In this episode of Practically Pastoring, we tackle a brutally honest question from a young pastor on Reddit: “What do I do when the church I pastor isn’t one I would even attend?”

If you’ve ever found yourself disillusioned in church leadership, unsure how to lead change without blowing things up, or just feeling like a glorified chaplain instead of a visionary leader—this conversation is for you. We talk about how young pastors can handle resistance in established churches, how to keep showing up when your ministry expectations don’t match reality, and how to kill the idols of platform and popularity in favor of faithful ministry.

You'll hear real stories, raw encouragement, and practical wisdom for discerning when it’s time to press on—and when it might be time to move on. Whether you're battling pastoral burnout, navigating church vision challenges, or just trying to love a congregation that doesn’t seem to want to change, we hope this episode meets you right where you are.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Cold Open & Sponsor Shoutout (Church Merch!)02:00 – The Reddit Question: “I’m Just a Chaplain Now”04:15 – Why 2.5 Years Isn’t Enough to Lead Major Change06:30 – Pastoring vs. Idealism: Facing Reality with Grace10:00 – The “Reach the City” Idol & Unrealistic Expectations13:00 – Can You Serve a Church You Wouldn’t Attend?17:00 – Building Trust Before Leading Change20:00 – Finding Low-Hanging Fruit to Start Vision24:00 – When Older Members Say They Want Young People…26:00 – Discernment: Faithfulness or Futility?29:00 – Killing Bitterness, Finding Calling31:00 – How a Ministry Brotherhood Can Save Your Soul33:00 – Final Encouragement: Feed the Sheep, Not Flip a Franchise

Whether you're a senior leader or still early in your ministry journey, this episode offers a lifeline of clarity and compassion in the tension between church health, personal calling, and quiet faithfulness. If you're feeling stuck or discouraged—you are not alone."

📎 Links from the show:

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👕 Church Merch - https://www.promotionsguy.com/churchmerch

Hosts:🧔🏽‍♂️ Frank Gil - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/pastorfrankgil/⁠⁠👨🏼 Jeff Simpson - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jeffcsimpson/⁠⁠👱🏼‍♂️ Delmar Peet - ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/delmarpeet/⁠⁠👨🏼‍💼 Andrew Larsen - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/andrewjlarsen/⁠⁠
🏋🏼 Timothy Miller - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/timothyamiller/⁠⁠

🎧 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx?si=4a942df64e48410e
🍎 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414
📺 YouTube - https://youtu.be/uwjN2WvbSGc
💻 PracticallyPastoring.com

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