Monday Morning Pastor

J.R. and Doug are excited to invite the MMP tribe into this fruitful, honest, and deep conversation with the amazing Tara Beth Leach. From preaching to the cornfields as a teenager in her home town, to pastoring a church that struggled with a woman senior pastor. Tara goes to the hard places and shares the tough parts of her calling and ways she is finding the Lord healing, redeeming and sustainin...

This week Doug and J.R. decided to reboot an incredible conversation from season 1. Our guest is spiritual director, author, and friend Lacy Finn-Borgo. Have you heard about spiritual direction but are curious to find out more? This episode explores spiritual direction in its simplicity and power. Lacy brings her experience as a spiritual director to pastors, missionaries, and homeless children to...

Doug and J.R. have talked about their mentors over the past few weeks and this week we get to listen in to a conversation between Doug and his mentor Branson Roberts. Branson talks about trials, scripture, family, and has a profound encouragement to pastors at the end of the conversation. This is deeply shaping! (Branson wondered if he had anything important to say to pastors today). I believe you...

What are you reading these days? Doug and J.R. spend some time talking about the books they are currently in and what helps them choose them. For those who live in Cincinnati, you are going to want to listen. Have you ever felt like as a pastor you have to do more and more with less and less? What keeps you in it? The interview this week takes the MMP crew to the UK for a great chat with our frien...

As Doug and J.R. wrap up pastor appreciation month, Doug invites J.R to share stories of his relationship with Eugene Peterson. J.R. shares personal stories, letters and meaningful moments he had with Eugene over the years. He is missed and we are excited to share this interview with you all. If you have stories of Eugene or ways he has shaped you, drop us a line us so we can share them with the M...

Before we jump back into our conversation with Rev. Tom Smith, we talk about mentors and the role that they have had in our lives. This leads us to talk about the importance of formation that moves beyond our heart and into the practices in our lives. Then, Tom begins the second part of our conversation with a story about someone who was working to find real faith that played out in all areas of l...

Doug and J.R. can’t seem to get enough of the month of October. Doug is turning 40 in a few weeks and they talk about what it looks like to live well the second half of life. They also have a conversation around a book by Gary McIntosh on church size and leadership struggles/opportunities. Our guest this week comes from Johannesburg, South Africa, and Rev. Tom Smith takes us through the journey of...

October is pastor appreciation month and J.R. and Doug spend some time talking about where it comes from, the struggle it is for many of us, and the importance of affirmation. The rest of the episode Doug and J.R. cold call pastors to affirm and appreciate them. Pastors, we love you appreciate you, and would love the opportunity to pray for you or chat with you this month, drop us a line. Thank yo...

We are excited to announce a new partnership that has developed for the MMP community. We are officially partnering with Missio Alliance! Exciting times are ahead for MMP as we get to be part of a bigger conversation with an amazing cohort of diverse thinkers and writers. Check out the Mission Alliance website to learn more: https://www.missioalliance.org/podcasts. In this episode, Doug and J.R. h...

In episode 3 of season 2, Doug and J.R. have a conversation around the prayer of Examen and seeing God in both the good things and the tough things in ministry. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be Monday if we didn’t reference a fantastic Babylon bee article, check it out. Our guest for this week is Rev. Michael Beck, who shares his story of redemption, soul care practices, denominational pressures, and p...

Have you ever experienced anxiety as a leader? Part 2 of our conversation with Steve is crash course is Family Systems Theory, theology of anxiety, and Romans 6. So much of who we are as leaders has to do with us learning to navigate personal anxiety which is a journey of naming what is causing the anxiety at hand and learning to let go of it. Get out your note book and be ready to jot down a few...

Doug and J.R. are back in the saddle after a great first season! Is there a better way to start than reflecting on the first season, talking about pumpkin spice, and looking ahead to what’s to come in season two? Plus, we start an amazing conversation with pastor/author Steve Cuss about life as a hospital chaplin, intervention pastor in Las Vegas, and pastoring a suburban church in Denver, CO. Wit...

A safe place for Pastors to be people… When J.R. and I set out to start MMP this is what we envisioned. This is our final episode of season 1, it is powerful. We have a conversation with A.J. Swoboda about transitions, temptations, preaching as pornography, Legos, tears, the interior life of a pastor, and the dark night of the soul. We recognized early on as we were recording that this interview p...

Doug and J.R. catch up and talk about the summer, momentum, attendance and ways to grow your church… just kidding about growing your church. But J.R. does know Phil Collins.. We look at lies we are tempted to believe during the summer and talk about how to use the time wisely to get ready for the fall. Later in the show the they wrap up the first 15 episodes with reflections on how they and others...

Doug and J.R talk about payday… and it’s not what you think. But the days of ministry when you see the work that God has done through you. The conversation this week J.R. and Doug focus their attention on an article written in 1991 about the loneliness of the pastor, they acknowledge the pain, but move towards a hopeful framework of building friendship. Resourceshttps://www.christianitytoday.com/p...

Doug and J.R. catch up over the first few weeks of the summer and talk headlines from the Babylon Bee. Our guest this week is pastor, author, spiritual director and our friend Cyd Holsclaw. This episode goes deep into the framework and importance of spiritual direction. If you have questions around spiritual direction or have been curious for a while, this is for you. This is also a great resource...

This week J.R. and Doug talk about ghosting aka people leaving your community poorly. We look at the hard reality of leaving and we talk about healthy ways to do so and how to have the conversation, We also are attaching a litany of farewell in the show notes. Check out the episode to hear all about it. J.R. and Doug have a second conversation with Dave Eckert about creating safe culture in our ch...

This week J.R. and Doug talk about secret pastor code words. That’s right we have acronyms too, eat your hearts out counselors and social workers! Check out the episode to hear all about it. J.R. and Doug have a conversation with Dave Eckert. Dave begins the conversation with a startling statistic, 24% of all pastors are diagnosed with a mental illness. A word about Dave, He is a pastor and also w...

Doug and J.R. talk about the importance of hobbies and have a conversation with Josh Meyer about change in the church and letting others speak truth over the lies we’re tempted to believe. Questions to ask 10 important people in your life1.Name one thing I do well without putting any effort into.2. What three words would you use to describe me?3. Name one area of my life where you see room for imp...

Doug and J.R. talk about transformation as more than information. They also share some simple practices to keep one fresh and growing. Lastly this episode is an invitation to plan and have a DAWG day (Day Away With God) and send us a reflection that we can share with the MMP tribe. So here are the details. DAWG dayPlan for and spend time in a four-hour off-site prayer and silent reflection retreat...

What would happen if you and your staff was tragically killed by a beer truck (or bread truck)? I know it sounds like a morbid conversation but the question helps leaders think through where we need to grow our leadership and how we can give away what we do. Our guest this week is Pastor Drew Jackson, a church planter at Hope East Village in NYC who has been a friend of J.R. and Doug for some time...

Doug and J.R. look at the reality of loneliness of pastors and leaders. Be warned, there are no answers just some thoughts and ideas. Disclaimer, we are not endorsed by Andy Crouch in this episode. However, if you have not read much of his stuff…. DO IT.“Honest” and “hopeful” are the adjectives I would use to describe the conversation with Jared Mackey. There is so much wisdom and everyday practic...

Doug and J.R. talk about joy, how they look for joy and what blocks it. J.R. discusses racing an eighty-year-old man at the pool the other day. We have the privilege to have an honest conversation with Pastor David Sharpes. David brings so much wisdom and tears to this episode. He is a confessed recovering church growth pastor, has a deep love for cultivating healthy staff, and family. David is pa...

“Be as gentle to yourself as God is with you!” Doug and J.R look at some more random stuff in J.R.’s office and talk about Spurgeon, his cigars, and metaphors from one of the greatest preachers of all time. Our Guest this week is Spiritual Director Lacy Finn-Borgo. Have you heard about spiritual direction but are curious to find out more? This episode explores spiritual direction in its simplicity...

What you give out cannot exceed what you take in. On this episode, Doug and J.R look at some random stuff in J.R.’s office and talk about gumball machines, oxygen masks, and healthy rhythms. Our guest this week is Pastor Jon Hand, and our honest conversation goes into the pressure of ministry, nervous breakdown, and coming to a healthy space. Have you ever felt the weight of the mantle of Pastor?...