The Jim Bradford Podcast

Pastor Jim explores the topic of doubt and the recent emphasis many have placed on deconstructing faith. Often these doubts are brought on by questions and uncertainty, but often they track deeper than the questions themselves. Pastor Jim explores his own experience of doubt and the relationship doubt has to faith. Our conversation will be helpful in processing your own doubts but also in learning...

When it comes to the intersection of faith and science, there is no avoiding the conversation of creation. For centuries, Christians and scientists have been struggling to understand how our universe came into existence and trying to read both the evidence and the Biblical account.  In this week's episode, Pastor Jim offers his thoughts on the questions as well as how he reads Genesis 1 and 2...

In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores some of the recent breakthroughs in science and how what we're discovering can serve to build your faith. But we also discuss the limits of the scientific method. There are things science can teach us and there are things that it can not. Pastor Jim explores where that line is and where faith forces questions on all of us.

If you’re around Pastor Jim for long, you’ll eventually hear someone refer to him as a rocket scientist. Before becoming a pastor, he received a Ph. D. in aerospace engineering. In this weekes episode, we look at Pastor Jim’s love of science and how that pursuit, at the highest levels, built his faith in God.

As we wrap up our series of conversations on Pastor Jim's book, Lead So That Others Can Follow , we turn our attention to spiritual stamina. We've previously looked at the importance of stamina and managing emotions, but this week, Pastor Jim explores the importance of spiritual stamina. At the center of our spiritual stamina is the reality of spiritual warfare. Pastor Jim explores why w...

Over the past few episodes, we've been looking at the work necessary to maintain healthy stamina in ministry. Key to that work is learning to manage your emotions. We too often assume that emotions are spontaneous and uncontrollable. When we feel them, we do our best to ignore them and get back to work. But Pastor Jim gives some suggestions for what you should do to manage those emotions and...

We live in a culture that has elevated feelings to the seat of truth. What you feel becomes your perspective on life and your impulse to act. But Pastor Jim explores why feelings should be seen as followers, not leaders.  This conversation will help you gain a better perspective about what you are feeling and help you build the emotional capacity necessary for stamina and longevity in ministry. Yo...

Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a look at stamina and how it can be cultivated for a lifetime of ministry. A big part of stamina is health. When we are worn out and sick it's hard to keep our stamina and emotions high.  Pastor Jim explores several practical considerations for improving your health as a means of cultivating energy and longevity in ministry. He shares his own expe...

Ministry usually involves a long process. It takes time and commitment. It, like the Christian faith, is a marathon race. Repeatedly, scripture encourages us to run that race well with perseverance and stamina. In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores why stamina is so important to ministry and how we can lose that stamina. The good news is, stamina lost can be refound. Pastor Jim offers h...

In this week's episode, Pastor Jim wraps up our conversations on change by looking at the importance of teams. Change is always a process of managing emotions and anxiety. By focusing on leading with teams, you can better understand objections and fears and share the burden of managing them well.  Key to this work is trust. We explore how to earn it, and how to keep it even as you implement c...

An endless process of change disconnected from a church's mission will sabotage progress and leave people feeling tired and distrustful. In this week's episode, Pastor Jim explores why change must be connected to mission. We look at how mission helps guide change and communicate it.  We also look at the reality of resistance. A part of change is bringing as many people along as you can,...

Everyone faces change. For some it comes naturally, for others change creates anxiety and reluctance. Leading change comes with its own set of challenges. Over the next few epsiodes, Pastor Jim explores the topic of leading change.  That all begins begins with recognizing when change is needed and where to start. For Pastor Jim, change always begins with an honest look at yourself and your own emo...

A part of growing as a preacher is listening to preachers. It's not uncommon to be inspired by greater preachers and to learn from their expertise. But listening to others can also lead to imitation and insecurity. In this week's episode Pastor Jim explores the topic of authenticity in preaching.  He also offers advice for those just beginning as preachers and encouragement for those who...

Most preachers have heard of breaking each sermon point into explanation, illustration, and application, but Pastor Jim explains why application has become increasingly important to his preaching.  We explore how to find the right application for the questions people are asking, how to make the application clear in your points, and how simple illustrations can help reinforce application. It's...

In this week's episode, we continue our conversation around preaching by looking at the work of sermon preparation. Every preacher is unique, and so too are their ways of preparing. Pastor Jim breaks down his sermon preparation process and offers advice on improving yours as well.  As always, a big part of our discussion is integrating your spiritual life into the work of sermon preparation....

Anyone who has preached for very long knows that improving is challenging and too often frustrating. It's easy to get discouraged and settle into a plateau. In today's episode, Pastor Jim explores the importance of growing as a speaker and offers some advice on how to continue improving. 

Over the past few weeks, we've been looking at the importance of teams and team development. In our final conversation on the topic, Pastor Jim explores ten competencies teams should work to improve.  As usual, these competencies demonstrate an integration of spirituality and leadership. We cover things like dependence on the Holy Spirit, creating safe interpersonal environments, and how to i...

In today's episode, Pastor Jim continues to describe his ten values for building a better team. This conversation builds on the previous episode's list. This next list includes things like budgeting time, family commitments, and dealing with team conflict.  We conclude the conversation by talking about how pastors can be more intentional with developing their own teams and team values. 

We are currently in a series of conversations discussing the critical importance of teams in doing ministry together. Over the next few weeks, we want to look at the values and competencies that make for a better team.  This week, Pastor Jim explains where these values came from and how each can help you evaluate and build better teams within your own organization.

In this new series of conversations, Pastor Jim explores the critical place of teams in doing ministry. We discuss when he recognized the importance of teams and how Jesus intentionally utilized a team-based approach to ministry. At the center of building and maintaining a team are the important topics of trust, encouragement, accountability, and mission.

Pastor Jim explains that the church is always in need of called ministers and leaders but we can never take that call lightly. In our conversation we discuss how to evaluate your own sense of calling.  The conversation will help those who may be considering entering the ministry, considering a career change, or just needing a reminder of why they took up this work in the first place. 

Pastor Jim continues to discuss his list of questions for evaluating a new team member and yourself. In today’s conversation, we talk about humility, handling criticism, culture, and how you can use these questions for evaluating your own life. 

Pastor Jim continues to discuss his list of questions for evaluating a new team member and yourself. In today’s conversation, we talk about working well with others, loyalty, and handling financial budgets. 

Pastor Jim continues to discuss his list of questions for evaluating a new team member and yourself. In today's conversation, we talk about effective communication, knowing what you're good at, and how you lead others.  

Pastor Jim states that selecting the right leaders is holy work. In this new series of conversations, we explore 16 questions he uses to evaluate a new team member, but we also discuss how these questions can, and should, be used for self-evaluation. In this first conversation, we look at the three critical questions of spirituality, character, and motivation.