DoorWays® Ministry Podcast

Pastors Gus and Terry Craven have been ministering on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for over 25 years. They discuss the harsh realities of life on the reservation, including high rates of infant mortality, teen suicide, and unemployment, as well as limited access to healthcare and emergency services. They also highlight the joys and challenges of ministering in this context, including a histor...

Derrick and Rosalind were faithful, active members of Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church. They were not prepared for the role, but they accepted the call of God and the church to become the lead pastors. It isn’t always easy, but they have learned how to balance family, secular employment, and the rigors of ministry. Their story will help you to understand how it can all work together for good.

In this episode of the DoorWays Ministry Network podcast, host Ric Shields interviews Michael Lobmeyer, a pastor who discusses the challenges of ministering to a diverse Hispanic congregation, including language barriers and cultural differences. He also talks about the financial struggles of his church, as many of his congregants are immigrants working in low-paying jobs. Despite these challenges...

In this episode of the DoorWays® Ministry Network podcast, host Ric Shields and guest Pastor Phil Taylor discuss depression, its causes, and ways to manage it. Pastor Taylor, who served as the senior pastor at Carbondale Assembly of God in Tulsa, Oklahoma for 38 years, shares his personal experiences with depression. They discuss symptoms of depression and explore potential causes of depression, s...

In this episode of the DoorWays® Ministry Network podcast, host Ric Shields interviews Pastor Phil Taylor, who served as the senior pastor at Carbondale Assembly of God in Tulsa, Oklahoma for 38 years. Pastor Taylor shares his personal experience with depression, explaining how it can be debilitating and affect all aspects of life. He emphasizes the importance of seeking professional help and not...

Three cancer surgeries with chemotherapy and radiation treatments have taken their toll on Diane Matousek. She's considered cancer-free, but the aftereffects have been beyond belief. Diane had 9 reconstruction surgeries following her radical, double mastectomy, extensive dental work, a right shoulder replacement, 4 replacements of her left shoulder (that's right – the first three replace...

In this episode of the DoorWays Ministry Network podcast, host Ric Shields interviews Bryce Jennings, a man who lost 120 pounds in a few years. Bryce shares his health journey, explaining how he felt physically broken at 29, suffering from insomnia, memory issues, joint pain, and low energy. He attributes his transformation to a strict 30-day detox called "Whole 30," which helped him los...

At 29-years-old, Bryce Jennings felt like an 80-year-old. Insomnia, achy joints, and lack of motivation were his constant companions. When Bryce and his wife planned a cruise with another couple, he knew something had to change for him to enjoy it to the fullest. A joint decision was what he needed to begin a life-changing shift that continues and benefits him today.

This episode is being released just a few days before the new year begins for 2024. It has been a busy season for most, and Ric Shields thought it may be helpful to pause for a moment, reflect on the past year, and look ahead to the next.  Shields provides 10 things listeners may want to consider as they approach the new year. He hopes the ideas shared on this episode will encourage listeners and...

In this podcast episode, Ric Shields and Phil Taylor, discuss the difficult topic of grieving during the holiday season. They share their personal and professional experiences with grief, emphasizing the importance of healthy grieving and self-care, especially for ministers. They also discuss the challenges of conducting memorial services during the holiday season. Taylor encourages listeners to f...

In this special Christmas episode of the DoorWays® Ministry Network podcast, host Ric Shields discusses the story of Jesus' birth from the perspective of the shepherds. He highlights the simplicity of Jesus' birth and the significance of the shepherds being the first to receive the news. Shields also emphasizes the shepherds' courage in sharing the news despite their low social stat...

In this podcast, Ric Shields interviews his nephew, Caleb Brager, about his experience as an adopted child. Caleb shares that he was told about his adoption at a young age and has always been comfortable with it. He appreciates his adoptive family and feels blessed to have had a smooth adoption process. Caleb also expresses interest in meeting his birth parents one day, not to question their decis...

In this episode of the DoorWays® Ministry Network podcast, host Ric Shields interviews Matt and Michelle Makela, the parents of four adopted children. The Makelas discuss their journey to adoption, which began when they discovered they were unable to have children naturally. They share their experiences with both open and closed adoptions, and the unique challenges and joys that come with adopting...

In this podcast, host Ric Shields interviews Teri Brown about her experience as a birth mother who chose adoption for her child. Teri shares her story of becoming pregnant at 19, during a time of personal upheaval and crisis. Despite pressure from her family and boyfriend to have an abortion, Teri decided to carry her baby to term and place him for adoption. She was connected with the Crisis Pregn...

For 40 years, Crisis Pregnancy Outreach in Tulsa, OK has been providing viable alternatives to abortion. Young women from across the USA have found support in their decisions to either parent or lovingly choose adoptive parents for their baby.  Join us as Cheryl Bauman shares how she began a ministry that has seen over 500 babies placed in the homes of adoptive parents.

It is said that members of the Armed Forces “cross the Rubicon” when they are sworn in and commit to a cause greater than themselves. A grateful nation’s response sets aside one day each year to say, “Thank you!” Join us as we discuss what it means to be a veteran and how you can provide needed support to those who have served with honor and distinction.

Jackie Scott is a devoted wife, loving mother, a guiding light in her small group, a mentor to fellow women and young mothers, and a dynamic presence within Toastmaster's International. Yet, her story transcends the roles she plays, for Jackie has been intimately acquainted with the depths of grief, both in her capacity as a police chaplain and within her immediate family.    Five years ago,...

When Brad McAtee was elected as the senior pastor at Peace Chapel in Fair Grove, Missouri, he knew it was not an easy assignment. But after five years of sacrifice and hard work, things were really going well. Attendance was up, the mortgage was paid-off, and church programs were solidly in place. Still, he had a lingering concern and would sometimes ask his wife, Janee, "What are we missing?...

Tyler, believed he was called to serve in pastoral ministry. After all, he was raised in a home where his parents were staff members in large churches. He even studied at a Bible training center to prepare himself for ministry. When he and his wife moved to Nashville to follow a music dream, their lives changed...and not for the better. Tyler began to drink, and it wasn't long before both the...

Have you ever struggled with the concept of evangelism? Ever wondered what to say or when to say it? So have I and it is likely that I speak for most of us. Come to find out it is not about notches on a belt, the activities you're involved in...or not involved in and it may be more simple than we've come to believe. "What Evangelism is Not" is the title of this episode. Let&apo...

This episode is a follow-up to the one we had last week with Leslie Moseley, a survivor of childhood and adult abuse and trauma. So, just knowing our topic should provide a trigger warning to you if necessary. Again, if those issues are uncomfortable to you, know that we don’t intend to bring you emotional harm. In fact, the opposite is true. Our desire is that this conversation will bring some of...

In this podcast episode, host Ric Shields and guest Leslie Moseley discuss the topic of abuse and trauma. Leslie shares her personal experiences of sexual abuse, starting at the age of four and continuing until she was 15.  After her father was sent to prison, Leslie joined the Air Force and moved to Alaska, where she experienced further abuse from a partner. She eventually returned to Wisconsin,...

When you’re told to assemble a team to complete a project, where’s the best place to start? If you think finding the smartest person or people to join the team is the answer, you need to listen in. There’s a big difference between IQ and EQ and we’ll discuss that in this episode. Thanks for joining us as we discuss, “Smart Doesn’t Mean Success.”

Here's an old adage that most pastors have heard at one time or another during their career: "Don't Quit on Monday." Mondays are hard for pastors because of armchair quarterbacks letting you know what you did wrong, second-guessing whether or not your message was "good enough," and preparing a relevant, prophetic message to deliver and that will be well-received in th...

Bailey Kuert is on a mission. In addition to training African church planeters and starting schools with her husband, Stephen, through the ministry of Involved International, Bailey uses slow fashion and sustainable materials to leverage the crafting abilities of local artisans, helping to make their products attractive and available to western buyers. Thanks for joining us as we talk about breaki...