What if the future of the Church is shaped not by bigger programs, but by deeper presence?

In this powerful episode of LINC Talks, Host Pastor Ross Scheer sits down with Pastor Ben and Kendra Lepsch, youth pastors at ResLife Grandville, for a conversation that is honest, practical, and deeply encouraging.

They pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build a thriving youth ministry from the ground up, not just attracting students, but creating environments where young people feel safe, seen, known, and spiritually formed.

This is not theory. It is boots on the ground wisdom from leaders who are living it every week.

In this episode, you will discover:

• The key ingredients that help students feel they truly belong
• Practical ways to create safe spaces where faith can grow authentically
• Why relational leadership is more powerful than polished programming
• What senior pastors, volunteers, and parents need to understand about today’s youth culture

Whether you lead a church, serve on a volunteer team, or are raising the next generation in your own home, this conversation will challenge you to think differently and lead intentionally.

If you care about reaching students where they are, instead of expecting them to come to you, this episode will equip and inspire you to take your next step.

Lean in, listen closely, and let this conversation reshape the way you invest in the next generation.

Ben and Kendra also shared about the ResLife OneHeart Youth Conference; 

OneHeart Conference is a power-packed weekend full of connection, excitement, and encounter with God. It is a place where 6th – 12th-grade students come to build relationships, be inspired, and be equipped to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Our desire is to bring students together with ‘One Heart’ and in one accord to encounter God and to leave better equipped to follow Christ daily. 

This year, our conference theme is ‘ABBA’. 

Our world is lost, like children without a father. The blind are leading the blind into deeper and deeper sin and sorrow. People are searching for significance, but nothing in this world can quench their thirst. They do not know who they are; they do not know their true Father.

Jesus reveals to us the true nature of God: He is a Father! His heart aches for His lost sons and daughters to come home. He longs for this so much that He sent Jesus to rescue humanity from the grip of sin. Jesus came to show the world what God is really like: true, loving, just, merciful, and patient.

REGISTER HERE: https://reslife.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3147166

LINC TALKS Podcast, Season Opener 2026

The LINC TALKS Podcast launches the 2026 season with a powerful and timely conversation that sets the heart and direction for the year ahead. Hosted by BonnieRuth Rolf, this opening episode brings together Pastor Bobby Bogard, Pastor Jarod Smith, and Pastor Ross Scheer to introduce the 2026 LINC theme, LINC UP.

This conversation invites leaders at every level to lean into what matters most, relationships. Together, our leadership team shares the heartbeat behind LINC UP and why choosing to not do ministry or life alone is essential for long term impact. Through personal experiences, honest insights, and shared wisdom, they unpack the importance of cultivating authentic, healthy, and life giving relationships.

Listeners will be encouraged and reminded that strong relationships keep leaders thriving, marriages healthy, and ministry sustainable. This episode speaks directly to the value of connection, collaboration, and community as we move into a year focused on making a greater impact together.

As we step into 2026, this episode sets a clear and compelling invitation, let’s LINC UP, lead well together, and do more than we ever could alone.

In this powerful episode of The LINC Talks Podcast, Pastor Bobby Bogard sits down with longtime friend and ministry partner, and founder of LINC Pastor Duane Vander Klok, lead pastor of Resurrection Life Church in Michigan. Together, they reflect on their decades of ministry, starting with their early days as students together at Christ for the Nations Institute in the 1970s. Pastor Duane shares his remarkable journey from riding motorcycles in Dallas to serving seven years on the mission field in Mexico, where he learned that ministry is not just something you do—it’s who you are. His stories are filled with embracing a life of faithfulness and obedience, a life marked by integrity, discipleship, and impact.

The conversation then turns to the miraculous works Pastor Duane is now witnessing in this season of his life. He recounts jaw-dropping testimonies of healings, salvations, and supernatural encounters.  Pastor Duane closes with a challenge to remain faithful wherever you’re planted, reminding listeners that God can shift your story in a day and that your most impactful years might still be ahead. This episode is a stirring call to boldness, perseverance, and wholehearted surrender to the Gospel.

In this episode of Link Talks, Pastor Bobby Bogard sits down with Matt and Julie Beemer—founders of Club1040 and longtime missionaries to Africa and the Middle East—to explore their powerful journey of faith, leadership, and global impact. From stepping into missions with just $500 of monthly support to decades of work across the 10/40 Window, the Beemers share compelling stories of obedience, cultural immersion, and raising up indigenous leaders in some of the world’s most challenging regions. Julie reflects on transforming children’s ministry and empowering women in cultures where their voices are often overlooked, while Matt unpacks the intentional leadership development and team culture that have fueled widespread growth through training, mobilizing, and inspiring missionaries and local churches. Together, they challenge listeners to cultivate a world vision, embrace the Great Commission, and use their gifts to impact both local and global communities. Learn more about LINC at https://www.linc.community/ and learn more about Club1040 at https://www.club1040.com/.

In this dynamic and deeply insightful episode, Pastor Bobby Bogard sits down with executive pastors Daniel Cavazos (Resurrection Life Church, Michigan) and Josh Hampstra (V1 Church, nationwide) to talk all things executive leadership. These leaders offer a transparent and practical perspective on “the middle seat”—the unique and often tension-filled position of leading from the second chair.

They unpack the challenges and strategies of stewarding both the senior pastor’s vision and the culture of a church across teams, departments, and even multiple campuses. From driving culture and accountability to staying grounded in humility and servant leadership, Daniel and Josh emphasize that leadership isn't about position—it's about purpose and people.

You’ll hear practical wisdom on cascading communication, sustaining alignment, leading with authenticity, and even how to leverage AI as a leadership tool (without losing your soul). Whether you're on a church staff, leading volunteers, or simply wanting to lead better where you are, this episode is packed with gold.

Don’t miss this masterclass in executive leadership, servant-hearted culture, and the power of leading well from the middle.

In this heartfelt and transparent episode of The LINC Talks, Pastor Bobby sits down with worship leaders Chris and Lydia Troyer for a deeply personal conversation about life, ministry, and faith through every season.

From their unique backgrounds—Chris coming from an Amish heritage and Lydia navigating early church hurt—their stories reveal how personal encounters with Jesus transformed their lives and deepened their call to ministry. The couple shares insights on navigating shame, letting go of performance-driven faith, and rediscovering the wonder of God's love—especially during seasons of transition, exhaustion, and spiritual dryness.

They discuss the challenge and beauty of remaining connected to the Kingdom in changing seasons—from church planting and newlywed life to seminary, pregnancy, and beyond. Through honest moments and real encouragement, Chris and Lydia remind listeners that God’s presence is constant, even when spiritual disciplines fall away and energy runs low.

Whether you’re a church leader, worshiper, or someone wrestling with burnout or disconnection, this episode invites you to return to your first love—and live as a citizen of an unshakable Kingdom.

In this episode of The LINC Talks Podcast, Pastor Bobby Bogard sits down with Tim and Shelly Thompson from The Joburg Church in northern Michigan to explore the realities and rewards of rural ministry. The Thompsons share their journey of faithfully serving in small communities, where deep snow, close-knit families, and limited resources shape the ministry landscape. Despite these challenges, they’ve found powerful ways to connect with their town, leading events like the Fourth of July parade, launching community outreach efforts, and fostering spiritual growth through leadership development and ministerial training.

Throughout the conversation, Tim and Shelly reflect on what it means to break free from the limitations of a traditional rural church mindset. They highlight the importance of strong relationships, the agility that smaller church communities often possess, and their intentional efforts to stay connected to broader ministry networks for support and inspiration. Their story serves as a reminder that, while rural churches may be small in size, their impact can be profound. This episode offers encouragement and practical insight for leaders in any context, proving that big Kingdom work can flourish in the most unlikely places.

In this insightful episode of The LINC Talks Podcast, host Bobby Bogard sits down with Pastor Jason Kimbrow, lead pastor of Legacy Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas. With humor and humility, Jason shares his journey from a rebellious pastor’s kid to a church planter with a deep conviction for discipleship and a desire for generational impact. He reflects on his ministry roots, the slow and intentional birth of Legacy Church, and the calling to build a discipleship-driven community—one family at a time.

Jason opens up about the weight of leadership, the struggle to slow down in a fast-paced church culture, and the lessons he’s learning through both success and missteps (including a memorable texting blunder). The episode also dives into Jason’s heart for raising a strong family, being present with his kids, and maintaining a healthy, transparent marriage with his wife, Ashley. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting in ministry, Jason's honest reflections will encourage you to build with longevity, lead with authenticity, and keep legacy at the center of the journey.

What if your church tithed the way you ask your members to? In this inspiring episode of LINC Talks, Bobby Bogard sits down with Matt and Leah Poorman, lead pastors of Cornerstone Church in Mishawaka, Indiana. Together, they share how Cornerstone built a culture of generosity—starting with giving away 10% of every dollar they receive.

From paying off school lunch debt to building wheelchair ramps, delivering meals to hospice workers, and running a foster closet, the Poormans reveal how generosity has become both a value and a vehicle for transformation in their city. They discuss how partnerships—not just programming—have fueled their impact, how small groups mobilize for local outreach, and how generosity with time can matter just as much as money.

This conversation is an encouraging blueprint for church planters, leaders, and anyone dreaming of making a real difference beyond the four walls of the church.

In this vulnerable and deeply moving episode of LINC Talks, Pastor Bobby sits down with Bryan and Alyssa Lowe to recount the unexpected, high-impact crisis that reshaped their lives, their family, and their church. When devastating news involving Bryan's father—a founding pastor—came to light, it triggered not only a personal reckoning, but a public firestorm that thrust their small-town church into the national spotlight.

What followed was more than just a leadership transition gone wrong—it was a season marked by loss, abandonment, and emotional exhaustion. Bryan and Alyssa open up about the pain of isolation, the deafening silence from those they once leaned on, and how God used unlikely connections to bring support, hope, and healing.

Together, they share hard-won insights on navigating trauma while still leading others, what forgiveness without positional restoration looks like, and how they found strength in sonship and the presence of God. This episode is a raw invitation for pastors, leaders, and believers alike to lean into grace, community, and the power of beauty for ashes. Only God can restore in such a way.