Pastors' Talk

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Pastors’ Talk is a weekly conversation between Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever about practical aspects of the Christian life and pastoral ministry.

9Marks


    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 27m AVG DURATION
    • 463 EPISODES

    4.9 from 621 ratings Listeners of Pastors' Talk that love the show mention: pastoral, excellent resource, pastors, ministry, church, thankful, helpful, thinking, conversation, talk, learn, enjoy, great, recommend, time, life, like, listening, love, leeman.


    Ivy Insights

    The Pastors' Talk podcast is an invaluable resource for pastors and seminarians alike. Hosted by Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman, this podcast offers a wealth of wisdom and guidance on various topics related to pastoral ministry. Each episode is filled with practical insights, thoughtful discussions, and biblical instruction that will equip pastors to lead their churches well.

    One of the best aspects of The Pastors' Talk podcast is the depth of knowledge and experience that Mark and Jonathan bring to each conversation. Both pastors have a deep love for Christ and His church, which is evident in their teaching and interactions. They provide biblically sound advice that is rooted in a Christ-centered approach to ministry. Additionally, they cover a wide range of topics, including ecclesiology, preaching, shepherding the flock, church discipline, and more. This diversity ensures that there is something for every pastor to learn from in each episode.

    Another strength of this podcast is the engaging and conversational tone that Mark and Jonathan maintain throughout. They have a natural chemistry that makes listening to their discussions feel like you're sitting in on a conversation between friends. Their humility and genuine desire to learn shines through in their conversations, making it easy for listeners to connect with them on a personal level.

    While there are many positive aspects of The Pastors' Talk podcast, one potential downside is that some episodes may not be as relevant or applicable to all pastors or seminarians. As with any resource, individual preferences may vary when it comes to specific topics discussed or perspectives shared. However, even if there are episodes where you may not fully agree with the content presented or find it directly relevant to your ministry context, the thoughtfulness behind each discussion can still provide instructive insights.

    In conclusion, The Pastors' Talk podcast is an exceptional resource for pastors and seminarians seeking godly instruction and practical advice for their ministries. Its combination of biblical wisdom, engaging conversations, and diverse topics make it a valuable tool for any pastor looking to grow in their understanding of pastoral ministry. Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman's love for Christ and the church shines through in each episode, making this podcast a true blessing to those who tune in.



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    Latest episodes from Pastors' Talk

    On Selecting the Winners for the 300th Giveaway

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 1:50


    Jonathan selects two winners for the 300th episode giveaway!

    On Christianity in France (Ep. 301)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 25:38


    In the last few decades France has become more secular. In this episode, Mark and Jonathan interview pastor Matthieu Giralt about the state of Christianity and his personal church experience.

    On Your Questions - Celebrating 300 Episodes

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 44:50


    To celebrate the 300th episode milestone, Mark and Jonathan answer some of the questions that were submitted by the community.

    On Growing Up in a "Christian" Colony (Ep. 299)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 33:41


    There are many "Christians"communities out there, but do they proclaim the biblical gospel? Mark and Jonathan talk to Josh Waldner who grew up in a Hutterites colony.

    On the book From Eden to Egypt (Ep. 298)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 26:04


    Why did Alex duke write From Eden to Egypt? Mark and Jonathan interview Alex on the burden behind the book.

    On the Pastors Library (Ep. 297)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 26:23


    Jonathan and Mark share how they structure their libraries and also discuss how much importance pastors should give to their libraries.

    On Ministering When Spiritually Dry (Ep. 296)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 30:44


    There are seasons in a pastor's life when they could feel spiritually dry. In this episode Mark and Jonathan, alongside 2 friends, thinking practically on what to do in those seasons.

    On Maturity (Ep. 295)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 38:15


    Jonathan talks to Samuel James about an article he wrote and together consider how maturity should look like inside of the church in light of the times we live in.

    On the Pastor's Personal Evangelism (Ep. 294)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 24:18


    Mark and Jonathan talk about the pastor's personal evangelism and consider how to carefully think about how we should relate to it.Related Resources:Evangelism by Mack StilesHow Do I Get Started in Evangelism? by Mack StilesWhat If I'm Discouraged in My Evangelism? by Isaac AdamsThe Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever

    On A Light on the Hill (Ep. 293)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 31:23


    Mark and Jonathan talk to the author of A Light on the Hill, which tells the history of a church 5 blocks from the US Capitol: Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

    On Extra Biblical Qualifications for Elders (Ep. 292)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 30:38


    Are there other qualifications for considering men as elders aside from the Bible's? In this episode Jonathan and Mark discuss what other things could be considered when nominating elders.

    On Pastors as Writers (Ep. 291)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 30:48


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about the good desire some pastors have to write outside of church ministry and how to think about it.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Storm in the Desert, here: https://www.9marks.org/podcast/a-storm-in-the-desert/

    On Christianity in Colombia (Ep. 290)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 27:04


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk with the President of Poiema (a Spanish publisher) about the state of Christianity in Colombia.

    On the Pastor's Private Prayer Life (Ep. 289)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 21:43


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Caleb Morell interviews Mark Dever about some general practices of his private prayer life.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Storm in the Desert.

    On Running Your Staff (Ep. 288)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 29:22


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman discuss a way to possibly run your church staff.Subscribe to our new podcast: A Storm in the Desert

    A Storm in the Desert: Mack + Leeann (Ep. 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 22:16


    Introducing a new podcast from 9Marks—A Storm in the Desert.In 1972, at the base of a Swiss mountain, God saved a man named Mack Stiles. Two decades later, John Folmar “accepted Jesus as his personal Savior”; he doesn't know even where he first heard that phrase. What happens in the next quarter-century is a testament to God's commitment to use faithful, ordinary ministry to effect fruitful, extraordinary change. A Storm in the Desert tells this story.The first act in our story covers a lot of ground—from an icy crevice on a Swiss mountain to a below-freezing night capped off by the fiery Billy Graham. It involves a surprising conversion that eventually leads to a transatlantic flight on an empty plane. This is the story of Mack and Leeann.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Storm in the Desert.

    On The Evangelistic Power of Exclusivity (Ep. 287)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 28:06


    Can one belong before believing? In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Caleb Morell discuss the evangelistic power of exclusivity.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Storm in the Desert.

    On Service Reviews (Ep. 286)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 33:16


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about service reviews. What is it? What do you talk about during service reviews? What if some feedback is too harsh? Mark Dever shares how the lead pastor can utilize this time to not only make the services better in the future, but also pastor and shepherd his staff and members. Subscribe to our new podcast, A Storm in the Desert, here: https://www.9marks.org/podcast/a-storm-in-the-desert/

    On A Storm in the Desert Podcast (Ep. 285)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 33:05


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Alex Duke and Alberto Jaquez about A Storm in the Desert, a new podcast series by 9Marks.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Storm in the Desert, here: https://www.9marks.org/podcast/a-storm-in-the-desert/

    On Christianity in Indonesia (Ep. 284)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 23:22


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Eric Yee, lead pastor of Harvest Mission Community Church of Jakarta, about Christianity in Indonesia.

    On Internships Part 2 (Ep. 283)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 27:10


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk again about the nuts and bolts of pastoral internship in a local church.

    On Being Convictional without Being Cranky (Ep. 282)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 27:49


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat about how pastors can be both convictional and charitable.

    On Internship Part 1 (Ep. 281)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 35:18


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about pastoral internships

    On Small Groups: Helpful, not Essential (Ep. 280)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 20:23


    On How Sound Ecclesiology Protects the Gospel (Ep. 279)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 28:53


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about how sound ecclesiology protects the gospel in a local church.

    On Leading Inductive Bible Studies (Ep. 278)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 28:07


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about how to lead inductive bible studies.

    On the Church in Portugal, with Tiago Oliveira (Ep. 277)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 30:16


    In this episode, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Tiago Oliveira, a pastor of First Baptist Church of Lisbon, about the state of Christianity in Lisbon.

    Episode 276: On the Importance of Ecclesiology for a Church Plant, with Matt Smethurst

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 29:12


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Matt Smethurst, a pastor of River City Baptist Church, on the importance of ecclesiology for a church plant.

    Episode 275: On Seasons in a Pastors Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 28:17


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about our newest Church Matters: Seasons in a Pastor's Life.

    Episode 274: On an Unbelieving Australian's Journey to Being a Baptist Pastor

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 35:00


    Episode 273: On Youth Ministry, with Mark Feather and Alex Duke

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 34:53


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Mark Feather and Alex Duke about how to lead youth group with the whole church in mind.Related resources: – Our Main Goals for Youth Ministry– Youth Ministry and the Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self– LGBTQ+ Policies: What Do We Do about Youth Group?

    Episode 272: On Christianity in Kazakhstan, with Dennis Boris

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 30:19


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Dennis Boris, a pastor of Almaty Baptist Church in Kazakhstan, about the state of Christianity and local churches.

    Episode 271: On ACME, with Aaron Menikoff, Greg Gilbert, Juan Sanchez, and Sebastian Traeger.

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 28:19


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Aaron Menikoff, Greg Gilbert, Juan Sanchez, and Sebastian Traeger about a new network of like-minded churches: the ACME Fellowship.Check out ACMEfellowship.org for more information.

    Episode 270: On Pastoral Transition, with Phil Newton and Bob Johnson

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 31:01


    Pastors Talk is back for season 9! In this episode, Jonathan Leeman interviews Phil Newton and Bob Johnson about pastoral transition and retirement.Related Resources:Articles: Preparing Pastors for Retirement by Brad Thayer, There's No Such Thing as “Retiring” From Ministry by David GoughJournal: Seasons in a Pastor's Life

    Episode 269: On The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation with Kevin DeYoung

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 50:04


    Many pastors rightly desire to reach the next generation. But how should they?In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Kevin DeYoung on his new book, The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation

    Episode 268: On Preparing to Plant with Jeri Choi, Welton Bonner, and Bobby Jamieson

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 38:03


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat with Jeri Choi, Welton Bonner, and Bobby Jamieson about preparing to plant a church.

    Episode 267: On Biblical Covenants, with Bobby Jamieson

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2024 21:31


    What covenant is the new covenant replacing? If your answer is the old covenant, what do you mean?In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat with Bobby Jamieson about the implications of biblical covenants in a local church.

    Episode 266: On Raising Up Associate Pastors, with Bobby Jamieson, Mark Feather, and Deepak Reju

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 36:11


    What makes a good associate pastor? How can he complement a senior pastor's weaknesses and extend his strengths?In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Deepak Reju, Bobby Jamieson, and Mark Feather about their experience as associate pastors.

    Episode 265: On Pastoring Frustrated Sheep

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2024 26:37


    Pastors are called to lead his sheep, even the frustrated ones.In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about how pastors should care for frustrated sheep in the church.

    Episode 264: On the Doctrine of the Trinity, with Bobby Jamieson and Mark Feather

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2024 31:58


    In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interview Bobby Jamieson and Mark Feather about why pastors should care about studying the doctrine of the Trinity.

    Episode 263: On When You and Your Boss Have Different Philosophies of Ministry

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 29:38


    What should you do when you disagree with your boss? Should you stay or leave? What are disagreeable philosophies of ministry? In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about what you should do when you disagree with your boss.

    Counseling Talk—Episode 1: On Counseling Talk

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 33:42


    Counseling Talk is here!In this episode, Jonathan Leeman interviews the hosts—Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell—about the what and why of Counseling Talk.

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