The Everyday Pastor

Confessions of faith and church covenants can sound outdated—but they may be more important than ever. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan explore the historic role of confessions, how they protect churches from theological...

How do you talk about Jesus when people don’t share your assumptions anymore? Glen Scrivener joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to help pastors navigate evangelism in a post-Christian culture. They explore how...

What is the gospel—really? In this episode, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan tackle the confusion surrounding one of the most important words in Christianity. They explain why the gospel isn’t self-help advice or vague...

Should Sunday sermons be evangelistic—or focused on believers? In this episode, Matt Smethurst, Ligon Duncan, and Garrett Kell tackle a false dichotomy: faithful preaching should do both. They explore how pastors can...

What practical difference does a high view of God’s sovereignty actually make in everyday ministry? In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst reflect on the doctrines of grace—often associated with Calvinism—and...

Conflict is inevitable in pastoral ministry—but how pastors handle it shapes the health of their church. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst explore theological controversy, denominational tension, and...

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

One of a pastor’s primary responsibilities is not only to teach Scripture, but also to help his people learn how to read the Bible for themselves. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan share how pastors can encourage their...

A church budget is not primarily a financial tool, but a spiritual one. Jamie Dunlop joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to discuss how pastors can encourage generous giving with theological clarity, and steward their...

Pastors are expected to keep learning—just like doctors, teachers, and counselors. In this episode, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan unpack formal and informal ways to stay sharp: carving out daily reading, using...

Suffering is not a glitch in the Christian life—it’s part of it. In this conversation, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan talk about how pastors can prepare their people to face pain with faith and endurance. They discuss...

Many pastors enter ministry to preach and shepherd, not manage spreadsheets—but good administration is deeply spiritual work. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan talk with Jamie Dunlop (Capitol Hill Baptist Church) about...

Every pastor wants a culture of care, but not every pastor feels equipped to counsel—much less to equip others to counsel one another. In this episode, Deepak Reju—a Delaware pastor who served for nearly 20 years as the...

Practicing church discipline is a vital biblical responsibility that’s often ignored in our modern age. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst discuss what church discipline is (and isn’t), why healthy...

Ministry is about a lot of things, but central to the task is preparing people to die and face their Creator. This is deeply challenging, though, in a death-denying age. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst...