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Latest Episodes:

Resilience is more than Grit | Glenn Packiam (Part 1) | PT 27 Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

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 vision for pastors rooting the source of their resilience in the resurrection of Jesus. Times are hard for pastors and it may get more challenging. There is a transformative grace available to church leaders. Without that grace, it’s impossible to be resilient.

Discussion Questions:

Glenn termed the phrase ‘fractional ecclesiology’ to describe how people often pick different elements or services of various churches. In what ways do you see this working out?
We experience salvation in community. It is a key way that makes a transactional soteriology fall apart. Where do you see a salvation that is formational be experienced in community?
Two hallmarks of pastors who keep their focus on the long game of ministry are having peer relationships and intentional counseling or spiritual direction. How are you doing in these areas?
Resilience is more than grit. It’s about the power of the resurrection made available to us through God’s grace. In what ways do you keep this front and center in your ministry?

Learn more about resilient pastor groups led by Glenn Packiam in partnership with Barna: https://www.barna.com/resilient-pastor-cohort/

Salvation & Worship | PT 26 Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

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 experience that focuses on relational formation rather than transactional salvation.

There is a way to cultivate worship services that reflect a view of salvation centered on relational formation rather than a transactional approach. This episode encourages churches to align their worship practices with their theological beliefs and resist the pressure to conform to a predetermined script. Being clear on what is salvation is essential because it will inevitably impact worship.

Discussion Questions:

How do institutional pressures for growth, such as measuring success through attendance, building, and cash, contribute to the temptation of reducing salvation to a transactional model? In what ways have you seen this play out in your own church or ministry context?
The hosts discuss the importance of confession as a foundational formation practice in Christian worship. However, they note that confession is often overlooked or considered a downer in many evangelical churches today. How does the omission of confession impact our understanding of salvation and our relationship with God? How might incorporating confession into our worship services help cultivate a more holistic view of salvation as relational formation?
The episode raises the question of how churches can resist the pressure to conform to a transactional model of salvation and instead foster worship experiences that align with their theological convictions. How can churches strike a balance between meeting the needs and expectations of their congregation while remaining faithful to a more holistic understanding of salvation? Share examples of practices or liturgies that you believe can help cultivate a worship environment that emphasizes relational formation rather than transactional metrics.

Transactional vs. Relational Salvation | PT 25 Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

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 talk with Beth Felker Jones about the importance of viewing salvation as relational and transformational.

Discussion Questions:

An understanding of salvation is central to the understanding and practice of any church. How would you describe how your church understands salvation?
Salvation that is understood in the context of a relationship can’t help but be transformational. How have you seen transformation play out from a relational view of salvation?
In what ways does a transactional view of salvation limit our understanding of God's love and the depth of our relationship with Him?

Faithful to Salvation | PT 24 May 29, 2023

Show notes

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 to a particular theological tradition. Enjoy the gift of the calling God has given you.

Discussion Questions:

Mark shares about being drawn to the seeker-friendly model and tried implementing it. He finally felt this model was “wearing someone else’s shoes.” Have you ever had a similar feeling? What was that like for you?
Describe your theological convictions around salvation. In what ways do you see practices in your church come from these convictions?
Tara Beth talked about the power of authenticity and the ensuing spiritual authority. Where have you witnessed this spiritual authority Tara Beth described?

What if the Pastoral Call is Salvific? | PT 23 May 22, 2023

Show notes

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 Questions:

Mark asked the question that “What if the Pastoral Call is Salvific?” How does that resonate with or challenge you?
Oswald Chambers says, "God is at perfect liberty to waste you.” Do you agree or struggle with this quote? Do you think God cares more about the tasks you do or the person you are?
How do you find the work of pastoral ministry to be formative?

Faithfulness in Transitions | Pastoral Transitions (Part 2) | PT 22 May 15, 2023

Show notes

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 discovered the power of perseverance in the face of adversity. Join us as we explore the transformative power of faith in the midst of life's toughest moments.

Discussion Questions:

Tara Beth mentioned having a lot of maternal love for the congregation where she is Sr. Pastor. She described how she pastors through the lens of mothering. What did you learn from her perspective about Pastoring?
There were a lot of moving pieces that God put together for Tara Beth to now become the Pastor at Good Shepherd. How has God shown up and put pieces together in your stories of ministry transition?
Mark mentioned how he experienced God in museums. Where do you seek to experience God in painful moments?
Where are you experiencing God’s faithfulness right now?

Check out Mark’s course on Seminary Now: Pastoral Ministry: Calling and Resilience.

SeminaryNow.com is a streaming video platform with short courses from leading authors and professors. The Pastor’s Table listeners can get 25% off full access to the courses by using the code TPT.

Our theme song for The Pastor’s Table is Radiant by eleven eleven worship. LISTEN NOW on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your music.

Discerning When to Stay and When to Go | (Pastoral Transitions - Part 1) | PT 21 May 08, 2023

Show notes

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 as doormats. Get guidance on discerning when to stay and when to go in ministry.

Discussion Questions:

A listener left a message on thepastorstable.com about experiencing a dark season in ministry. What do you do when you feel alone or mistreated in ministry?
Mark and Tara Beth describe times when they’ve preached while angry. Have you ever realized you were preaching with anger or other emotions that could have been better proceed elsewhere? What did you do?
Think of a transition you’ve experienced in ministry. What helped guide you in your process of discernment and transition?

Check out Mark’s course on Seminary Now: Pastoral Ministry: Calling and Resilience.

SeminaryNow.com is a streaming video platform with short courses from leading authors and professors. The Pastor’s Table listeners can get 25% off full access to the courses by using the code TPT.

Our theme song for The Pastor’s Table is Radiant by eleven eleven worship. LISTEN NOW on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your music.

Navigating Ministry Changes | Michael Palmer (Part 2) | PT 20 May 01, 2023

Show notes

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 their discernment. Who do you go to for spiritual discernment?
Michael shared about having a spiritual director to navigate these experiences. He shared how he is learning to trust his feelings more. How do you experience and make sense of the emotions you experience in ministry?
What is something difficult you’re facing right now in ministry? How can you let another person tend to your needs?

Check out Mark’s course on Seminary Now: Pastoral Ministry: Calling and Resilience.

SeminaryNow.com is a streaming video platform with short courses from leading authors and professors. The Pastor’s Table listeners can get 25% off full access to the courses by using the code TPT.

Our theme song for The Pastor’s Table is Radiant by eleven eleven worship. LISTEN NOW on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your music.

Incarnation & Rejection in Prophetic Moments | Michael Palmer (Part 1) | PT 19 Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

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.

Discussion Questions:

Mark observed how Michael’s church helped tend to him as their pastor. How have you experienced your congregation tending or not tending to your needs?
Michael talked about his idea of what ministry was going to be like and contrasted how what he experienced was much different. What are ways you’ve experienced similar differences?
Michael spoke prophetically into some very difficult topics of the day. What has been your experience trying to be loving and prophetic in the way God is calling you to be in your church?

Check out Mark’s new course on Seminary Now: Pastoral Ministry: Calling and Resilience.

SeminaryNow.com is a streaming video platform with short courses from leading authors and professors. The Pastor’s Table listeners can get 25% off full access to the courses by using the code TPT.

Our theme song for The Pastor’s Table is Radiant by eleven eleven worship. LISTEN NOW on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your music.

The Good After Unmet Expectations | Sean Isaac Palmer (Part 2) | PT 18 Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

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 Questions:

Sean discusses a tumultuous time in a ministry that wasn’t a good fit. Have there ever been a time in your life when you’ve felt you’ve attempted to do ministry with a bad fit?
Doing the next right thing is often all that Jesus is asking of pastors. What are you processing as the next right thing to do now?
“Playing the game” is a temptation to all in ministry. How are you tempted to play the game in your ministry?
Faithfulness was discussed a lot in this episode. Describe how you understand faithfulness in ministry.

Check out Mark’s new course on Seminary Now: Pastoral Ministry: Calling and Resilience.

SeminaryNow.com is a streaming video platform with short courses from leading authors and professors. The Pastor’s Table listeners can get 25% off full access to the courses by using the code TPT.

Our theme song for The Pastor’s Table is Radiant by eleven eleven worship. LISTEN NOW on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your music.

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