Ministry Minded Podcast

In this episode, I am joined by Pastor Kris Estep to talk about the state of preaching in the modern church and why preaching expositionally through the Bible is so important for the good and the health of the local church.Kris Estep pastors Barberville Baptist Church in Waynesville, North Carolina, where he lives and serves with his wife Becky, and their three children. You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram.Resources.The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus, Zack EswineWhat Is Biblical Theology? A Guide to the Bible's Story, Symbolism, and Patterns, James M. Hamilton Jr.Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J. I. PackerLectures to My Students, Charles SpurgeonPreaching and Preachers, D. Martyn Lloyd-JonesFinding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley GrayGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Bradley GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I share some thoughts on what ought to undergird every sermon and why the good news of the gospel can be likened to a thunderstorm of grace.Resources.“God Goes Belonging,” Sam Bush“Preaching That Connects,” Todd Brewer“Rainstorms and Reformations,” Sam SchuldheiszGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode of the Ministry Minded podcast, I share a helpful way to make heads-or-tails of the timing of Holy Week, along with some thoughts on the remarkably subversive story of Easter.Resources.“Raised for Our Justification,” Michael Bird“Something to This Story,” David Clay“The Hero Dies in This One,” Sam Bush“Was Jesus in the Grave for Three Days and Three Nights?,” Chad Bird“Did Jesus Rise on the Third Day?,” Andreas KöstenbergerTheology Is for Proclamation, Gerhard FordeGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I'm joined pastor and writer Randy Greenwald to talk about his newsletter, “Greatheart's Table,” and why pastoral efficiency is a bad thing, along with a host of other topics relating to ministry in the local church.Randy Greenwald is the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Oviedo, Florida, where he lives and serves with his wife Barb. Along with serving the church, Randy is a visiting lecturer at the Orlando campus of Reformed Theological Seminary, as well as the author of the pastoral-helps newsletter Greatheart's Table.Resources.Something Worth Living For: God, the World, Yourself, and the Shorter Catechism, Randall Greenwald“Mr. Greatheart and This Metaphorical Table,” Randall Greenwald“The Inefficiency of God,” Randall Greenwald“Neurotics for the Kingdom of God,” Randall Greenwald“On Breathing Deeply,” Randall Greenwald“Futility Is Resistible,” Randall Greenwald“Pastors Share Top Reasons They've Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year,” Barna Group“The Pastors Aren't All Right: 38% Consider Leaving Ministry,” Kate ShellnuttGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I talk about the recent proliferation of articles and essays that speak to the negative side-effects of social media, and how this negativity can be discerned just by examining the ways in which social media has changed since ts inception. I also talk about the good news of God's rest as found in Christ and why Thomas Jefferson's “version” of the Bible was a complete and utter failure. Resources. “How Connectivity Made Us Miserable,” Samuel D. James“Another Week Ends: Social Media's End and the Cost of Love,” Bryan Jarrell“The Age of Social Media is Ending,” Ian Bogost“Doubting Thomas: On Peter Manseau's ‘The Jefferson Bible',” Ed Simon“Thomas Jefferson on Jesus,” Colin Brown and Craig A. EvansChristless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church, Michael HortonGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I reflect on some articles that talk about the emergence of the “therapeutic gospel” which, in effect, leads congregants into functional atheism. I also reflect on Bono's Christian testimony and what falls within a pastor's remit.Resources.“A therapeutic church is an atheist church,” Brad East“Sin, preaching, and the therapeutic gospel,” Brad East“Bono's Punk-Rock Rebellion Was a Cry of Hopeful Lament,” Mike Cosper“U2 @ 46,” Brian Mattson“Abuse, Burnout, and the Pastoral Remit,” Harrison PerkinsGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I reflect on the holiday season and welcome the New Year by talking through a myriad of holiday-themed articles I've been chewing on recently, each of which serve to remind us of the one-way love of Christmas.Resources.“O Come All Ye Faithful, Except When Christmas Falls on a Sunday,” Ruth Graham“There Is No Mary Problem in ‘It's a Wonderful Life',” Clare Coffey“Link by Link, Yard by Yard,” Samuel D. James“Christmas From Below,” John T. Pless“The Child Who Came Among Us,” Stephen FreemanGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I reflect on the scene where the doubt of poor ole “Doubting Thomas” was quelled — and why we, too, can find so much solace in the Christ of God condescending to his disciple's deepest fears. I also highlight a new book from David Zahl and an essay by longtime friend Obbie Tyler Todd. Resources.“Fearless Thomas Apart From Christ,” Martin Luther“Tommy Boy and the Case of the Doubts,” Ken Sundet Jones“Good Friday and Unbelief,” Stephen Freeman“Southern Yankees: Southern Baptist Clergy in the Antebellum North (1812–1861),” Obbie Tyler Todd“Why I Wrote Low Anthropology,” David ZahlLow Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself), David ZahlGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I talk about why Jesus never used carpentry in any of his parables, why Tobias Crisp is the “Black Swan of Puritanism,” and why studying the Bible doesn’t necessarily have to have a goal in order for it to be profitable and beneficial. Sometimes God’s just wants us to go to the Word for the enjoyment of it.Resources.“The Tales the Carpenter Told,” Todd Brewer“Lost & Found: The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables,” article by yours truly“That Passage Deserves Another Look,” Robert KolbChrist Alone Exalted, Tobias CrispChrist Made Sin, Samuel CrispGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I share a few brief thoughts on the recent reckoning in the Southern Baptist Convention before zeroing in on the truest hope for our times — namely, that God wastes nothing. Even the days which seem impossibly dark and incredibly inefficient are days in which God’s Word abides forever.Resources.“How Should Baptists and Christians Respond to the SBC Task Force’s Report on Sexual Abuse?” Griffin Gulledge“How Tolkien’s Writings Were a Mythology for the History of England,” Matthew TheriaultThe Preacher’s Catechism, Lewis Allen“The Inefficiency of God,” Randall R. Greenwald“Neurotics for the Kingdom of God,” Randall R. GreenwaldGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I share some thoughts on the recent hullabaloo surrounding the newest Disney/Pixar film Lightyear, plus why Lordship Salvation should be left behind.Resources.“If ‘Representation’ is the Issue, Where Are Pixar’s Religious Characters?” Samuel D. James“Success Of ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Puts Excuses For Disney’s Failed, Woke ‘Lightyear’ To Bed,” Jordan BoydThe Preacher’s Catechism, Lewis Allen“My Pilgrimage from ‘Lordship’ to Law/Gospel Part 1,” Mike Abendroth“My Pilgrimage from ‘Lordship’ to Law/Gospel Part 2,” Mike Abendroth“My Pilgrimage from ‘Lordship’ to Law/Gospel Part 3,” Mike AbendrothGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

I’m back! I know it’s been a while since the last time an episode dropped in the Ministry Minded feed, but I’m aiming to get back at it. And what better way to do that than to reflect on the recent “face-lift” the blog has received, courtesy of my dear friend Sara Bordner! She’s the brains behind all the new branding and logos that you see everywhere. In this episode, I reflect a little on that, plus I talk about some other stuff relating to social media and the understanding of the self, along with the incandescent hope that’s found in humor. Resources.Paint By S, Sara BordnerEmbodied Hope: A Theological Meditation on Pain and Suffering, Kelly M. Kapic“The Demons Are Not What You Think They Are,” CJ Green“The Hope of Humor,” Sam BushGrace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. GraySponsor.Ministry Minded is sponsored by Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount off your next order. Buy some coffee!Credits.Intro music: “Explorers (Instrumental Version)” by The Midnight, The Midnight Music LLC, 2018.Ad music: “Coffee Stains” by Finley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I get to share a conversation my dad and I were able to have during our recent vacation in South Carolina on how to live fearlessly with “sound of mind” (2 Tim. 1:7) in these evil days. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Pastor Brad's sermons Stonington Baptist Church sermons “The deeper magic of opportune obstacles,” article by yours truly “Of mud and marigolds,” article by yours truly Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share some reflections on a much-needed vacation spent with family as well as some timely encouragement on the providence of God, whose sovereignty is never in doubt. What's in front of us and all around might make us believe otherwise. We are very easily swayed into declaring the “end of all things.” But even when all seems dismal, the almighty wisdom of God is still true. Even when all else is uncertain, we can cling to the certain hope of the Father (Heb. 6:19). Even when it doesn't make sense, we can still have faith. Grace and peace. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Pastor Brad's sermons Stonington Baptist Church sermons “When Faith Fails to Make Sense,” David Clay “Don't Say No: The Ludicrous Nature of Faith,” Sam Bush “Camouflaged sovereignty and concern for God's Word,” article by yours truly “The rock of truth in the storm of fake news,” article by yours truly Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I recap some sermons and talk about how God's grace gives us the freedom to be present, right now, where we are. I also highlight some articles from around the web that have proven enlightening and encouraging. May you be blessed by this brief episode. Grace and peace. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Pastor Brad's sermons Stonington Baptist Church sermons “Grace for the now,” article by yours truly “On not minding what happens,” Oliver Burkeman “I'm Not Who I Want to Be,” article by yours truly “The Pastoral Heart of Bunyan,” Jake Tanner “Smells Like Groupie Spirit,” Randall R. Greenwald Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share some updates on this “beautifully exhausting” season of life and ministry, as well as the concrete hope of the Word to which the church can cling in times of doubt and fear and frenzy (Heb. 6:19). Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Pastor Brad's sermons Stonington Baptist Church sermons “Afghanistan, a Twofold Kingdom, Serpents, and Doves,” R. Scott Clark The Christ Key: Unlocking the Centrality of Christ in the Old Testament, Chad Bird Trusting God in the Darkness, Christopher Ash “The ‘Rot' of Evangelicalism Doesn't Need Deconstruction. It Needs Church History,” Samuel D. James “The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill: Compliments & Cautions,” Jesse Randolph “Josh Harris's Message Remains the Same,” Carl R. Trueman “Camouflaged sovereignty and concern for God's Word,” article by yours truly Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share some personal and ministerial updates for the week, as well as confess my affections for the newest Christian phenomenon, a.k.a., The Chosen. May you be blessed by these reflections. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “The Chosen: A Review,” Zack James Cole “The Saving, Triune God at the River Jordan,” Kenneth Tanner “Jesus Was Also Baptized,” Fred Sanders Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share some encouraging excerpts from 9Marks' newest online journal, The Ordinary Means of Grace—Or, Don't Do Weird Stuff. I also talk through 1 Kings 17 and how it might just be the best chapter to illustrate the habit of God to work in and through and with our suffering in order to reveal his saving power. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons The Christ Key: Unlocking the Centrality of Christ in the Old Testament, Chad Bird “The seriousness of sin and our cosmic salvation,” article by yours truly “The Freedom that Comes from Being Boringly Biblical,” Eric Bancroft “Good News, Ordinary Pastor! You Don't Need a Winning Personality,” Dan Miller “‘The Word Did It All': The Necessity of Preaching According to the Protestant Reformers,” Shawn Wright “Difficult Relationships,” Doug Wilson Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I am thrilled to share mine and Josh Hedger's discussion of the pastorate and how modernity's expectations of pastors can create unhealthy and unsustainable ministry environments. May you be blessed by this conversation notwithstanding your current ministerial context. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons Resilient Ministry: What Pastors Told Us About Surviving and Thriving, Bob Burns, Tasha Chapman, & Donald Guthrie MyCounselor.online The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus, Zack Eswine The Gospel-Driven Church: Uniting Church-Growth Dreams with the Metrics of Grace, Jared C. Wilson Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I get to reflect on some prescient thoughts and themes that I've been considering lately through the course of my sermon series on Philippians, especially as it relates to the ways God confounds our sense and challenges our faith through his divine and sovereign “Deep Magic.” Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “The deeper magic of opportune obstacles,” article by yours truly “In pretense or in truth: why Jesus plus nothing still equals everything,” article by yours truly “Don't Panic,” Randall R. Greenwald “The Bird with a Leaf in Her Mouth,” Jared C. Wilson The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts, Dale Ralph Davis Your Old Testament Sermon Needs to Get Saved: A Handbook for Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, David M. King Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share some updates on the podcast itself as well as talk through this past week's sermons and why Psalm 131 constitutes, perhaps, the best picture of what it means to live the life of faith. I also get the thrill of sharing another conversation between myself and my dad, as he and I reflect on the past year of pastoral ministry and the unique challenges it presented. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “Church Membership: Loving What Jesus Loves,” David Prince “Church Membership 101,” Jon English Lee “11 Weak Reasons to Leave a Church,” Chuck Lawless “Why the Way You Leave a Church is More Important than How You Came,” Chuck Lawless Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I consider (again) Jesus's Sermon on the Mount and I also highlight some recent articles from around the web that articulate the growing need for pastor-theologians. It is my aim to encourage the listener that theology isn't meant to be sequestered in the halls of scholastic thought — it's meant to richly rejoiced in, lived, and loved by one and all, in all walks of life. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “On ministry transition in the middle of a pandemic and making sense of the atonement with Obbie Tyler Todd,” podcast from yours truly Luther's Heidelberg Disputation “Pastor-Theologians,” Tom Ascol “The Challenges and Possibilities (and Continuing Need) for the Pastor Theologian,” Gerald Hiestand “Gerhard Forde: A Recommendation,” John W. Hoyum “The Evangelistic Zeal of the Vaxxers,” Michael Pohlman Christ and Calamity: Grace & Gratitude in the Darkest Valley, Harold Senkbeil On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, 1518, Gerhard O. Forde Your Old Testament Sermon Needs to Get Saved: A Handbook for Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, David M. King Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I am thrilled to be joined once again by my dear friend, Obbie Tyler Todd. In this lengthy dialogue, we reflect on an assortment of life- and church-lessons learned through the course of the pandemic. We also dissect his newest book, The Moral Governmental Theory of the Atonement: Re-Envisioning Penal Substitution, in which he endeavors to disseminate a thoroughly “American” doctrine of Christ's atoning work and explain both its rise and fall from popular ecclesiastical favor. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: The Moral Governmental Theory of Atonement: Re-envisioning Penal Substitution, Obbie Tyler Todd “On Obbie Tyler Todd's ‘The Moral Governmental Theory of Atonement',” review by yours truly Church Elders: How to Shepherd God's People Like Jesus, Jeramie Rinne Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples, Thom S. Rainer “Cutting through the glut of the theories of Jesus's atonement,” article by yours truly “Camouflaged sovereignty and concern for God's Word,” article by yours truly “7 Theories of the Atonement Summarized,” Stephen D. Morrison Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share some time-management advice via Oliver Burkeman. Also, I get to interact with that massive GQ cover-story profiling the life of troubled pop-star, Justin Bieber. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “The Redemption of Justin Bieber,” Zach Baron “Ballerina Babies, Soul Mate Parenting, Forgiveness as Activism, and the Gracious God of Justin Bieber,” Bryan J. “Episode 210: Don't Stop Beliebing,” The Mockingcast “On Anthony Bourdain: We Were Not Made to be Famous,” Sarah Condon “Three or four hours,” Oliver Burkeman Seven Wonders of Grace, Charles Spurgeon Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It's time for another edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast. In today's show, I get to share some reflections on 1 Kings 11 and how the decline of Solomon's empire actually points to the resolute truth of the God of all grace and the Governor of all history. Indeed, the fact that this history is extant for us at all points to a divine author behind it all. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “How to Read the Bible in Context and Stay on Track,” Daniel Rowlands “Seeing Christ in the Shape of the Psalms,” Davy Ellison “Your Whole Bible Is About Jesus,” Matt Smethurst “The danger of the Aesop's Fables Bible,” article by yours truly “Lessons from Luther's Stand at Worms: 500 Years Ago Today,” The Gospel Coalition “Another 500th Anniversary: Luther at the Diet of Worms,” Ken Sundet Jones Succeeding at Seminary: 12 Keys to Getting the Most Out of Your Theological Education, Jason K. Allen Luther Examined and Reexamined: A Review of Catholic Criticism and a Plea for Revaluation, W. H. T. Dau Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

I'm back with another episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast! This time, I share some general thoughts on pastoral ministry before diving into some recent articles which have helped concretize my own convictions concerning the office of pastor. As a young man in ministry, I am so grateful to soak up resources like this which put me on a trajectory for long-term shepherding. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons The Gospel Coalition, Central PA Regional Chapter Spring Gathering “Advice to Young Preachers,” R. Scott Clark “Preaching That Lasts, Nick Batzig “The 8 Stages of Long-Term Pastoral Ministry,” Phil A. Newton “The prevailing necessity of the pulpit,” article by yours truly “The house that who built,” article by yours truly Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I reflect on last week in which the Church celebrated Easter Sunday and the good news of Jesus's resurrection from the dead. I spend some time talking through some events and ministry moments that encouraged me in the knowledge the fact of the resurrection, which, I think, is the point of the whole thing. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com (Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!) Notes: “Not Escape, But Resurrection,” Cameron Hughes “The Mystery Unfolding, Grasping: A Maundy Thursday Reflection,” Jared C. Wilson “The Scandal of the Resurrection,” Tom Ascol “A Resurrection Faith Retains Its Power, But Not the Power We Crave,” David French Stonington Baptist Church sermons Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I chat about a slew of articles that I've been chomping at the bit to share with you, including one that shows how Rush Limbaugh and Martin Luther were similar in use of language to make courageous stands for the truth. Of course, Limbaugh and Luther operated in very different fields of expertise, not to mention different centuries, but the truth holds: that we, in this moment, are given an abundance of reasons to “stand firm” in and for the “true grace of God” (1 Pt 5:12), even in this fiery trial. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “Of Luther, Limbaugh, And Losers,” R. Scott Clark “Martin Luther would have ruled Twitter,” Tom Holland “The Liturgy of the Guilty,” Jonathan Bailes “Christian Preaching and ‘Public Health': On Faithful Puritans & Our Fiery Trial,” Owen Strachan Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I get the privilege to talk with two-thirds of the Theocast crew, pastors and podcasters Jon Moffitt and Justin Perdue. In this encouraging and enriching discussion, we chat about the sufficiency of Christ throughout the life of the Christian and why it's so important to know that all things are settled already because of Jesus's work. You can rest, pilgrim. It is finished. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: Faith vs Faithfulness: A Primer On Rest, Jon Moffitt, Justin Perdue, and Jimmy Buehler Jon Moffitt's sermons Justin Perdue's sermons “The Birthplace of Bad Theology,” Theocast “Dazed and Confused: John 15 and Bearing Fruit,” Theocast “Footnoting Grace,” Theocast Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I take some time to think out loud about how to deal with the egregious failings of ministry leaders. How can you make sense of their platform life and their personal life? What hope is there for them in the midst of their failure? And what grace is there for those feeling the repercussions of their fall? This is my attempt to articulate some of those thoughts. Soli Deo Gloria. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “A Bag Full of Maggots,” Mike Pohlman Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I reflect on the gospel of God's comfort and the specific reason why it's so comforting — namely, because we have a Substitute. I also talk about why Jesus is the true and better hero and why a religion of scorekeeping can never last. Soli Deo Gloria! Amen. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “The Bible Warned Us About This,” David McLemore “Stop Keeping Score,” Arthur C. Brooks God—Our Contemporary, John Henry Jowett Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I think through several different instances and examples which given evidence for the necessity of God's truth — specifically, the solid rock truth of Christ made sin for us. Such is the only message the world needs to hear. And good thing, too, it's the only message the church has. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture, David Murray Lectures on the Law and the Gospel, Stephen Tyng “Preaching that Gives Certainty,” Bob Hiller “A Bright Light in a World of Gray,” Sam Bush Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I think through what it means that Jesus is our “great high priest” and why his is a ministry of mercy for the desperate. I also share some thoughts on the unfolding narrative of the Bible and why Christians everywhere ought to be gorging on the Scriptures. May you be blessed by these thoughts. Grace and peace! Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: “You Are Fullness,” Young Oceans The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses, Chris Bruno They Spoke of Me: How Jesus Unlocks the Old Testament, Brandon D. Smith and Everett Berry The Epistles General of I and II Peter and I John, Alexander Maclaren Stonington Baptist Church sermons Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I reflect on the God who wrestles with us out of the story of Genesis 32; I share the reason why the church can be “calm, cool, and collected” even when the “end of all things is at hand”; and why brotherly love means much more than you think it does. Soli Deo Gloria. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: “Hang in There, Pastors! You Are Needed Now More Than Ever!,” Bob Russell Night Driving: Notes from a Prodigal Soul, Chad Bird Gleanings in Genesis, Arthur W. Pink Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense, Paul Tripp Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture, David Murray The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained, Martin Luther Stonington Baptist Church sermons Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I chat about why church is so essential and the One who make it so. Plus I share some thoughts on the New Year, the importance of childlike Bible reading, and the resonance of Pixar's new feature film, ‘Soul'. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: “The pain of the past year, the hope of the New Year, and God's boundless goodness,” article by yours truly “One word for 2020,” Peter Heck “Pixar's Soul and the Joy of Incarnation,” Josh Larsen Cinema Siblings Podcast, talking movies with my sister, Bethany “The Bible Reading Plan I Recommend for 2021,” Tim Challies Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End, David Gibson Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense, Paul Tripp Fools for Christ: Essays on the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, Jaroslav Pelikan The Saint and his Saviour: The Progress of the Soul the Knowledge of Jesus, Charles Spurgeon Stonington Baptist Church sermons Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I reflect on this past Sunday's sermons and the ramifications of a God who sits with us when life is going to pieces. Plus, I share an article which leans into “the gospel of Tenet.” Blessings! Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: Studies on Book One of the Psalms, H. A. Ironside Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense, Paul Tripp “Hope rises from the rubble of my church,” Giles Fraser “Envying the ‘Other Me',” Larry Parsley Stonington Baptist Church sermons Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I wish you a very Merry Christmas by sharing some thoughts on the “reason for the season” along with a reflection on my favorite Christmas movie. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: “Don't Isolate Yourself This Holiday Season,” Arthur Brooks “The God Who Makes George Bailey's Life So Wonderful,” Sam Bush “Home for the holidays,” article by yours truly II Timothy, Titus, Philemon & Hebrews, Alexander Maclaren Stonington Baptist Church sermons Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I talk through my sermons from this past Sunday and reflect on the grandest miracle of all: the necessity of the Incarnation, of Jesus's taking on human flesh. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com → Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! Notes: Lectures on the Law and the Gospel, Stephen Tyng “Incarnation: The Central Miracle of the Christian Faith,” John Clark and Marcus Johnson “Incarnation and the Gospel,” John Clark and Marcus Johnson The Incarnation of God: The Mystery of the Gospel as the Foundation of Evangelical Theology, John Clark and Marcus Johnson Stonington Baptist Church sermons Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share a brief personal update announcing my upcoming break from seminary studies, along with some “Christmas-y” reflections regarding the God who willingly steps into our catastrophic world of sin in order to redeem it. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I offer up this brief edition of “Pastor Brad's Corner” to recap the Thanksgiving holidays and share some thoughts that have helped me think through the kingdom of God. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I am thrilled to be joined by fellow blogger and budding theologian, Blake Long, to talk about his upcoming book — ‘Gospel Smugness' — and the important role tone plays when testifying about God's grace. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, you're invited back to “the corner” where I reflect on last week's sermons and offer some insight on how to make your morning routine better. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share a surplus of thoughts that have been on my mind lately — namely, the fracturing of our illusion of control, and where grace and peace can be found in the midst of that. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I am thrilled to be talking with the Provost and Professor of Historical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Jason Duesing, to talk about the necessity of ministerial training and theological slow-cooking. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, you are invited back to “the corner” as I share some musings on these recent days of chaos and how the gift of grace ought to be esteemed in even greater importance during these times. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I offer some of the lessons I have learned throughout this season of surgery recovery as well as what it means to be okay with God's plans. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I spend some time reflecting on last week's sermons, which included themes of God's answer to loneliness and God's grace for sell-outs. I also share an encouraging passage on preaching Christ crucified. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, you're welcomed back to “Pastor Brad's Corner” as I reflect on last weekend's ordination service for my friend Caleb and the significance of that moment in light of what he and his family have endured the last few years. I chew on some thoughts relating to that on the subject of suffering and also talk about the movie ‘Tenet'. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I invite you back to “Pastor Brad's Corner” to talk about two weeks worth of sermons, including how to live peacefully in this present life that's full of disruption, as well as what makes for a truly “successful” ministry. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I reflect on some developments I have made in my sermon writing process, specifically as it regards to including quotes in my sermons. I also chew on Ecclesiastes 1 and the fallacy of living for sand, as well as the lesson on ministerial disappointment we can learn from the life of Elijah. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I share some thoughts I am still chewing on from my sermons on Sunday, August 16, which were taken from Ecclesiastes and Colossians. I also talk about “ministerial second-hand smoke” and why we should be talking about pastoral depression. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!