Pastor to Pioneer

Britton Smith reflects on a hundred episodes of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, sharing personal stories, common themes among guests, and insights into the journey of transitioning from traditional pastoral ministry to pioneering a new way of following Jesus. This episode explores emotional challenges, loneliness, the slow pace of change, and the deeper transformation involved.

In this episode, Britton Smith interviews longtime friend and former coworker, Daniel Branch about his journey from pastor to pioneer, exploring faith, church community, leadership transitions, and marketplace shepherding. They share insights from their time on staff together and explore questions of loving well, navigating change, and living out the call beyond traditional roles.  

Former pastor Adam Maw shares how leaving professional ministry and moving to Charleston, South Carolina led him to discover a more fulfilling and effective way of living out his faith. Now working as a route supervisor, Adam finds daily opportunities to pray with customers, build relationships with skeptical coworkers, and minister to elderly residents along his route — often reaching people who...

Aaron and Emily Brown share their journey from traditional church ministry to pioneering micro churches, navigating challenges, grief, and faith. Discover insights on church transition, relational discipleship, and living out faith authentically in community as a family.

In this episode, Stephen Vanover shares his journey from pastoring to pioneering a more relational, disciple-making approach outside traditional church models. He discusses the systemic issues in church engagement, the importance of authentic discipleship, and practical steps for living out faith in everyday life.

In this episode, Britton sits down with Taylor, a pastor, pilot, and lavender farmer from the Iowa City area, who shares his unlikely journey to becoming a church planter. Taylor opens up about a decade of trying every program, model, and strategy imaginable to reach one of the least churched communities in Iowa, only to conclude that the Sunday morning system itself is fundamentally unable to pro...

In this inspiring interview, Abraham Torres shares his journey from traditional church roles to pioneering a home church movement in Orlando. Discover how he shifted from institutional church models to simple, relational gatherings rooted in love, discipleship, and community, emphasizing the importance of shepherding, love, and practical faith in everyday life.  

In this episode, Joe Freudenberg shares his journey from being a pastor to becoming a successful business owner in the pickleball court industry. He discusses the challenges he faced in navigating career confusion, the importance of finding clarity in the wilderness, and how he integrated his faith into his work. Joe also emphasizes the significance of coaching others and the unique skills that pa...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, John Ray shares his transformative journey from a traditional pastoral role to a more decentralized approach to ministry. After a personal crisis, John and his wife focused on restoration and healing, ultimately leading them to gather simply with their family and others. He discusses the challenges of church leadership, the importance of community,...

In this episode, Felipe Echeverri shares his transformative journey from a corporate career to full-time ministry, highlighting the challenges and experiences that shaped his faith. He discusses the deep existential questions he faced as a teenager, his experiences with church hurt, and the importance of community in healing. Felipe emphasizes the need for a new approach to church that prioritizes...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Britton Smith interviews Gavin Duerson, a simple church disciple-making practitioner from Lexington, Kentucky. Gavin shares his journey from being a mascot at the University of Kentucky to working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and eventually transitioning to leading a network of simple churches. He discusses the impact of his daug...

In this episode, Jeff Jackson shares his transformative journey from being a pastor to an entrepreneur, highlighting the challenges and triumphs he faced along the way. He discusses the importance of community, accountability, and extreme obedience to God, as well as his struggles with sin and the journey towards redemption. Jeff emphasizes the need for a decentralized church model and the power o...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Britton Smith interviews Turner Moore, a former traditional church pastor who transitioned to leading a home church. Turner shares his journey from a mega church environment to a more intimate church setting, discussing the challenges and realizations he faced along the way. He reflects on the importance of family dynamics, the role of the Holy Spi...

Todd Henderson spent nearly 40 years as a Methodist pastor, but COVID revealed a hard truth: he had been making members, not disciples who could make disciples. Despite loving his congregation, he realized the prevailing church model was a "beautiful black hole" that would always consume attempts at pioneering disciple-making movements. At 60 years old, though they are scared and excited in equal...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Tyler Ingalls shares his journey from a supportive Christian upbringing to becoming a youth pastor and basketball coach. He discusses the challenges he faced in youth ministry, the importance of holistic discipleship, and the need for parents to engage spiritually with their children. Tyler emphasizes the disconnect between church leaders and famil...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer Podcast, Neal Karsten and Britton discuss the unique qualities that make pastors well-suited for pioneering new church models, as well as the challenges they face in this transition. They explore the importance of conviction, the loneliness of pioneering, and the need for detox from traditional church models. The conversation emphasizes the significance of...

Summary In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, host Pastor to Pioneer speaks with JJ Hefley, a former pastor turned pioneer of simple church movements. They discuss JJ's journey from traditional ministry to a focus on disciple-making movements, and the challenges of shifting a church's paradigm towards community engagement and ownership. JJ shares insights on the importance of empowerin...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Jim Gulish shares his journey from a traditional pastoral role to pioneering new forms of ministry in Michigan. He discusses his early faith experiences, the challenges of church planting, and the importance of discipleship over mere attendance. Jim emphasizes the need for contextual understanding in ministry and the freedom he has found in being a...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Britton interviews Rod Hammonds, a former pastor who transitioned from a successful business career to ministry. Rod shares his journey of faith, the impact of COVID on his life, and his passion for missions and recovery ministry. He discusses the importance of personal healing and the challenges of navigating church dynamics while pursuing a calli...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Britton hosts Brad Pickens and Eric Green, who share their transformative journey from being church elders in a mega church to establishing a network of micro churches focused on discipleship and community. They discuss their personal faith journeys, the challenges of transitioning from traditional church models, and the importance of fostering int...

In this episode of the Pastor of Pioneer podcast, Britton interviews Paul O'Brien, a former pastor turned hospice chaplain. Paul shares his journey of faith, the challenges he faced in traditional pastoral roles, and his transition to a microchurch model. He discusses the importance of community, the role of shepherding in various contexts, and the freedom he has found in his new ministry approach...

In this episode, Dean Yoder shares his transformative journey from being a firefighter to a pastor, and now navigating life after stepping away from traditional church leadership. He discusses the importance of understanding one's identity in Christ, the challenges of church mergers, and the pressure of maintaining traditional church expectations. Dean emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in his...

Join Britton as he sits down with Luis Ruiz, a long-time friend and fellow pioneer in ministry. Luis shares his journey from a traditional church upbringing to leading a simple, organic church movement in Orlando. Discover how faith, family, and paradigm shifts have shaped his path.   

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Jim Britts shares his transformative journey from a traditional pastoral role to pioneering a disciple-making movement. He discusses his early faith experiences, the pivotal moments that led him to church planting, and the importance of hearing God's voice. Jim emphasizes the significance of personal stories, finding persons of peace, and the chall...

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Britton interviews Nate Ward, a former pastor who shares his journey from traditional church leadership to pioneering a new way of being the church with his family. Nate discusses his early life, the challenges he faced in ministry, the impact of COVID-19 on his perspective, and how he is now focusing on outreach and discipleship in a more personal...