s good providences and what he is learning during this time of being laid aside.

In this episode, special guest Conrad Mbewe, pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia discusses the training of pastors and comments on the state of the global church.

In this episode, special guest Conrad Mbewe, pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia discusses his conversion, calling, formative influences, and ministry with Brian and Jim.

How should a pastor take seriously the sobering task of shepherding the soul of every member of his congregation? What does exercising spiritual oversight of souls look like in the weekly rhythm of pastoral ministry? How does a minister prepare to face the day when he will give account for his stewardship of the souls entrusted to him? What are the categories of individual soul-care with which the minister should concern himself? How might a pastor create an environment in his church conducive to soul-care? What questions might the pastor ask his members in order to care well for their souls? Listen as Brian and Jim explore these questions and more in this podcast.

Biblically, how should pastors and deacons relate to and work with one another? What areas of overlap exist between these offices? How do pastors and deacons communicate with one another and how often should they meet together? How do pastors and deacons respect biblically appointed boundaries in their respective offices? Should deacons have concern for the physical needs of the pastor and his family? Do deacons need the pastors/elders’ approval of every decision they make?

Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

What are deacons and how are they supposed to function in the life of the church? What biblical characteristics should deacons evidence in their lives? What are the role-distinctions between the elders and deacons? How should deacons interact with the leadership of the church? How should deacons serve the leadership of the church? How might a pastor correct dysfunction in the diaconate?

Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

How does a pastor maintain a warm heart for the Word of God while ministering that Word week in and week out? What might help a pastor avoid becoming overly-familiar with the Word? How may a pastor guard against the Word becoming mere background noise in his ministry? Are pastors in danger of becoming overly-fond of the sound of their own voice in preaching? How does a pastor keep his affections properly stirred for the Word of God? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode of Trench Talk.

What are the priorities of a pastor in the early years of ministry? How does a beginning pastor lay a God-honoring foundation for his ministry? What is the one thing such a pastor must do first and above all else? What commitments does the pastor make in relation to the flock? What should a pastor do in a situation where a church is significantly disconnected from its biblical priorities? How quickly can a pastor reasonably expect to make significant changes in the structure of a church? What kind of preaching is effective in the early years of ministry? On what categories should a pastor focus to avoid becoming a statistical casualty in pastoral ministry? Listen as Brian and Jim address these questions and more in this episode.

Do we have evidence in Scripture that men of God suffered through seasons of depression, and even anxiety? Do grief and sorrow have a valid, spiritual place in the life of pastors? What happens when pastors try to suppress pain and depressive impulses in their lives? Is it wrong for pastors to grieve before their people? What spiritual and physical practices might help during times of depression and anxiety? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these and other questions in this episode.

What does it mean for a pastor to “take heed” to his physical wellbeing? Is there any spiritual value in stewarding our physical bodies well? How might a pastor balance and practice well the three disciplines of eating, exercise, and sleep? Listen as Brian and Jim address these and other questions from a biblical perspective.

How does a pastor press on and not grow weary in well-doing when there is little visible fruit resulting from his ministry? Is it possible to pastor well in a church that does not experience significant growth? In such circumstances, how does a pastor maintain hope, joy, and a vigorous ministry? What standards should a pastor of a small church use to evaluate the effectiveness of his ministry? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

Moral failures by pastors–whether they be financial failures, sexual failures, abuse of authority, or some other form of gross immorality–seem increasingly common. Is any pastor immune to moral failure? How is it possible for a pastor to live a double life? How might a pastor guard himself against moral failure? What areas of pastoral life warrant special care? How might a pastor strike a reasonable balance between due caution and complete paralysis? How do we respond to those pastors who do fall into moral failure? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this episode.

An oft-overlooked reality in pastoral ministry is that the pastor is a churchman first, and then a pastor. Pastors need those who can minister and speak God’s word into their lives and hold them accountable. In a word, pastors need pastors. Pastors need to be, first and always, disciples; the extraordinary call of a pastor never negates the ordinary call of a man to be a faithful follower of Lord Jesus. How might a pastor ensure that he partakes of the ordinary means of grace in the course of his ministry?

Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these issues and more.

As a pastor, do you sometimes feel overwhelmed and ill-equipped to help some of your people? Given the brokenness, struggles, and sins of people living in a fallen world, how does a pastor who finds himself in over his head help the broken? How might you go about seeking help for others when you must search outside of yourself? How involved should a pastor be if he refers a member to counseling from someone else?

Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio discuss these questions and more.

What issues should influence the rhythm of our preaching? Holidays? Church calendar? Cultural traditions? Significant world events? Significant events in the life of the congregation? When should a pastor deviate from his planned preaching schedule? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this podcast.

Biblically speaking, what should a church plant or church revitalization look like? What deficits might emerge in a church plant and a church revitalization respectively? How might pastors navigate such deficits? How might pastors prioritize and persevere in church plants and church revitalizations? What distinct advantages exist in church planting and church revitalization respectively? What kind of commitments are necessary for pastors in church planting and church revitalization? Listen as Brian and Jim address these issues and more in this podcast.

How might a pastor shepherd well one who is leaving the church? What biblical truths should influence how we handle a member leaving our church? What church documents might dictate how we deal with a member leaving our church? How does a pastor and church address sin issues when they are an influencing element in a member leaving the church? How might a pastor and church handle feelings of rejection when a member leaves the church? How should a pastor and church interact with a member who is leaving the church? How should the reality that a church is a family influence how a member leaves the church? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these issues and more in this podcast.

What are the circumstances under which it is right to resign your church? Should hostility and adversaries prompt us to resign our churches? Is an attempt by the church to “fire” you as pastor sufficient reason to leave a church? How do internal pressures influence the decision stay or go? Should outside counsel play a role in the decision to stay or go? If so, how? Should a pastor tell his church when he is considering resignation? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss these questions and more in this podcast.

Child sexual abuse in evangelical churches is shockingly more common than many think. Sexual predators often view the church as a “safe” environment for finding, grooming, and abusing their victims. What steps might a pastor and church take to establish a culture of prevention and recognition of sexual abuse? What responsibilities do pastors have in the investigation of accusations of sexual abuse? How should pastors prepare themselves to minister well to sexual abuse victims?  Do pastors and churches need a written policy for dealing with sexual abuse? How does the hope of the gospel speak to victims of sexual abuse? Listen as Brian and Jim interview Rachel Denhollander concerning these issues and more.

Child sexual abuse in evangelical churches is shockingly more common than many think. Sexual predators often view the church as a “safe” environment for finding, grooming, and abusing their victims. What steps might a pastor and church take to establish a culture of prevention and recognition of sexual abuse? What responsibilities do pastors have in the investigation of accusations of sexual abuse? How should pastors prepare themselves to minister well to sexual abuse victims?  Do pastors and churches need a written policy for dealing with sexual abuse? How does the hope of the gospel speak to victims of sexual abuse? Listen as Brian and Jim interview Rachel Denhollander concerning these issues and more.

What is unique about the pastor’s schedule? What scriptural mandates influence how we steward our time? What priorities influence the way a pastor schedules his time? How do unforeseen circumstances influence a pastor’s schedule? How might a pastor schedule his time to reflect his limitations? Listen as Brian and Jim discuss the complexities of the pastor’s schedule.

Church finances are too often the source of scandal. How does Scripture address the pastor’s responsibilities in relation to stewarding the finances of the church? What priorities should dictate financial expenditures? What safeguards should the pastor insist upon to guard against the abuse of finances? What level of financial disclosure is appropriate when handling church finances? Listen as Brian and Jim address these and other issues associated with faithful stewardship of church finances.

In receiving members from another church, to what biblical principles should the receiving pastor and church adhere? Given that many leave their former church upset or hurt, does the receiving pastor and church have a responsibility to help them resolve such issues? What courtesies does a receiving church owe the former pastor and church? Listen as Brian and Jim address these and other critical issues related to rightly receiving members into our flocks.

In light of the Sutherland Springs Texas church shooting, the question of safety and security at churches is front and center in the minds of conscientious pastors. What theological issues should inform our views on safety and security? Is it “spiritual” to think in terms of possessing a right to safety and security? How did Jesus address these issues with his disciples? Is there a biblical doctrine of self-preservation? Do concerns for safety at times limit our effectiveness in advancing the gospel? Practically, what measures should a pastor and church take to ensure the safety of the congregation? Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these and many other related questions.

In our cultural milieu where accusations of sexual harassment headline each day’s news, pastors must exercise wisdom and discernment in relating to female church members. How may pastors shepherd female members well in such a context? Do women in our congregation feel neglected in relation to pastoral care? What does Scripture have to say about how pastors should relate to women in their congregation? What role does the pastor’s wife play in determining how a pastor relates to his female congregants? How might a pastor relate to women in his church in a manner that is both properly guarded and biblically relational?

Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these issues and more in this podcast.

Many pastors identify faithful prayer for their flock as an area of failure in their ministries. How does a pastor pray faithfully and consistently for every member of his congregation? How might a pastor create a systematic prayer-guide? What should we pray when praying for the flock? How does Scripture inform the way we should pray for our members? How might we engage the entire congregation to faithfully pray for fellow members? Listen as Brian and Jim answer these questions and more in this podcast.

Pastors’ wives bear a unique burden. To what extent should the pastor share the burdens of pastoral ministry with his spouse? What is the distinction between the pastor protecting his wife and the pastor shutting his wife out in relation to the burdens pressing upon him? Might there be dangers involved in exposing the pastor’s wife to certain problems with which the pastor wrestles? How might the pastor understand when to share with his wife and when to protect her? Listen as Brian and Jim address the critical issue of how much a pastor should tell his wife.

Discussion of the pastor’s salary is often an uncomfortable conversation for both the pastor and the church. How might both parties enter into frank, humble, God-honoring dialogue on this issue? What does Scripture say concerning the pastor’s salary? What should the attitude of the church be regarding the pastor’s compensation? What should the pastor’s attitude be? How might a church approach evaluating the worth of a pastor’s ministry? Should education and experience be factors in determining pastoral compensation? Should the pastor allow someone in the church to serve as his advocate in matters of pastoral compensation? Listen as Brian and Jim address these questions from a biblical, pastoral, and ecclesiastic perspective.

The number of churches requiring a bi-vocational pastor is trending upward, and bi-vo ministry is a demanding task. While many—if not most—bi-vo pastors would prefer full-time ministry, how might those called to such a duty find contentment in their calling? Given the stringent demands of shepherding one’s family, shepherding the flock of God, and part-or full-time employment, how can the bi-vo pastor find the proper balance in expending his time and energy? How might the bi-vo pastor lead his congregation to understand and be sensitive to the demands upon his time? Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio address these and other pertinent issues pertaining to the honorable task of bi-vocational pastoral ministry.

In this episode, Brian Croft and Jim Savastio further explore the need for pastoral rest as they discuss the theological basis of recreation, the benefits of recreation for avoiding pastoral burn-out, symptoms of a pastor’s need for recreation, the practicalities of avoiding counter-productive recreation, and the blessings of family-oriented recreation.

Listen as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio discuss the often neglected issue of pastoral rest. From the vacation to the day off to the pastoral sabbatical, Brian and Jim explore the biblical necessity of rest and offer practical insights for avoiding pastoral burn-out.

Every parent and pastor’s desire is to see children converted from sin and rebellion to forgiveness and obedience to the gospel. At the same time, few topics are so theologically charged as the conversion, baptism, and membership of children. The stakes are no lower for the relational impact these issues have on a pastor’s ministry. Pastors would do well to think carefully and practically before facing the variety of issues that attend the relationship of children to the church.

So listen (twice!) as Brian Croft and Jim Savastio share their insights from decades of pastoral experience and Biblical thought.

This episode features a conversation between a full-time, senior pastor and a part-time, associate pastor. Listen as Brian Croft and Josh Scherrer discuss:

How does a team of pastors work together? How can staff pastors work together with lay pastors? What are the advantages of having lay pastors? What are the challenges that lay pastors face? What should you look for in a lay pastor? How do you appoint lay pastors?

You might not be asked to preach in Middle Earth (a.k.a. New Zealand) like Jim Savastio, but many preachers will serve as a guest preacher at some point in their ministry. No matter how often you preach as a guest, there are also unique joys and trials of a weekly preaching ministry at your own church.

Here are some questions that come up in this conversation:

What are the differences between guest preaching and preaching at your own church?

What challenges and temptations attend guest preaching?

How do you think through accepting invitations to preach outside of your church?

How do you decide what to preach about when you are a guest?

What are the challenges and pleasures of preaching in your own church week after week?

Could you say this to your church?

“We were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

Brian Croft and Jim Savastio discuss how pastoral affections are necessary for weekly ministry. The relationship of a pastor to his church is more like the loving relationship of a marriage than it is the calculating processes of a manager. And this kind of love changes everything.

Brian and Jim talk about the crucial role that mentors have played in their lives, and how pastors can mentor others.

Jim tells the story of how a devoted pastor of a small, rural church mentored him in ministry even at a young age.

Brian recounts how a lack of mentors impacted his early life and ministry.

Jim identifies key lessons his pastoral mentors taught him.

How can pastors find a mentor?

How can pastors be a mentor to others?

Brian Croft sits down with Jim Savastio to discuss life and ministry. Jim serves as the pastor of The Reformed Baptist Church of Louisville for the last 25 years, and serves as the president of the board of Practical Shepherding. He is married to Becky, and they have four children.

Listen as Brian and Jim discuss the following topics:

How did Jim sense his call to ministry?

How did Jim’s plans change from ministry oversees to serve a church in Louisville?

What is the fundamental role of a pastor?

What is one joy and one challenge Jim has experienced in 25 years of pastoral ministry?

What kind of experience have his wife and children had as a pastor’s family?

Miscarriage is a sorrowful, but all too common experience that calls for special pastoral care. Listen as Brian Croft discusses his own experience of a miscarriage, and how to care for others going through this loss. This episode address questions like…

What is it like to experience a miscarriage?

What do you say to someone who loses their baby?

How does a pastor and a church care for someone grieving this loss?

What does long-term care look like?

The first year of a pastor’s ministry can be one of the most challenging. In this episode, Pastor Brian Croft shares some of his own experiences, and gives advice for how pastors can navigate their first year in ministry. Listen as Brian engages with questions like:

How does a pastor guard from cynicism in the face of opposition?

What tasks should get special attention in the first year?

How long should a pastor commit to serving at a church?

Does the presence of enemies mean a pastor should leave?

“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

– 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV

Listen as Pastor Brian Croft unpacks this text and applies the principle of weakness to the pastor’s life. Brian shares his experience of his own weakness and the impact this has on his ministry.

We are excited to release our first Q&A episode where we discuss the following question submitted by one of our listeners:

“I am subscribed to the podcast and think it is a great resource for pastors. I had a question I would love for you all to address on it. While not all traditions are bad, how is a pastor to go about leading a church out of a tradition that is not Biblical and could be harming the congregation spiritually, such as holding to a KJV-Only Perspective? I am from a home church that holds to such a view and I think it is why many in the church don’t read the Bible, because it comes off as a hard to read work of Shakespeare.”

Listen to hear Brian engage with this question and share his advice.

Brian Croft provides updates on the various ministries he is involved in. For over 12 years he has served as the Senior Pastor of Auburndale Baptist Church. He also leads Practical Shepherding which he founded several years ago. For the last year, Brian has also served as the Senior Fellow for the Mathena Center for Church Revitalization at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of these updates include:

The next Practical Shepherding Workshop is the night before T4G, April 11, in Louisville, Kentucky. You can register here. You can also see a complete list Practical Shepherding Workshops to be held over the coming months.

Brian’s SBTS chapel message and panel discussion on church revitalization 

A Guide to Church Revitalization was published

Compelling articles by Dr. James Carroll coming out as a book soon

Ways to pray for Brian and Practical Shepherding:

That he would know where to devote his time between his various responsibilities.

That God would provide finances for Practical Shepherding.

For providential help to spread the message of Practical Shepherding to encourage pastors.

In this episode, Brian Croft sits down with his close friend and fellow pastor Rob Gibson to discuss the importance of friendships to a pastor’s life. Over the last three years, Brian and Rob have forged a deep connection that aids their walk before the Lord and their labor as pastors.

They also discuss the practicalities of how they maintain their friendship in the midst of the gritty pastoral lifestyle. In this conversation, pastors can glean:

What is at stake when a pastor doesn’t have a close friend?

How can pastors form close friendships?

Who is well-positioned to care for a pastor’s soul?

What does a healthy pastoral friendship look like?

Christmas may only come once a year, but the calendar is full of holidays. Should you esteem one holiday more highly than another or treat every Sunday alike?

In this episode, we walk through the calendar with Brian Croft and discuss how he handles more than a dozen holidays including:

Sanctity of Life Sunday

Valentine’s Day

Mother’s Day

Independence Day

Halloween

Christmas

If you have questions about days we don’t address in this show, please leave a comment or send your questions to brian@practicalshepherding.com.

How do you keep a close eye on your public ministry? Do you have a way to keep yourself accountable and receive feedback? Listen as Brian Croft shows how service reviews answer these questions. Brian discusses additional benefits of service review such as:

Training interns and aspiring pastors.

Learning to give and receive criticism.

Improve on all areas of the Sunday services.

Grow as a preacher and service leader.

If you are interested in starting or improving a service review, Brian explains the ground rules for this meeting and how to facilitate the conversation.

In this interview, Brian Croft and Kyle McClellan sit down with Erik Raymond to discuss his experience as church planter and writer. Listen as we discuss:

How to write a helpful book review

How to train leaders while planting a church

Why Erik writes for the ordinary pastor

Erik is pastor of Emmaus Bible Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He is married and the father of six children. In addition to his pastoral duties, Erik also maintains the Ordinary Pastor Blog.

Every pastor makes mistakes, and every pastor experiences pain in their work. How do you sort through your errors, and how do you deal with the pain? Brian Croft sits down with Kyle McClellan for the second part of an interview where they discuss the pains and missteps in ministry. Listen to Kyle’s story and get practical counsel for your ministry.

Resources from this episode:

Mea Culpa – Kyle McClellan – Kyle’s book recounting his pastoral experience, mistakes made and lessons learned.

Mea Culpa Article – Part 1 – An overview of Kyle’s pastoral experiences.

Mea Culpa Article – Part 2 – Pastoral lessons Kyle has learned.

Grace Church – Fremont, Nebraska – Kyle McClellan’s church in Fremont, Nebraska.

Every pastor makes mistakes. But do you have the humility to admit and learn from your mistakes?

Pastor Kyle McClellan has made mistakes, owned up to them and wants you to learn from his experiences as a pastor. This episode is the first part of Brian Croft’s interview with Kyle McClellan where they discuss Kyle’s pastoral journey. Listen to Kyle’s story and get practical counsel for your ministry.

Service leading takes more than public speaking skills. Leading a worship service calls for Biblical reflection and care for God’s people. Whether you are a pastor or a lay-leader in your church, you will find help for leading the church in public worship gatherings. In this episode, pastors Brian Croft and Jason Adkins give practical advice for leading a worship service, answering questions such as:

How do you prepare to lead a service?

Should you write out your public prayers ahead of time or pray spontaneously?

How long should you pray?

What does a good Scripture reading sound like?

How do you learn projection and pace?

Sunday is coming – how do you plan the service? Which songs and Scripture readings do you choose? And what order should they be arranged in? You will find answers in this episode as well as advice for non-musical pastors and how to prepare your Sunday service with a pastor’s heart. Listen as pastors Brian Croft and Jason Adkins discuss how they plan services on a weekly basis.

“If you pulled me aside on a Sunday and asked me why we chose that song, I would tell you something about the sermon.” – Jason Adkins

Pastors don’t just care for their people in the pew on Sunday. Faithful shepherds will also be with the sheep in the hospital on Wednesday. What should you talk about when you visit? How do you prepare for the unexpected? How long should you stay? Listen to Brian Croft and Scott Wells answer these questions and more as they give step by step instructions for visiting the sick.

Brian Croft and Scott Wells discuss practical details involved in performing funerals.

In this episode, Brian Croft and Scott Wells discuss how men can prepare for pastoral ministry.

Is premarital counseling a biblical requirement? What should a pastors primary goal be when providing biblical premarital counseling to church members? Should a pastor require premarital counseling for couples under his care? What resources (other than the bible) do you take couples through?

All these issues are addressed by Brian Croft and Jim Savastio on this episode of Trenchtalk.

How does a pastor lead his family and children when they may be the only ones that age in the church? How do you lovingly shepherd your family in a difficult situation? Is it okay to have the mentality that my kids and wife should sacrifice for my ministry? How do we parent in a way that will lead them to love the Lord and the Church?

What is cynicism when it comes to pastoral ministry? When diagnosed how do you confront it? What biblical texts provide hope in confronting cynicism? How do we strive to be faithful in what God has entrusted to us while leaving to God what is God’s?

These questions and many more, all tackled in this episode of Trenchtalk with Brian Croft and Jim Savastio.

How do pastors pastor other pastors? What scriptures address this charge? What responsibility do pastors have to call other pastors to repentance for the good of the flock? How do you encourage a healthy eldership that causes equality among other pastors?

All of these questions and more covered on this episode of Trenchtalk with Brian Croft and Jim Savastio.

How can pastors encourage members (particularly the men) in their church to read good books? Is “I just don’t read” a good enough excuse? Should a pastor be careful with the books he recommends his members read? What other tips would you give to assist your members in taking in good books?

Brian Croft and Jim Savastio answer these questions and more on this week’s edition of Trenchtalk.

Resources mentioned in this episode.

Prepare them To Shepherd by Brian Croft

Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever

Where does pastoral lonliness show up most vividly? Is the lonliness pastors experience unique in some ways? What biblical grounding do we have to define this and chart a course to pursue Christ and shepherd the flock in the midst of lonliness? How should pastors seek a support system while in a difficult situation?

How can pastors exhibit a tender heart while still having thick skin? How do you keep loving the flock when you fear them breaking your heart? Where are you most prone to error, tender-heartedness or thick skin? Should you deny close friendships due to the risk of being hurt? How do we wisely pursue tenderness and thick skin simultaneously?

Brian Croft and Jim Savastio discuss these questions in this episode of Trench Talk.

What should cause us to choose the books of the Bible that we preach through? Should you look at the specific flock God has given you when selecting books to preach? What would be some books you would start with as you begin your preaching ministry? Should we use some forms of caution when selecting the books we preach through? Brian Croft and Jim Savastio answer on this episode of Trench Talk.

How do we show vulnerabilty while being careful? What is the balance? What Biblical texts should we refer to for information? Is this propensity to put on a strong persona ultimately driven by fear? How do you fight to be vulnerable with your congregation?

Brian Croft and Jim Savastio answer these, and many more on this episode of Trench Talk.

How should a pastor address underlying sin within the congregation? What biblical passages inform us on this topic? Should sin be confronted from the pulpit? What are practical steps pastors can take to correct but also provide hope?

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused churches to think about things they had not done previously. How should churches (and Pastors) navigate these times? What changes and what stays the same? The call to minister the Word in season and out of season stays the same. How can this be done well outside of the preaching of the Word? Brian Croft and Jim Savastio answer these, and many more on this episode of Trench Talk.

What does it mean to be productive as a pastor? How do we define productivity? Does productivity follow to closely to the business world? How is productivity for a pastor different than for a business leader?

Brian Croft and Jim Savastio answer these, and many more on this episode of Trench Talk.

How do you drive your church toward true and authentic community in your church? What does that mean and how do you show that to your church? Do you have to have small groups to cultivate this community? Are large events anithetical to authentic community?

How do we prepare to gather again? What do we need to be thinking about before we reopen? Should your church allow your members to hug, shake hands, etc.? Do you continue children’s or nursery ministry? Do you gather if less than 50% of your church is not attending?

Brian Croft and Jim Savastio answer these, and many more on this episode of Trench Talk.

Show Notes:

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(2:10) Biblical Foundation for this conversation.

(6:20) Be careful to not speak of things we cannot speak on with certainty

(7:45) How do we shepherd members in their social media usage?

(12:25) How do we do marriage counseling?

(19:00) How do we proceed with widow care?

(23:00) How do you conduct a funeral in this time?

(25:15) How do yo proceed with Summer plans?

(26:55) What about the Lord’s Supper?

(27:30) What about church discipline?

(30:00) What do you do if you are in a ministry transition?

(34:00) How do you keep your schedule consitent when nothing seems consistent?

Show Notes:

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(2:30) Intitial Thoughts on how to handle the business of the church

(4:00) What do you know vs. what are you supposed to do?

(7:00) Is making a transition a wise decision?

(10:15) Can you begin to shepherd and establish a relationship with a new church in the midst of a pandemic?

(13:00) Should a church proceed with calling a pastor in the midst of a pandemic?

(15:45) Should you leave a church in the midst of a pandemic?

(17:45) Is the financial situation of the new church an important aspect to know?

(20:00) Pastors Salary Podcast from 2017.

(20:30) Final words of encouragement

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(2:00) Historical and Biblical support for plurality of Elders.

(4:30) Practical benefit of plurality of Elders

(7:40) Which comes first raising up Elders or moving to the process of having an Elder-led polity?

(14:05) How do you identify Elders within your congregation?

(17:00) How do you intentionally raise up men to be Elders?

(20:35) How not to raise up Elders

(30:00) What 3 qualities does Brian look for in an Elder?

Show Notes:

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(2:20) Biblical Foundation for Leading during an Election Year

(5:00) Bring an eternal mindset to civics, politics, and all things.

(10:11) differences within evangelicalism (and our churches) when it comes to politics and social issues?

(14:30) Prepare and encourage your congregation

(16:15) Important issues in a political (and biblical) platform

(26:00) Hope in God

(27:45) Final words

(1:30) Biblical foundation for reading well.

(4:15) Categories of reading: devotional, theological, commentaries, and ecclesiology.

(5:45) Books on Pastoral Ministry

(9:36) Books on Preaching

(11:15) Devotional Books

(14:20) Pastoral Biographies

(17:32) Systematic Theologies

(22:20) Ecclesiology

(25:48) Should a pastor buy a commentary set or single volumes?

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(2:30) The fulfillment of the Great Commission

(5:30) Reactive church planting

(7:25) Proactive church planting

(11:15) Encouraging your members to support planting

(16:00) Determining the spiritual need in a geographical location

(22:00) Practical steps to identifying locations for planting

(25:25) Why not to plant a church

Show Notes:

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(2:15) Scriptural Basis

(10:00) Concerns about contentious discourse within a local church

(12:00) Sharing your opinion on these matters within the local church

(16:45) Mediating contentious views

(21:00) Faithfully addressing contention publicly

(29:15) How to navigate when the contention spills into your own backyard

(33:30) What are pastors called to do?

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(2:00) Biblical Framework for Church Membership.

(5:42) Sheep of the fold vs. sheep outside the fold.

(7:15) Will a pastor give an account for non-members?

(9:15) How do you talk to non-members about their status within the church?

(14:30) The application of Hebrews 13 to non-members.

(21:55) Final word.