The Jim Bradford Podcast

It's a new year, and we have a new series of conversations to kick off this week. Over the past year, we've been slowly working our way through the pastoral epistles, having covered 1 & 2 Timothy. In today's episode, we introduce the final of the epistles, Paul's letter to Titus. We'll discuss who Titus was, his relationship to Paul, and what prompted Paul to write thi...

In this week's episode, we're continuing our mini-series of conversations with the staff of Central Assembly. Pastor Anthony Matrone joins us to talk about his unconventional path to pastoral ministry and how young ministers can navigate their own call. The early years of ministry can sometimes be plagued with restlessness and impatience. Pastor Jim and Pastor Anthony offer advice for fi...

We're continuing our mini-series over conversations in which we've invited new voices onto the podcast to talk about ministry, team relationships, and growing trust. Today, we're joined by Carter McDaniel, who has been a longtime central employee, serving in roles from sound and IT to his current position as Executive Pastor. Jim and Carter offer helpful advice on cultivating health...

Over the next few weeks, we've invited some new voices to join us on the podcast. These conversations are a chance for us to discuss the relational dynamics of ministry and how members of a team can better serve one another.  Our first guest is Pastor Don Tucker. As a long-time missionary and pastor, Don brings a broad perspective and experience to the Central team. We discuss building trust...

In today's episode, we're finishing up our look at Paul's letters to Timothy. We take time to discuss Paul's final words and to also reflect on what lessons we've learned from these two books. Though in our look at the Pastoral Epistles, we still have the letter to Titus to go, we've now spent almost 50 weeks discussing Paul's letters to Timothy, and there have b...

As we near the end of Paul's second letter to Timothy, Paul begins to further explain his personal situation. Paul knew he was close to death and found himself abandoned, isolated, betrayed, and alone. Paul had suffered many physical consequences of his ministry, but it is these emotional wounds that seem most painful. Still, Paul has not lost hope. Even alone on trial, he senses the presence...

Paul realizes that his death is near. To quote his words, he is being poured out like a drink offering. But Paul has fought the good fight, and he encourages Timothy to do the same. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores perseverance and endurance in ministry and how for those who wait and watch and long for Christ to appear again, there is coming a crown of righteousness. Our hope is not ba...

As Paul moves toward the end of his letter, he gives Timothy a series of short pieces of advice: keep your head, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and do the duties of your ministry. Pastor Jim explores these simple statements and why collectively they form a whole picture of Timothy's work in ministry and how they can form and shape our ministry as well. For anyone dealing with...

Paul gave Timothy encouragement to be faithful in preaching the word. But Paul wasn't naive. He knew that not everyone would listen. Instead, many would be drawn to teachers who spoke what they wanted to hear. Paul described them as having itchy ears. In today's episode, we take a closer look at Paul's warning and how easy it is to accumulate the teaching we want in a world of onlin...

Chapter four of Paul's second letter to Timothy is full of familiar phrases. Perhaps at the top of that list is Paul's charge for Timothy to preach the word. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the call to preach and why preaching is central to pastoral work. We also take a look at that similarly familiar charge to be ready in and out of season and how to do it with patience and...

It's one of the most famous verses from 2 Timothy. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." Paul recognized that Timothy possessed a great gift. He had been instructed in the scriptures since he was a child. Paul encouraged Timothy to trust what he had learned. He encourages him to make the scriptures the center...

Paul has been detailing the corruption and spread of false teaching. He has been warning Timothy about it. And again, he highlights his own suffering in the past and still to come. It's a serious challenge, and Paul builds to the point of advice for how Timothy should face it. Paul encourages Timothy to continue in what he has previously learned.  We might have expected something more profoun...

Having dealt with general false teaching, Paul also gives attention to the corruption of leadership. False teaching leads to abusive and corrupt behavior. Pastor Jim takes a closer look at how corruption can work its way into the minister's life. We also take a look at how ministry leaders can avoid corruption and instead embrace humility, truth, and holiness. 

Having repeatedly turned his attention to false teaching, in 2 Timothy 3, the Apostle Paul turns his attention to characteristics of the end times. Paul believed the end times would be marked by more false teaching. He didn't want Timothy to be surprised or discouraged by it.  Pastor Jim explores the list of sins Paul described and how the end times are always eminent, and why we shouldn&apos...

Quarreling was a topic the Apostle Paul repeatedly returned to in his pastoral letters. He warned Timothy not to get drugged into endless quarreling and useless controversies. It wasn't just a first-century temptation. Pastors today face constant temptation to comment on every controversy and to join every quarrel.  Pastor Jim offers advice on how to avoid being baited and why character is so...

Paul had previously encouraged Timothy to not be discouraged by his youth. In a culture that honored age and wisdom, Timothy's age must have made him feel insecure and vulnerable. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul comes back to Timothy's age and offers him a warning. Timothy is to flee the evil desires that are too often associated with youth.  In today's episode, Pastor Jim discusses those yout...

One of Timothy's primary pastoral tasks at Ephesus was dealing with the spread of false teaching. It's not the first time Paul has brought up the topic, but he does so again in 2 Timothy 2. He reminds Timothy of the simple Gospel message that is at the center of true faith.  Pastor Jim explores how to hold on to that simplicity in a world awash with controversy, conflict, and false teach...

Paul briefly returns again to the topic of quarreling. It's a topic that seems to have been at the forefront of Paul's concerns. It's easy to get caught up in it. Even today, we find ourselves drug into arguments, controversies, and quarreling. Paul wanted to make sure Timothy avoided that trap. Instead, he encouraged Timothy to present himself as one approved by God.  Pastor Jim ex...

As Paul continues to help TImothy better understand the reality of suffering, he turns to what may have been an early hymn of the church. Paul calls it another trustworthy saying. In today's episode, pastor Jim works us through the hymn and how it can be a tool for helping us keep perspective even in the midst of suffering. 

As Paul continued to warn Timothy about coming suffering, he feared that Timothy would be tempted to give up. You would expect Paul to talk about commitment. That's the language we usually use. We should show commitment. But Pastor Jim helps us recognize why Paul uses the language of surrender.  What is the difference between commitment and surrender and why is submission so important for thi...

In describing suffering and the endurance that produces good from it, the Apostle Paul offered Timothy three images: the solider, the athlete, and the farmer. Even as Paul anticipated greater suffering to come, he understood that by God's grace it could be transformed into something better.  In today's episode, Pastor Jim unpacks these three images and helps us recognize how suffering ca...

As we continue our look at Paul's second letter to Timothy, we come back to the topic of suffering. Paul knew physical suffering, but he also knew the disappointment of ministry and the risks that awaited himself and Timothy. Paul didn't urge Timothy to rely on his own inner strength. Instead, he reminded Timothy that his strength was in the face of Christ.  Pastor Jim explores how we ca...

Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy during a season of suffering. Paul knew his death was coming soon. He asks Timothy to share in his suffering. Paul was no stranger to suffering and he wanted to make sure Timothy understood what might be coming. In our conversation, Pastor Jim shares thoughts on suffering and why we should not allow suffering to lead us into shame. We take a closer look at t...

As we continue our look at 2 Timothy, we discuss Paul's encouragement to fan into flame the gift Timothy had received. Paul understood that what lay ahead for Timothy would not be easy. So he encouraged him to hold on to his calling and to keep the ember of his faith burning hot.  Those words have often been an encouragement to believers long after Timothy received them. Pastor Jim offers adv...

Paul and Timothy shared a strong friendship. Paul even remembers Timothy's tears when they last parted. Their relationship is just one of the things Paul urges Timothy to remember as he fights to keep a sincere faith. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the dangers of spiritual drift and why Paul was worried about Timothy's future. We also discuss the value of relationships and...