Pastor Matters

In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour sits down with Dr. Scott Pace (Dean of the College at Southeastern) to discuss preaching and pastoring on Easter Sunday. Should every sermon be an “Easter sermon”? If we preach Christ in every sermon, how prominent should his resurrection be weekly? How does Christ’s resurrection encourage us in a time of health and social crisis? What texts should pastor...

Books, books, and more books! In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss pastors and the importance of reading good books. What books should every pastor read at some point in their ministry? Should pastors read books outside of the pastoral ministry/preaching genres? Should pastors read books written by authors they disagree with? Join us this week as we answer these questions...

In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss the importance of friendship in the life of a pastor. Why is friendship so important? What are some examples of friendship in Scripture? How can pastors prevent competitiveness and envy from seeping into their friendship? Join us this week as we discuss these questions and many more!

Description: In this week’s episode of Pastor Matters, Brandon is joined by Greg Gilbert (Senior Pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church) to discuss pastors and the gospel. In what ways do we make sharing the gospel harder than it actually is? How should we define gospel-centered preaching? What are some ways pastors can encourage their people to share the gospel in light of COVID-19? Join us this w...

In this episode, Ronjour sits down with Dr. Matthew Kim to discuss cultural diversity. How should we define terms like culture and ethnicity? How can pastors promote diversity in a local church with no diversity? How can pastors shepherd through conflicts and clashes within their churches? Join us this week as we tackle these questions and many more!

In this week’s episode, Ronjour and Brandon are joined by Dr. Andy Davis (Senior Pastor of FBC Durham). Join us this week as we talk with Andy about spiritual formation and the individuals who have impacted him throughout his ministry.

In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss presiding over and preaching at funerals.

What does it mean to speak truth in love? What are some good examples of this in the Scriptures? In this episode, Ronjour and Brandon discuss how to preach and interact with others in a truthful, loving manner.

In this episode of Pastor Matters, Brandon sits down with Deepak Reju (Associate Pastor at Capitol Hills Baptist Church) to discuss how pastors can help members who struggle with the issue of pornography. How should pastors counsel members struggling with a pornography addiction? What are the dangers of hidden, unconfessed sin in this area? Knowing that addiction can start at a very young age, how...

This week on Pastor Matters, Ronjour sits down with Dr. Kristin Kellen (Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling at SEBTS) to discuss how pastors and church leaders should shepherd victims of abuse. Why is abuse in local churches such a big issue? When should pastors bring in outside authorities to handle abuse cases? Join us this week as we answer these questions and many more!

In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon introduce and discuss the topic for January–pastors and counseling How should we define the responsibility of pastoral counseling? What resources are available for those who do not feel equipped to counsel church members? Join us this week as we address these questions and many more!

In this episode of Pastor Matters, we discuss how to comfort and lead those who are suffering and feeling a sense of hopelessness. How do pastors preach hope each week from the pulpit? How do pastors shepherd the hopeless when they themselves are experiencing seasons of hopelessness and suffering? Join us this week as we answer these questions and many more!

The Christmas season is officially upon us! In this holiday edition of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss preaching and pastoring during the Christmas season. What should pastors consider preaching during the holidays? Should pastors feel pressure to keep their Christmas sermons fresh? How should pastors shepherd those in their congregation who are grieving during the holidays? Join us as...

In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss preaching through the book of Revelation with Dr. Dwayne Milioni.

In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss the process of sermon preparation. What are good sermon prep practices? When should pastors refer to commentaries? How much time should pastors dedicate to preparing sermons each week? Tune-in to hear our answers to these questions and many more!

What message should pastors share with their churches following an election? How should pastors keep their churches focused on the mission during a typically divisive season? How do elections affect the way we view the Great Commission and what do they teach us about the Kingdom of God? Join Ronjour and Brandon this week as they discuss pastors and shepherding post-election season.

In this episode, Ronjour and Brandon discuss preaching with SEBTS Preaching Professor Dr. Jim Shaddix.

Why should pastors consider planning a preaching calendar? Should pastors plan topical sermon series during strategic days of the year (i.e. holidays). How can pastors make sure they are giving their people a balanced diet of Scripture? Join Ronjour and Brandon this week as they discuss the importance of planning an effective preaching calendar.

In this special episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon honor the pastors who have made an impact on them and recognize the pastors who have been continuing to faithfully serve Christ and the church over the past few months. The guys will also be announcing the winner of their recent Pastor Appreciation Month giveaway.

Time management is an essential skill for anyone, especially pastors. But, why is it important for pastors to practice good time management? What resources are available to help pastors steward their time well? How should pastors decide which ministry opportunities they should say “yes” to? Join us this week as we discuss the importance of time management and the challenges that are attached with...

Whether it’s directed at their preaching, leadership decisions, or theological positions, at some point pastors will experience some form of criticism in their ministry. How should pastors respond to criticism? How do they prevent criticism from affecting the way they see their people? Join Ronjour and Brandon in this episode as they discuss pastors and criticism.

In this episode, Dr. Julia Higgins (Assistant Professor of Ministry to Women at SEBTS) joins Ronjour and Brandon to discuss the importance of equipping and mobilizing women in the local church. What are some examples we see in Scripture of women not only being discipled, but serving? What are some the biggest obstacles women currently face in the church? How can these obstacles be overcome?

In this episode, Ronjour and Brandon continue the conversation from last week on pastoral burnout. However, this week they look at burnout in light of the COVID-19 crisis. How has COVID-19 impacted pastors? Are pastors experiencing burnout quicker as a result of COVID?

What is pastoral burnout and how does it start? How can churches protect their pastors from burning out quickly and for long periods of time? In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss the challenges behind pastoral burnout and how pastors can get through these difficult seasons stronger than before. Pastor Matters a podcast from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

What’s the big idea!!? Should pastors seek a connection in the details of the text, or should they be content to teach the "points" of the text instead? Is there a unity within a text's message? Join Ronjour Locke and Brandon Ward this week as they discuss the benefits (and challenges) to the big idea approach to preaching. Pastor Matters, a Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary podcast.