Hope Renewed

We sit down with Pastor Jerry Troyer to talk about the challenges of finding resources and support for ministry in rural churches.  Jerry a life-long rural pastor,  created a means of encouraging, connecting, and equipping ministry leaders in rural contexts called Rural Shepherdology . Jerry's commitment is to provide help and hope to those who face the unique world of rural ministry. Re...

Ministry in an urban context will always have its unique challenges. Add to that the heightened tensions and pressures of recent days and Urban Ministry can rob even the most stalwart of pastors of joy, strength and hope. But God's heart for the city cannot be abandoned or ignored, by any of us. Pastor and Church Planter Tyler St. Clair joins us for an extremely important conversation from the hea...

Challenge. Change. Conflict. Sabotage. Whatever you may call it, the critical times of growth in ministry demand a set of leadership skills that aren't taught in seminary or come naturally. "Faith leaders are mostly trained to be teachers and chaplains, but a rapidly-changing, continually-disruptive world requires that they also become skilled at leading change when there are few best practices. M...

Navigating pastoral transitions is challenging even in the best of circumstances. Having perspective, guidance, encouragement and help can make all the difference in not only where you're going, but how well you'll get there. In this episode of Hope Renewed , Matt Steen of PIR ministry partner Chemistry Staffing sits down with us to talk about the realities of pastoral transition and how to best f...

Whether you like it or not, social media is a reality of the world in which we live, and therefore a reality of ministry. How can a pastor appropriately navigate the presence and use of social media? What are the pitfalls and benefits? Join us as we talk with pastor, evangelist and writer Doug Bursch who shares a unique and helpful perspective on how pastors can interact with social media and the...

Let's face it...ministry is hard. And at times it's hard in ways we never thought it would be, and for which we were never really prepared. So many of the day-in and day-out realities - the practical nuts-and-bolts of ministry - can leave us tired, frustrated or wondering if we're even fulfilling God's call. And sometimes it can make us feel very alone. Brian Croft joins us on Hope Renewed to talk...

Having relationships that are safe, open and encouraging are helpful - in fact needful - for everyone. But finding these relationships as a pastor can be especially difficult. That's why it's important for those who surround pastors to be those kinds of people and create the times and spaces that help pastors be healthy. Join us as we talk with PIR's Robin Schmidt and her husband Larry as they sha...

Finding hope to address ministry pain is challenging. For women in ministry - or married to those who are - it can be especially so. Finding a place of understanding, safety and healing can be elusive. That's why we're so excited to share in this episode of Hope Renewed a powerful conversation we had with Kristen Joy, founder of The Ministry Wife Coach. Her deeply informed and passionate approach...

Tom and Sean sit down with Winn Collier, the director of The Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary. Winn is the author of Burning in My Bones, a new biography on Eugene Peterson. In this conversation he talks about his friendship with Eugene and what led him to write this great book. They talk about the joys and struggles of ministry, including a dark six...

In a world that is changing at a seemingly exponential rate, the church is not immune. In fact, more and more of the world's "perspective threads" are being woven into the fabric of the church, and pastors are confronted with attitudes and voices which run counter to the Gospel. How can pastors and ministry leaders best navigate the changing current within their churches, and how can they best att...

Long and difficult days are a regular part of ministry. It seems the length and difficulty are compounding recently, and pastors are tired. Endurance in ministry is becoming more and more a major theme as shepherds and leaders strive to faithfully and healthily serve the church. Join us as we sit down with Jimmy Dodd, CEO and Founder of PastorServe . In his ministry to serve, support and encourage...

Every journey has three components. Most familiar are Destination and Path . What is often overlooked is Origin ...where you're starting from. In our spiritual journey it's as crucial for healthy growth to know where we are - right now - as it is to know where we're going and how we'll get there. Join us as we sit down with Bill and Kristi Gaultiere, whose extensive experience of journeying with p...

Shepherding shepherds. Caring for wounded leaders. Walking with pastors and their families. Partnering to bring healing. These all reflect the depth of the mission of PIR. We invite you to sit down with us as we talk with pastor, minister to ministers and PIR Board Member Tim Johnson. He shares some creative and helpful ways by which pastors can facilitate healthy ministry/personal lives and find...

Exhaustion.  False self.  Divided heart.  Narcissism.  These are terms that are becoming more and more associated with pastoral ministry. And while the concepts are not new - just look at the Biblical examples of them! - the current attention they're receiving comes with a fresh perspective on their antidote. Join us as we sit with pastor, professor, therapist, spiritual direct...

It' no secret that pastoral ministry is demanding and requires much from those who engage in it. Practicing good self-care is a must to stay healthy in ministry. But how do you know when you've crossed a line from the normal wear and tear of ministry life into more dangerous areas of damaging fatigue, debilitating anxiety and loss of effectiveness? How do you know when burnout is present? In this...

The Soul Care Institute ( https://www.soulcareinstitute.com/ ) is a six-retreat journey spread over two years where participants learn to care for their own souls. Sean interviewed the Soul Care Institute president Kaylene Derksen and her husband Jimm (who serves a s Vice President of the Institute). The talked about how pastors are often so busy caring for others that they neglect to care for the...

As leaders there is always the subtle temptation to allow our identity to be found in our own accomplishments. Our degrees, successes, networks, and personalities become what form and inform our perspectives for ministry. But what if God is choosing a different way to shape us for His call? Desert experiences. Painful self-awareness. Suffering. What if God’s way involves the breaking of ourselves...

Shame. It’s the lie that says, “You’re worthless. You're a mistake.” It can get to the root of our being and poison our lives. Pastors and ministry leaders face unique battles with shame even as they hold out the Word of life that heals. What is it about shame that is so devastating? When and how does it attack? What are some ways those in ministry can unmask shame, build “shame resilience”, findi...

Often pastors and ministry leaders find themselves occupied and even struggling with the very same issues they help others face. The danger is the assumption - the lie - that "pastors can deal with these things on their own" or, "pastors don't need counselors, that's a sign of weakness." Nothing could be further from the truth. Literally. The truth of God's word admonishes all of us to seek and re...

When a car's wheels are out of alignment, it can create a domino effect of issues which could ultimately result in a crash. So it is in life, and perhaps more so in ministry. Inattention to our soul's alignment can be the fundamental issue that expresses itself in ever increasing difficulties. We sit down with pastor and ministry coach John Opalewski, whose story is one of the wheels coming off, b...

Many leaders are hurried, and hurry is costing them more than they realize. What if we were to rediscover the genius of Jesus' unhurried way of life and leadership? Great leadership grows in the soil of good rest. This is the conviction Alan Fadling has found in his quest to live and minister from the fullness of life in Jesus. Join us as we discuss living life at the pace of Jesus and what i...

Good health in any aspect of our lives requires Attention and Intention. It just doesn't happen, it must be pursued and practiced. This is especially true in ministry because there is an enemy - of our souls and of our ministry - who would have us weak, ineffective and irrelevant. How we cultivate our ministry health is as important as the ministry we seek to do! In this episode of Hope Renewed, w...

“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.”—John 15:9 What would ministry - and life - look like if done from a basis of abiding deeply in Christ and his love? If that's not your current experience, it may be that this command of Jesus is an invitation to explore a more life-giving and joyful way to engage in your call to serve and minister. Join us as we sit down with Jac...

Serving the small (or ordinary) sized church is filled with challenges. So many of the resources and conferences for ministry leaders are geared toward larger-church contexts, and can leave those called to smaller congregations feeling under-served and less than confident about their ministry. In this episode of Hope Renewed we sit down with Karl Vaters, whose love for and experience in small chur...

Each of us has a story which serves as a testimony to God's grace in our lives. Some of these stories involve deep pain and potential ruin. Others are stories of perseverance and discovery. All of them point to Jesus and the hope of his gospel. In this episode of Hope Renewed, PIR's own Jason Eddy opens his heart and shares his story of burnout and recovery. From a promising beginning in ministry,...