The Everyday Pastor - Matt Smethurst, Ligon Duncan

Latest Episodes:

How to Handle Conflict and Controversy in Ministry Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

Conflict is inevitable in pastoral ministry—but how pastors handle it shapes the health of their church. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst explore theological controversy, denominational tension, and local church conflict, offering biblical wisdom for leading with courage, humility, and love.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

When Martyn Lloyd-Jones Confronted a Pastor Who Loved Controversy and Denunciation by Justin Taylor
On Controversy by John Newton
The Multi-Directional Leader by Trevin Wax
Forgive by Tim Keller
The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit by Jeremiah Burroughs

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Spiritual Warfare in Ministry Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

Spiritual warfare is real in ministry—but often misunderstood. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan help pastors think biblically and pastorally about Satan’s schemes, the Spirit’s indwelling power, and how to resist discouragement while persevering in faithful ministry.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks
The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall
The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
The Work of the Holy Spirit by Abraham Kuyper
New Life in the Wasteland by Douglas F. Kelly
The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Teach People How to Read Their Bibles Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

One of a pastor’s primary responsibilities is not only to teach Scripture, but also to help his people learn how to read the Bible for themselves. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan share how pastors can encourage their congregations to engage deeply with God’s Word, meditate on how he has revealed himself, and approach Scripture with obedience and joy.

Resources Mentioned:

A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation by Matthew C. Bingham
A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life by J. I. Packer
Before You Open Your Bible: Nine Heart Postures For Approaching God's Word by Matt Smethurst
The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made by Mark Dever
The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept by Mark Dever
Ryken's Bible Handbook by Leland Ryken, Philip Ryken, and James Wilhoit
Survey of the Bible by William Hendriksen

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Giving & Budgeting (with Jamie Dunlop) Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

A church budget is not primarily a financial tool, but a spiritual one. Jamie Dunlop joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to discuss how pastors can encourage generous giving with theological clarity, and steward their church’s budget in a way that models trusted leadership and God-honoring faith.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Why Should I Give to My Church? by Jamie Dunlop
Budgeting for a Healthy Church by Jamie Dunlop
The Compelling Community by Jamie Dunlop
Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy by Jamie Dunlop

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How to Stay Sharp As a Pastor Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Pastors are expected to keep learning—just like doctors, teachers, and counselors. In this episode, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan unpack formal and informal ways to stay sharp: carving out daily reading, using journals and courses, attending conferences, leaning on study Bibles, pursuing study leave or targeted coursework (ThM/DMin), and even teaching as adjuncts. They also warn against using degrees as an escape from ministry and offer practical counsel for staying current on cultural issues while remaining focused on your flock.

Resources Mentioned:

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Preparing Believers to Suffer Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Suffering is not a glitch in the Christian life—it’s part of it. In this conversation, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan talk about how pastors can prepare their people to face pain with faith and endurance. They discuss what it means to view hardship through God’s providence, why the “victorious Christian life” often looks like just hanging on, and how preaching, hymns, and patient shepherding can help believers trust God when He seems silent.

Resources Mentioned:

When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent by Ligon Duncan
Joni Eareckson Tada
Mark Talbot, When the Stars Disappear
John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life
Psalm 88; Psalm 40; 2 Corinthians 4; Romans 8; Genesis 50:20
Hymns: How Firm a Foundation, Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul, Afflicted Saint, to Christ Draw Near

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Effective Church Administration (with Jamie Dunlop) Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Many pastors enter ministry to preach and shepherd, not manage spreadsheets—but good administration is deeply spiritual work. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan talk with Jamie Dunlop (Capitol Hill Baptist Church) about how faithful administration protects unity, supports preaching, and strengthens trust in the church. They discuss deacons, elders, executive pastors, and practical ways to build systems that serve people, not just processes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pastor and Counseling (with Deepak Reju) Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Every pastor wants a culture of care, but not every pastor feels equipped to counsel—much less to equip others to counsel one another. In this episode, Deepak Reju—a Delaware pastor who served for nearly 20 years as the counseling pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church—joins Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst to discuss counseling versus discipling, how to build a culture of lay counseling, advice for getting tooled up, tips for pastors who feel out of their depth, thoughts on medication and referrals, and more.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Cure of Souls by David Powilson
Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness by David Powlison
How People Change by Paul David Tripp
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks
Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul David Tripp
The Art of Disagreeing: How to Keep Calm and Stay Friends in Hard Conversations by Gavin Ortlund
The Pastor and Counseling: The Basics of Shepherding Members in Need, by Jeremy Pierre and Deepak Reju
Journal of Biblical Counseling
New Growth Press Minibook Counseling Resource Pack
Counseling Talk Podcast
Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) Course

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Prepare People for Church Discipline Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

Practicing church discipline is a vital biblical responsibility that’s often ignored in our modern age. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst discuss what church discipline is (and isn’t), why healthy congregations practice it, and why it’s actually a form of love. Drawing from experience, they also offer advice for fostering a culture in your church where discipline will seem faithful, not foreign.

Resources Mentioned:

Is It Loving to Practice Church Discipline? By Jonathan Leeman
What Should We Do about Members Who Won’t Attend? By Alex Duke
Understanding Church Discipline by Jonathan Leeman
Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus by Jonathan Leeman

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Preparing Members for Death and Heaven Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

Ministry is about a lot of things, but central to the task is preparing people to die and face their Creator. This is deeply challenging, though, in a death-denying age. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst welcome Matt McCullough—a pastor in Nashville and the author of two excellent books, ‘Remember Death’ and ‘Remember Heaven’—to discuss how to shepherd God’s people to embrace their mortality, anticipate their heavenly inheritance, and make the most of their lives.

Resources Mentioned:

Remember Death: The Surprising Path to Living Hope by Matt McCullough

Does God Love Everyone? (Church Questions) by Matt McCullough

Remember Heaven: Meditations on the World to Come for Life in the Meantime by Matt McCullough

The Saints' Everlasting Rest: Updated and Abridgedby Richard Baxter, abridged by Tim Cooper

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 AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.