The Everyday Pastor

Two years ago today, Tim Keller went to be with the Lord. Using Matt’s new book— Tim Keller on the Christian Life , published by Crossway—as a discussion guide, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst reflect on underappreciated teachings from Tim’s body of work. If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more. Hosted by Simplecast, an A...

Ministering to the women in our churches and equipping them to disciple one another is a privilege. But how can pastors do this well? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst welcome Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor to the podcast. They draw from extensive experience to discuss practical tips for cultivating a healthy women’s ministry in your local church. If you'r...

Show us a church with distracted elders, and we’ll show you a church without effective deacons. For better or worse, deacons are difference-makers in congregational life. But when it comes to this topic, too many churches are operating from custom and tradition—with Bibles closed. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan revisit the Bible’s job description for deacon...

Last week, we considered what elders are, biblically speaking, and which traits should characterize a candidate for the office. In this follow-up episode of The Everyday Pastor, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan get even more “nuts and boltsy,” discussing tips for working with fellow elders, leading elders’ meetings, establishing healthy cultural dynamics, and more. Recommended resources: “Want to B...

There are few greater gifts for a pastor than getting to serve with a godly band of brothers. But not every church has multiple elders—and not every elder team functions in a healthy way. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss what elders are, why every church should seek to have them, and what a pastor should be looking for in potential elders. Recommended...

It’s the most important book in the universe, but it can also be intimidating. Many of our members may be discouraged to admit that their resolutions have sputtered out—again. As pastors, how can we prepare and motivate our members to dive into God’s Word for themselves? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan share practical tips for promoting a culture of biblica...

Pastors are called to walk alongside suffering saints, but what about when the pastor is the sufferer? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , pastor Garrett Kell joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to share about a season of family hardship—and what it looked like to receive care from his church community. He testifies to the beauty of Christ’s body and the faith-fortifying role of pain, encou...

Every pastor affirms the importance of prayer and likely excels at it publicly, but consistency in private prayer is hard. And it isn't easy to foster a congregation-wide culture of prayer. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss practical tips for improving your prayer life—and the praying habits of your whole congregation. After all, a church that will be...

Leadership is an art, and many pastors get it wrong—sometimes with devastating results. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Paul Tripp joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to discuss how a pastor can lead well for the flourishing of the whole church. The conversation touches on the importance of fostering a healthy leadership community, the gift of limits, responding to criticism and praise,...

Theology is vital for life. We know this as pastors, but do our members? Are we helping them to grow in thinking theologically? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss practical ways to promote deeper love for God’s truth. After all, how our people view him will make all the difference in their lives. If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD pr...

When Paul lists elder qualifications, he mentions Satan twice (1 Tim. 3:6–7). Why? The devil loves to stalk and destroy shepherds. And one of his main strategies is tempting us toward little compromises—which never remain little—in the realm of sexual purity. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Garrett Kell joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to discuss lessons he’s learned the hard way, how...

Assurance of salvation is a deeply precious gift, but many Christians struggle to experience it. Pastors have the unique privilege—and challenge—of being “soul doctors” in our people’s lives. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss how to apply the gospel to nominal Christians (who shouldn’t have assurance), struggling Christians (who should), and all Christ...

Do your members prioritize the Lord’s Day? Are they maximizing their time at church? In a hyper-busy age, we can serve our people by preparing them to come on Sundays ready to grow, ready to serve, and ready to launch. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst offer practical tips for helping your congregation get the most out of corporate worship. If you're ready to...

Men and women aren't interchangeable, and God’s gendered design is a beautiful thing. How can pastors encourage and equip the godly women that the Lord entrusts to their care? It has been said, after all, that there’s no such thing as a healthy church in which the men flourish but the women don't. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss how pastors can bett...

Doctrines are more like an interconnected web than an itemized list. So how do we determine which matters are debatable in a church—and which are not? Not all beliefs are equally important, after all.  In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan encourage pastors to think carefully about the respective “weight” Scripture assigns various doctrines—and the implications f...

Have you ever wondered why two churches can be so similar in their doctrinal beliefs but so different in their practices? How can we make sure our methodology is rooted in theology, not mere pragmatism? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan are joined by Michael Lawrence to discuss the underrated importance of ministry philosophy in our churches. If you're ready t...

If pastors are the supply line, members are the front line. How can pastors equip their sheep to take responsibility for one another’s spiritual well-being? How can pastors foster a culture of relational initiative and deliberate discipleship? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan share practical ideas on how to shepherd your congregations to have a discipleship m...

Pastoral ministry is far more than preaching. Pastors are fundamentally shepherds, which means we’re called to care for particular sheep. How do we do that well? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan consider specific ways pastors can care for their congregation. Recommended resources: Jordan Stone, Love to Christ: Robert Murray M’Cheyne and the Pursuit of Holine...

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching,” Paul exhorts the young pastor Timothy (1 Tim. 4:16). For many of us, it’s dangerously easy to guard our doctrine but not our lives. How can a busy pastor tend to his soul? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss practices for maintaining intimacy with Christ amid the demands of ministry. Recommended reso...

Join Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger for their annual discussion as they look back on the top theology stories of 2024. They also share their favorite books from 2024, updates on personal projects, and what they're each looking forward to in life and ministry in 2025.  They discuss:  The rise in Bible sales in 2024 Declining fertility rates worldwide Big changes for the United Methodist Church an...

The greatest threat to Christmas isn't secularism or consumerism but our own boredom with the most thrilling story ever told. In this special Christmas episode of The Everyday Pastor , Sinclair Ferguson joins Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst to marvel at the miracle of the incarnation. How can pastors help their people recapture the wonder? The trio also offers practical tips for shepherding well d...

Church polity is like stretching. It seems boring until something tears—and then you wish you’d devoted more time to it. Despite their differences (Matt Smethurst is a congregationalist and Ligon Duncan is a Presbyterian), both agree Scripture has a lot to say—more than many evangelicals assume—about how a local church should be structured. This is an underrated topic, and pastors impoverish thems...

When it comes to the art of delivering sermons, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. But Matt Smethurst and (especially) Ligon Duncan have learned helpful lessons over the years. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt and Ligon offer practical tips to help pastors reflect on and improve their sermon delivery. Recommended resources: Mark Dever, Application Grid Thomas Brooks, Precious Reme...

What are your rhythms for sermon preparation? How should this be prioritized alongside other responsibilities? How can you grow more efficient and effective while remaining faithful to the task? In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss the rigors and joys of sermon prep. Recommended resources: The Practical Works of Richard Baxter, Vol. 1: A Christian Direct...

Would your sermons make sense if Jesus didn’t die and rise again? If the answer is yes, your sermons may well be instructive, insightful, and inspiring, but they aren't yet Christian. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor , Bryan Chapell—a “Jedi master” on the topic of Christ-centered preaching—brings decades of experience to this conversation with Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan on why (and how)...