Grace Upon Grace

It’s easy for pastors to spend so much time giving the gospel to others that they forget how desperately they need to hear it themselves. In this episode of Ministry Minded, I chat with Justin Holcomb about what weary shepherds need to hear, the wisdom of church history, and why the church needs good news far more than it needs good advice. Whether you’re a sheep or a sheep ministering to other sheep, none of us ever graduate from our need to hear the message of “Christ for you.”

Justin Holcomb is married to Lindsey and serves as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. He has taught theology and apologetics at Reformed Theological Seminary since 2000, co-hosts the White Horse Inn podcast, and is the author or editor of twenty-four books. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram.

Resources: Know the Creeds and Councils, Justin Holcomb Resilient Ministry: What Pastors Told Us About Surviving and Thriving, Bob Burns, Tasha Chapman, and Donald C. Guthrie Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church, Michael Horton Law and Gospel, Bob Hiller and Michael Horton Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley Gray

Sponsor: You can support Ministry Minded by buying some coffee from 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 the offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee today!

Credits: Intro music: It Just Makes Me Happy Composer: DJ Quads, soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads License: Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0), creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: breakingcopyright.com

Title: The Logic of the Gospel Text: 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 Originally delivered on 8 November 2026 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this visit www.graceupongrace.net

Title: Who Holds the Gavel? Text: 1 Kings 21:1–29 Originally delivered on 27 October 2026 for the Cru Gathering at Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

Title: The God Who Makes You Holy Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 Originally delivered on 1 November 2026 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode of Ministry Minded, I sit down with my old friend Joe Thorn to talk about Christian conference culture, online absolutism, the manosphere, how to become a better preacher, and his forthcoming book for those who can’t see God in their suffering and darkness. The good news for weary shepherds and exhausted sheep is that Christ, not our platforms and programs, carries his church, just as he carries you.

Joe lives in Illinois with his wife Jen and their four children, where he serves as lead pastor of Redeemer Fellowship, a Reformed Baptist church in St. Charles that he helped plant. He is the author of several books, formerly co-hosted Doctrine and Devotion with Jimmy Fowler, and is now writing a new book for Baker Books. You can read his writing on Substack and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Resources: Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself, Joe Thorn Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley Gray

Sponsor: You can support Ministry Minded by buying some coffee from 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 the offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee today!

Credits: Intro music: It Just Makes Me Happy Composer: DJ Quads, soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads License: Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0), creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: breakingcopyright.com

Title: When Satan Cancels Your Plans Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:17—3:13 Originally delivered on 25 October 2026 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

Title: Where Your Faith Rests Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:1–16 Originally delivered on 18 October 2026 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In the 1700s, the Church of Scotland told its clergy not to recommend a certain book that was making the rounds — the reason being it was offering Christ to sinners indiscriminately, with no fine print. Listen along as Jeffrey Perry from the Marrowcast joins the show to talk about the ongoing legacy of The Marrow of Modern Divinity, the law-gospel distinction, and the Pharisee that lurks in us all.

Jeffrey lives in North Carolina with his wife Lindsay and their four children, where he serves as pastor of Gospelway Baptist Church in China Grove. He co-hosts the Marrowcast with John Meeks, where you can also find his sermons and writing. You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Resources: The Marrow of Modern Divinity, Edward Fisher The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance―Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters, Sinclair Ferguson How Shall I Go to God?: And Other Readings, Horatius Bonar The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus, Zack Eswine The Judgment Seat of Christ: A Primer on the Final Judgment, Rewards, and the Believer’s Final Hope, Jeffrey Perry Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley Gray

Sponsor: You can support Ministry Minded by buying some coffee from 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 the offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee today!

Credits: Intro music: It Just Makes Me Happy Composer: DJ Quads, soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads License: Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0), creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: breakingcopyright.com

Title: The Church That’s Stamped with the Savior Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10 Originally delivered on 11 October 2026 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

Title: The Word No Man Can Silence Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10; Acts 17:1–10 Originally delivered on 4 October 2026 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net