Ministry Minded

What if the most prevalent two words in Scripture — “fear not” — aren’t a command to try harder, but a promise to hold onto? This is the question Luke Kjolhaug and I aim to answer in this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, where we talk about Luke’s new book, Fear Not , and how the gospel of Christ for you speaks grace and life and hope in the middle of our most fearful moments. Luke is the p...

What if our efforts to better Christians are actually taking our eyes off Christ? In this edition of Ministry Minded, I sit down with Justin Perdue to talk about just that, as well as how the Bible’s message of “Christ for you” is understood through the law-gospel distinction and why that distinction is so important for pastoral ministry and the life of the church. Despite what you might hear or t...

From the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 to today, there is a nagging stream of questions surrounding the church and its relationship to the Torah. Are Christians required to keep all the feasts and food laws and Sabbath ordinances just like God’s people of old did? Or are we living in sin if we don’t? Dr. R. L. Solberg and I consider these questions and why they can be answered by God’s Word itself....

Mentioning the word “Israel” nowadays is a surefire way to stir political, theological, or eschatological pots. But Scripture gives us the grammar to make sense of it all through the lenses of fulfillment and expansion. Listen along as Chad Bird and I trace the story God’s telling of the people he’s forming and calling to himself, from Adam to Moses to today, and how every promise God has made is...

In this episode, I’m joined once again by Raphael Mnkandhla for part two of a two-part mini-series reflecting on and reviewing the book The Clay Pot Conspiracy by Dave Harvey. Contrary to what many suppose, God often chooses to build his church through weak leaders, not polished ones. Those who shepherd the church best are those who know what it’s like to be wounded, knowing that theirs is a wound...

In this episode, I’m delighted to share a conversation with my friend and brother in ministry, Dave Zahl, as we reflect on the strange yet holy overlap between writing and preaching. With the pressure to build platforms, establish brands, chase readership, and fine-tune every syllable for maximum virality, it’s easy to forget what moves us or drives us in the first place. But the gospel is a reliv...

In this episode, I’m thrilled to share part one of a two-part mini-series with my friend and brother in ministry, Raphael Mnkandhla, as we reflect on the book The Clay Pot Conspiracy by Dave Harvey. With so many voices telling you so many different things about what makes for good, capable leaders, God’s Word tells us something that’s surprising and endlessly compelling. Far from disqualifying you...

In this episode, I’m joined by pastor and theologian Tony Phelps to talk about why it’s so important for preachers to preach God’s law and God’s gospel. Together, we trace this necessary distinction from Sinai’s altars to Luther’s breakthrough, and relish in the heartbeat of gospel preaching, which tells sinners not what they must do but what Christ has done. Tony serves as the teaching elder of C...

In this episode, I’m joined by Bob Hiller to talk about the craft of preaching, how to navigate the pressures of pastoral ministry in 2026, and what belongs in the homiletical moment. We also discuss the danger of being a ministerial lone-wolf, why sermons aren’t TED talks, and why the preacher’s job is the same as it’s always been: deliver Christ, and get out of the way. Bob Hiller serves as the...

In this episode, I’m joined once again by Obbie Tyler Todd to talk about life, pastoral ministry, and the challenges of preaching in post-Christian contexts. We also spent some time discussing the church’s role during times of cultural upheaval, the myth of America as a “Christian nation,” and why the church’s mission has never changed, no matter what the present crisis looks like. Obbie is the pa...

In this episode, I sit down with Marc Sims to have an honest conversation about the current crises facing young men, the reality of living with depression in the Christian life, and how the gospel of Christ is the word of hope that speaks into all of that. In our darkest moments — personally, collectively, spiritually — God in Christ finds us and frees us from sin, suffering, and the grave. Marc s...

In this episode, I’m joined by pastor, author, and professor Michael Cooper to talk about preaching, theological retrieval, and the rich history of Baptist homiletics. Through the lens of the post-Reformation Baptist preacher, Benjamin Keach, Michael and I examine how the preaching event isn’t merely a person giving a talk, but a divine act wherein God speaks through human abassadors. Michael serv...

In this episode, I’m delighted to welcome pastor, actor, and comedian Tommy Woodard to the show to talk about how faith and comedy overlap, and the role humor plays in the Christian life. Far from being a religion of stoic robots, Christians ought to be known for their laughter. Together, Tommy and I talk about comedy as a vehicle for grace and authenticity, and processing sorrow and loss, and ult...

In this episode, I’m joined once again by my friend and fellow pastor Jordan Moody to talk about his new book about heaven and eternity, and the hope that heaven offers to those who are walking through grief and loss. Far from being some Pollyanna escapist’s hope, heaven fills believers with purpose and hope, both now and for the future. Jordan is the lead pastor of Hope Fellowship Church in Jaffr...

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and fellow pastor Josiah Ott to talk about what it means to be a young pastor and how preaching and studying the book of Ecclesiastes changed his life. The turbulence of our days isn’t anything to slough off. But what keeps pastors and churches grounded is the Word of God and the deep current of joy that courses through its pages and promises. Josiah is t...

In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by author, speaker, and founder of Love and Respect Ministries , Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, to talk about some lightbulb moments that comprehensively change our views of love, marriage, and relationships. Drawing on Scripture and decades of counseling experience and research, Dr. Eggerichs shows how couples can move from presumption and conflict to understand...

In this episode, I’m joined once again by writer, professor, and fellow Substack-er, Griffin Gooch, to talk about navigating expectations as young leaders, the crippling effects of social perfectionism, the paralyzing fear of failure, and how the gospel relieves all those pressures. It’s Jesus’s good news that frees believers from status-driven achievement, giving them grace and courage to try, fa...

In this episode, I’m joined by pastor, author, and professor Pilgrim Benham to talk candidly about the grief and grace that’s found in pastoral ministry. We discuss the necessity of pastoral rest, how to navigate seasons of confusion and hurt in the church, and why ministry is a lifelong lesson in the sufficiency of grace. Pilgrim lives in Bradenton, Florida, where he lives with his wife and child...

In this episode, I’m joined by pastors Raphael Mnkandhla and Trevor Route for a delightful conversation about pastoral ministry, the necessity for community, and the meaning of Advent. Among other things, we talk about the need for brotherhood among pastors and why the Christian life isn’t meant to be an isolated endeavor. We also discuss how the Psalms give the church a language for the Advent se...

In this episode, I’m delighted to be joined by author, theologian, and scholar Jonathan A. Linebaugh to talk about his new book The Well That Washes What It Shows , which explores the heart of the Christian message through the lens of the law and the gospel. We also chat about the unity of academic theology and pastoral ministry, the Reformer Thomas Cranmer, and how Scripture’s deepest truths meet...

In this episode, I get to chat with author and pastor Luke Kjolhaug about his book Sinner Saint and why the sinner-saint paradigm, commonly known as simul iustus et peccator , is so formative for understanding the life of faith. We explore how this dynamic shapes preaching, pastoral care, sanctification, and our daily Christian lives. Luke is the pastor of Elim Lutheran Church in Osakis, Minnesota...

In this episode, I’m joined by my good friend Brad Kafter to discuss the crucial distinction between God’s law and God’s gospel, and the fallout when those two words get confused. We explore how the law-gospel paradigm is foundational for the Christian life, informing what the church preaches, how it worships, and where its members go to find assurance. Brad lives in Wausau, Wisconsin, with his wi...

In this episode, Pastor Eric and I tackle the timely and difficult subject of the fallout when ministry leaders fall into public sin. We discuss how the church should respond to such moral failures in light of the words of God’s law and God’s gospel, ministering to all involved with discernment, compassion, and grace. We also explore the tension between these public scandals and the responsibility...

In this episode, I’m thrilled to chat with essayist and fellow Substack-er Griffin Gooch! Throughout this episode, we explore the intersections of theology, writing, and storytelling. We also talk about the subtle ways social status and comparison shape the way we live our lives as Christians, even when we think they don’t. Whether you’re an aspiring writer wrestling with your latest draft, a past...

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Jason Alligood about the value of studying theology both in the academy and for the church. We aim to show how theology is the life-giving discipline of knowing God that equips the church for faithful Christian living. We also discuss Christian liberty, how those in the church can disagree well, and the importance of theological retrieval for the health of the chur...