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Practicing Presence: Nathan Hoff on Stability, Community, and a Rule of Life in Los Angeles (Part 1) | PT 147 Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

What if the cure for modern ministry restlessness is staying put?

In this episode, Pastor Nathan Hoff joins Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom to share his story of 20 years at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro, California. From a childhood marked by constant moves to forming a residential community in an unrooted city, Nathan reflects on the beauty of long obedience, shared rhythms, and a “rule of life” shaped by prayer and presence.

🎙️ In This Episode:

Growing up in a pastor’s family that moved 15 times before he turned 30
The call to ministry at age eight—and how grace reshaped his vocation
How generational faith shaped Nathan’s theology of rootedness
Creating a parish community with shared rhythms of prayer and life
Why stability is countercultural—and deeply spiritual—in urban ministry

⏱️ Timestamps:

04:00 – From constant moving to a life of rooted ministry

07:00 – A childhood call to ministry and early formation

10:00 – Discovering Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro

13:00 – The influence of charismatic and sacramental renewal movements

17:00 – Generational faith and the grace that carries through families

20:00 – “On the block”: creating a shared residential community

24:00 – Rule of life, rhythms of prayer, and the call to rootedness

🔗 Resources & Links:

Learn more about Trinity Lutheran Church → trinitysanpedro.org
Explore The Rule of Life and the Common Way → trinitysanpedro.org/ruleoflife
Listen to Low in the Water (from the Eugene Peterson Center) → petersoncenter.org/low-in-the-water-podcast
Follow Nathan Hoff’s writing → nathanhoff.substack.com
Explore reflections on pastoral life → practicingbenediction.substack.com

In a world that prizes movement and novelty, Pastor Nathan Hoff reminds us that faithfulness often looks like staying put—rooting deeply in a place, a people, and the daily rhythms of grace.

Sealed in Grace: Katie Langston on Baptism, Law, and the God Who Won’t Let Go (Part 2) | PT 146 Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

What happens when grace rewrites your story from the inside out?

In this second conversation, Pastor Katie Langston joins Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom to share how the gospel of grace led her from Mormonism to the waters of baptism and into the freedom of ministry. Katie opens up about her conversion, her calling as a Lutheran pastor, and why she now preaches grace as the Church’s most radical gift in an anxious world.

🎙️ In This Episode:

How Katie’s baptism became a moment of real deliverance
Why law and gospel must be preached together—but not confused
The tangible grace of communion for weary believers
The temptation to prove worthiness—even in ministry
How pastors can rest in being “sealed” by Christ’s finished work

⏱️ Timestamps:

03:00 – Discovering grace as a lived reality, not a doctrine

08:00 – Luther Seminary and finding home in the Lutheran story

11:00 – Baptism as exorcism and renewal

15:00 – Learning to preach grace in a law-driven world

18:00 – Pastoral care and the non-anxious presence of the gospel

20:00 – Communion as Christ given “for you”

24:00 – Why every culture worships worthiness

26:00 – “You are sealed to Christ forever.”

Grace doesn’t ask for your worthiness; it gives it.

Katie’s story reminds pastors and believers alike that baptism marks us with the promise of a God who will never, ever let us go.

Worthy Enough: Katie Langston on Mormonism, Scrupulosity, and Discovering Grace (Part 1) | PT 145 Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

What happens when religion becomes a system for proving your worth?

In this powerful conversation, Pastor Katie Langston shares her journey from growing up Mormon to discovering the freeing power of grace. With honesty and humor, she describes life in a worthiness-based system, her battle with scrupulosity, and the moment she first heard the gospel of grace through a Wheaton professor’s words: “I know enough of my deficiencies to be devastated.”

🎙️ In This Episode:

Growing up in a loving but rule-bound Mormon home
The weight of worthiness interviews and religious anxiety
Battling scrupulosity and finding a name for her struggle
Hearing the gospel for the first time—and believing it
Why grace and Mormon theology can’t coexist

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Introducing Pastor Katie Langston

02:00 – Growing up in a faithful Mormon home

05:00 – Worthiness interviews and the burden of perfection

09:00 – Temple rituals, baptism for the dead, and Mormon theology

13:00 – Missionary life in Bulgaria and early cracks in the system

18:00 – Marriage, motherhood, and the onset of despair

21:00 – OCD, scrupulosity, and the search for help

23:00 – Hearing Jerry Root’s message on grace

24:00 – “What if Christ has made me worthy?”

26:00 – Ten years of wrestling between Mormonism and grace

Grace is not another rule to keep; it’s the end of the "worthiness" game. Katie’s story invites weary pastors and believers alike to rest in the gospel that declares: you are already enough in Christ.

Sent, Not Stationed: Benji Van Fleet on Itinerancy, Humility, and the Beauty of Being Placed (Part 2) | PT 144 Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

What if you didn’t get to choose where you served, but trusted the Spirit and the Church to send you?

In Part 2 of this conversation, Pastor Benji Van Fleet joins Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom to unpack the Methodist system of itinerancy and what it teaches us about obedience, humility, and trust. From matchmaker bishops to Methodist “March Madness,” Benji shares a vision of ministry rooted in submission rather than self-promotion, and a faith that follows wherever God leads.

🎙️ In This Episode:

What the Methodist itinerant system teaches about calling and surrender
How being sent shapes a pastor’s humility and courage
The dangers of “pastor as CEO” and the freedom of not owning your church
How diversity flourishes through a Spirit-led appointment process
Why obedience to the Church’s discernment can deepen faith

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – The theology behind being sent rather than hired

03:00 – Contextualizing mission: unity without uniformity

07:00 – The “matchmaker” role of bishops and discernment in appointments

11:00 – Fresh eyes and prophetic courage in short tenures

15:00 – Undermining the “pastor as CEO” model

20:00 – Methodist March Madness and the beauty of discernment

24:00 – Diversity and the Kingdom of God in appointment systems

32:00 – A phone call on Holy Week that changed everything

36:00 – Saying yes when it could’ve only been six months

38:00 – Submission, humility, and the Spirit’s surprising work

Ministry is not a career we climb; it’s a call we receive. Benji’s story reminds us that when we live as sent ones rather than stationed ones, we find the freedom to trust God’s wisdom over our own plans.

The Sheepdog and the Shepherd: Benji Van Fleet on Calling, Conviction, and the Church That Belongs to God (Part 1) | PT 143 Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

What happens when your theology of calling collides with your understanding of ownership in the church?

In this episode, Pastor Benji Van Fleet joins Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom from Abilene, Texas, to talk about his journey from architecture student to Methodist pastor, how cancer and heartbreak became catalysts for his call, and why he describes himself not as a shepherd—but a sheepdog.

🎙️ In This Episode:

How a broken engagement and a tumor redirected Benji’s life toward ministry
The moment God spoke when everything else fell apart
What it means to be a “sent” pastor in the Methodist itinerant system
Why Benji refuses to call St. Paul “his” church—and what that means for pastoral health

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – The world of Abilene and Texas-sized hospitality

04:00 – The story of St. Paul UMC and its 100-year legacy

07:00 – Benji’s faith upbringing and the “zebra” of denominations

10:00 – Losing everything—and hearing God’s voice for the first time

13:00 – “Exactly. Now we can start again.” A calling moment

15:00 – Sharing the gospel in Russia and being called as God’s diplomat

20:00 – Seminary, marriage, and the Methodist call system

23:00 – Going where you’re sent: the theology of itinerancy

26:00 – Why Benji says, “I’m not the shepherd—I’m the sheepdog.”

29:00 – The cult of personality and pointing people to Jesus

Pastors are not owners of the church; they’re guides pointing the flock toward the Good Shepherd. Benji’s story reminds us that calling often begins in surrender, and ministry flourishes when we lead with open hands.

When the Wounded Take the Mic: Tara Beth & Mark on Pain, Platforms, and Pastoral Discernment | PT 142 Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

What happens when personal pain becomes public platform?

In this candid conversation, Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom reflect on Tara Beth’s widely shared Substack essay, When the Wounded Take the Mic. They explore the rise of “wounded influencers,” the temptation for pastors to preach from fresh wounds rather than healed scars, and how leaders can discern the difference between prophetic truth-telling and reactive venting.

Read the article here: https://tarabethleach.substack.com/p/when-the-wounded-take-the-mic

🎙️ In This Episode:

Why woundedness has become a new form of credibility in the church
The danger of confusing deconstruction with discipleship
Lessons Tara Beth learned from preaching with fresh wounds
How pastors can lead from scars instead of unhealed pain
Why the church—flawed and fallen—remains God’s chosen place of healing

⏱️ Timestamps:

02:00 – The rise of wounded influencers and the pull of platform

06:00 – When honesty and rawness aren’t the same as holiness and wisdom

10:00 – Tara Beth’s personal reflections on preaching while wounded

15:00 – How the church itself became a place of healing

20:00 – The danger of binary thinking: victim vs. villain

24:00 – Family systems theory and the culture of shared anger

27:00 – Mark’s reflection: preaching while angry and what changed

28:00 – Pastors will always lead while wounded—the question is how

Every pastor carries wounds, but not every wound should be amplified. Ministry rooted in healing scars—rather than raw pain—creates space for true discipleship, renewal, and hope in the body of Christ.

From Anger to Mercy: Sarah Hinlicky Wilson on Healing, Ecclesiology, and the Cross (Part 3) | PT 141 Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

What happens when ministry wounds you so deeply that you wonder if you’ll ever serve again?

In this conversation, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson joins Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom to share how a decade away from the pastorate became a season of theological reflection, healing, and rediscovery of God’s mercy. From the theology of the cross to the false lure of utopian church ideals, Sarah offers hard-won wisdom for pastors whose hearts are broken.

🎙️ In This Episode:

Why stepping away from the pastorate was necessary for recovery
The dangers of chasing validation in ministry
How churches confuse the theology of the cross with glory
Facing sin in the church without losing hope
Returning to your first love as a pastor

⏱️ Timestamps:

01:05 Sarah’s season away from ministry

05:00 Wrestling with anger and recovery

09:30 Lessons from failure and immaturity

13:50 Roots vs. fruits: pursuing word and sacrament

16:20 Cross and resurrection held together

20:00 The church’s sins and the call to confession

28:00 American utopianism in church life

30:30 A word for pastors with broken hearts

Healing after ministry wounds is slow, but it is holy work. By returning to our first love in Christ and trusting God’s mercy, pastors can find hope beyond anger and rediscover the joy of serving God’s people.

Called Back by Surprise: Sarah Hinlicky Wilson on Healing and Pastoring in Tokyo (Part 2) | PT 140 Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

What happens when God calls you back into ministry after deep wounds?

In Part 2 of her story, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson reflects on moving from disillusionment in New Jersey to surprising renewal in Tokyo. With honesty and humor, she describes serving a fragile, English-speaking congregation during COVID, watching people show up because Jesus himself drew them, and discovering her pastoral heart restored.

🎙️ In This Episode:

Recovering from disillusionment and learning to be a parishioner again
Moving to Tokyo and reluctantly stepping back into pastoral ministry
The loneliness of Japan—and the surprising ways God calls people to church
How catechesis shaped new believers and renewed her pastoral heart

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Leaving Trenton and healing in Strasbourg

03:00 – Becoming a supportive parishioner before pastoring again

06:00 – Moving to Tokyo and reluctantly accepting a call

09:00 – Serving in a city of 40 million isolated people

11:00 – COVID, reopening, and an unexpected growth in the church

13:00 – “Jesus told me to come to church”: new believers in Tokyo

17:00 – Using the Small Catechism as an evangelism tool

20:00 – Formation vs. just getting people in the door

24:00 – A renewed pastoral heart and the gift of a faithful congregation

God doesn’t waste seasons of pain. In Tokyo, Sarah discovered that even when she felt unqualified, God was faithful to bring people, heal her wounds, and give her back a pastoral heart.

The Weight of Nostalgia: Sarah Hinlicky Wilson on Ethnic Churches and the Struggle to Be the Church (Part 1) | PT 139 Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

What happens when ministry doesn’t go as planned?

In this riveting conversation, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson shares her story of growing up in a third-generation pastoral family, wrestling with her call as a woman, and stepping into a church full of both history and heartbreak. From dollar-priced communion to deep theological reflection, Sarah’s story reminds us that God often works through unexpected twists.

Learn more about Sarah's writing at sarahhinlickywilson.com

🎙️ In This Episode:

Growing up in a healthy Lutheran family and finding her call to ministry
Wrestling with being a woman pastor—and discovering unlikely mentors
Her first call in Trenton, NJ, and the painful reality of a declining church
Nostalgia, culture, and the surprising places God redirects us

⏱️ Timestamps:

04:00 – Third-generation pastor with a happy church upbringing

07:00 – Wrestling with women in ministry through theology and mentors

10:00 – From PhD work to ordination

13:00 – First call: a struggling Slovak Lutheran church in Trenton

17:00 – Communion for a dollar? The odd traditions she inherited

20:00 – Facing racism, loss, and resistance in a shrinking congregation

24:00 – The deeper challenge of nostalgia and bound wills

30:00 – God’s unexpected redirection: Strasbourg, France

Ministry is rarely a straight line. Sarah’s story reveals how even in broken churches and cultural tensions, God is still at work redirecting us, reshaping us, and surprising us with new callings.

When the Dream Dies: Chaz Robbins on Church Planting, Closure, and God’s Faithfulness | PT 138 Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

What happens when your call to ministry feels buried, but never really dies?

In this special episode, the tables turn as Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom interview their producer, and now executive pastor, Chaz Robbins. From a childhood shaped by faithful mentors to an RV road trip with his family, Chaz opens up about his winding path through ministry, media, church planting, and finally, back into pastoral leadership.

🎙️ In This Episode:

How a youth pastor at Taco Bell modeled the love of Jesus
The moment Chaz’s grandfather called him into ministry: “You were made for this”
Lessons from planting a church—and letting it go in 2020
What a year on the road in an RV taught about community and resilience
Why stepping into executive ministry feels like coming home

⏱️ Timestamps:

05:00 – Growing up in Missouri, football dreams, and broken bones

08:30 – A youth pastor’s presence that changed everything

10:00 – Called into ministry at a Nebraska retreat

12:00 – From Ozark Christian College to Northern Seminary

16:00 – Learning ministry through Next Steps & Rooted at Parkview

18:00 – Church planting residency and the dream of a coffeehouse church

20:00 – Planting in Colorado… and closing during COVID

17:00 – Selling everything and living a year in an RV with two toddlers

23:00 – The bittersweet ache of stepping away from pastoral ministry

26:00 – The long road of healing and rediscovering call

31:00 – A new chapter: becoming Executive Pastor at Osage Hills

33:00 – Why Jesus’ promise “I will build my church” matters most

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

The Great Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach → Amazon link
Threaded Bible Study by Tara Beth Leach → Amazon link

Even when ministry dreams fall apart, God wastes nothing. The same call that sparked at a Taco Bell table and a Nebraska retreat still echoes today: you were made for this—to love people with the presence of Jesus.

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