The Pastor's Table

Bethany Hammer and Tara Beth start the first part of a bonus series on women in ministry.   Many women have not explored what God might call them to do because they’ve never been given a vision. Mariane Elliott says, “If you can see it, you can be it.” Bethany shares her story of navigating having few examples of other women in ministry, yet finding her way to the call God had on her life.   Expan...

Pastoring a church is filled with many ups and downs.  There are moments of difficulty and moments of deep meaning and significance. In this episode, Mark and Tara Beth explore the question of why stay in ministry. Pastors face all sorts of challenges from disgruntled staff to people leaving over surprising reasons. Being sustained in ministry can be challenging but there is always hope when we ta...

Word of Life experienced a significant transition while Brian Zahnd grew deeper in his theology was significant.  Brian shares what his anchors were through this long period of transition. Tara Beth and Mark also unpack with Brian some of the practices their church is intentional about to foster a salvation community.   By prioritizing community, discipleship, and meaningful engagement, Tara Beth,...

Why would the pastor of a large and thriving church risk everything in a quest to find a richer, deeper, fuller Christianity? Tara Beth and Mark chat with Brian Zahnd about his journey of discovering deeper theology and leading Word of Life Church into greater theological integrity. He has been the pastor of World of Life for 41 years. There have been ups and downs on their journey but through the...

Encouter. Formation. Mission.  These 3 paradigms are how Rock Harbor church intentionally participates in salvation. It’s not a one-time event or transaction. Salvation is a culture that nurtures people into a relationship with God. Encountering God in this kind of relationship moves to formation and then outward to mission. Glenn also talks with Mark and Tara Beth about programs like Alpha that t...

How can pastors become resilient in a rapidly changing world? Is it possible to love well and lead faithfully? In the wake of crises that have exposed and accelerated massive cultural shifts, we see more clearly the seismic shifts of post-Christendom, the surging storms of a new paganism and pluralism, and the scattered debris of the cultural aftermath. Glenn talks with Mark and Tara Beth about a...

The institutional pressures for growth and the emphasis on vanity metrics like attendance and finances can lead pastors to adopt a transactional view of salvation.  Tara Beth, Mark, and Beth explore the need for confession and the importance of incorporating it into worship services as a reminder of our continual need for God's grace. The episode highlights the challenge of cultivating a worship e...

Relationships are messy. They have demands and are never linear experiences.   Salvation as a purely transactional experience is easy for Christians to latch onto. Christians from individualistic and capitalistic societies are more susceptible to this kind of thinking. The problem is that many theological problems arise in viewing salvation as only a transactional experience. Tara Beth & Mark...

Pastors are at their best when they are true to their theological convictions.   All sorts of influences can lead pastors to sacrifice their theological integrity. When a pastor does church from a place incongruous with their deeply formed theological beliefs it never ends well. The result is often burnout in ministry.    God has called pastors to be more than cogs in a machine. God has called you...

Pastoral ministry is challenging.   Mark and Tara Beth explore how times of challenge can often form pastors into greater Christ Likeness.  God uses the tasks of pastoral ministry to develop his followers in the most powerful ways. The idea of salvation is so much more than a ticket to go to heaven.  This whole season is about Soteriology and in this episode, we set the table.    Discussion Questi...

In the middle of the worst ministry moments, maybe God has a story of redemption.  Tara Beth and Mark both talked about how they experienced God’s faithfulness in the midst of challenging transitions. Despite the uncertainty and hardship they encountered, they both found hope and redemption in unexpected ways. Through their experiences, they gained a deeper understanding of God's faithfulness and...

Pastors need to transition in ministry all the time.  Tara Beth and Mark discuss the tough reality that many pastors face in the midst of transition. Often time seasons of transition are forced upon pastors in a less-than-ideal situations. Loneliness, anger, mistreatment, and many other things are all experiences pastors often have in seasons of transition.   Pastors aren’t destined to be treated...

Weathering difficult storms in ministry is something most pastors have to navigate.   The journey of navigating ministry change is not easy work. Michael shared the ups and downs of all that he experienced in his ministry transition. No matter how challenging the situation, God is always faithfully present and working. Discussion Questions: Pastors are often the ones congregation members go to for...

Michael felt called to speak about some really complex cultural issues of the day. What happened became a painful journey with denominational conflict, the slow burn of very contentious communication, and the experience of grief from fractured relationships. The situation came to a point when he was even threatened to be suspended from his work.   Join us next week for the rest of Michael’s story....

Expectations of pastors by congregations can create situations where it’s painful and counterproductive to live like Jesus.   Even in moments when it feels like a failure, God is at work always inviting pastors into faithfulness. God’s redemption is often unexpected and surprising. Sean, Tara Beth, and Mark discuss how one can process what faithfulness in ministry looks like.   Discussion Question...

Ministry can often have pressure to be successful in a way that may be counter to the way Jesus chose to minister.   Sean Issac Palmer speaks very openly about a situation where he experienced a painful release from a church.  The perception of failure as Sean discussed can be an enormous burden for pastors. Hope is possible when we honor our limitations and fill our lives with pastoral friendship...

All creation is groaning under the burden of sin.  Sin is much more than an individual's bad behavior. The insidious nature of sin has impacted every element of creation. That destructive nature of sin is found in all institutions and has harmed many.  Many times institutions have found to be more interested in protecting and advancing “the mission” than actually caring for people. What if people...

Sin is ubiquitous. There is no escaping the impact of sin in the world we live in.   It is not IF Christian leaders sin but WHEN. That is why the practice of confession is so important. Confession is essential to living as a follower of Jesus. Even though the world propels us to live with a posture that we have it all together, sin is inevitable. There is no way to live and shepherd like Jesus wit...

Northern Seminary is journeying through a distressing time.   Mark & Tara Beth interrupt the normal broadcast to address the issues facing Northern. Northern Seminary is an organization that has drawn many students & faculty to study because of its goodness.    For many Northern represented being an island of goodness in a world surrounded by misery. Mark and Tara Beth discuss how an organ...

The holiest work of God’s Kingdom often happens in unseen spaces.   Rob Prince shared with Mark and Tara Beth about the way Rob and his wife Carla have been caring for one of their congregation members with terminal cancer.* There is little benefit that Rob & Carla’s friend with terminal cancer can give back to them but it is obvious that their care is a true example of the incarnation.  *Rob...

Rob Prince has pastored for over 30 years with chronic migraines. His migraines have been a limitation on his life and ministry. Rob, Mark, and Tara Beth explore how Jesus willingly embraced limitations in the incarnation. The reality of the incarnation provides a profound vision of the way all pastors can serve through their own pain. Even though God has not taken away Rob’s migraines, Rob’s test...

The mystery of the incarnation can be disorienting but it also holds tremendous blessings. Dr. Beth Feker Jones dives deep into the question of how human was Jesus. Did he get sick? Was he able to sin? Jesus unquestionably loves our bodies because he lived life on earth with a body. Understanding the depths of the incarnation helps us understand the impact it can have on our daily lives. Jesus is...

Good practice is good for good theology, and good theology is good for good Christian practice. Dr. Beth Felker Jones rejoins the conversation and explores the interaction between Christian theology and Christian practice. Discover how they’re not isolated components of faith. Rather, there is a deep and significant interplay between the two.   Questions:  It was discussed that good practice is go...

We don’t need to forsake our humanity to be Pastors.   There are so many sources pastors use to help establish their identity.  Tara Beth and Mark explore the depths of what it means to truly consider the incarnation of Christ to form our identities as Pastors.  We have a right to be confused. We have a right to have a crisis of faith, even as pastors. Discussion Questions: After listening to this...

Fruit takes time to produce.  You can’t microwave the experience.   Jay Y. Kim talks with Mark & Tara Beth about the realization that incarnational ministry like Jesus can often feel “inefficient” and slow. However, it’s in that approach to ministry that God does His most profound work.  Could it be that in our efforts to stay relevant in our digital age, we've begun to give away the very thin...