Ministry on the Move

In Part 1 of this conversation, Chris sits down with Pastor Justin Wideman of Direct Baptist Church in Direct, Texas — a rural congregation that is defying every church growth statistic in the book. Families aren't trickling in one or two at a time. They're showing up in groups of six, eight, and ten — and they're staying.

Justin talks candidly about what's driving the growth — and gives most of the credit to his people. Direct Baptist has cultivated something rare: a church that doesn't expect you to act saved before you get there. Young families are finding a home, kids are running the hallways, and Sunday school classes are so full they need to split them just to breathe.

But Justin isn't satisfied with full pews. The harder question he keeps asking is whether the church is actually producing disciples — devoted, developing, and deployed. He breaks down what Direct Baptist means by discipleship, why so many churches are fishing with the wrong bait, and what it looks like to teach a generation of new believers who speak an entirely different language than the one the church has been using for decades.

Also in this episode: why Noah understood building committees, why there's no golf in the Bible, and what 100% of Christians actually believe about the virgin birth.

In this deeply personal episode, Pastor Scott Jones and his wife Kimberly open up about one of the most frightening seasons of their lives together. What Kimberly assumed was the flu quickly became something far more serious — sepsis and double pneumonia that landed her in the hospital for over a week, with oxygen levels in the 70s and a very real possibility she might not come home.

Scott shares what it looked like to keep showing up in the pulpit while his wife was critically ill — not because he didn't care, but because he'd learned to compartmentalize, trust God with what he couldn't control, and do what needed to be done. Kimberly reflects on what it meant to finally be forced to slow down — something her ADHD-driven mind had resisted for years. She opens up candidly about living with OCD, depression, and ADHD, and how this illness became an unexpected invitation to rest, release control, and let go of things she'd been holding far too tightly.

Together, Scott and Kimberly wrestle honestly with faith — the kind forged not in a single crisis, but over years of unanswered prayers, mental health battles, and a God who doesn't always show up the way we scripted. They talk about the humility of admitting weakness, the arrogance of thinking we're in control, and what it really means to trust the Lord through the shadow — not just past it.

Also featured: a "lightning" round with big feelings about hymns, Colin Hay, The Chosen, Eugene Peterson, the largest pipe organ in Texas, and the best way to waste an hour.

Last year, Pastor Scott Jones of First Baptist Rockport, Texas sat down with Chris McNeil and somehow broke the internet — or at least the Ministry on the Move podcast. That conversation became the most listened-to episode of the year for MotM. So when Chris drove back to Rockport, he decided to find out if lightning strikes twice.

What starts as a conversation about music quickly becomes something much deeper. Scott and his wife Kimberly open up about the Christian music industry, critical thinking, and why a label doesn't always mean what we think it does. As Kimberly puts it, Christian music can sometimes be more dangerous than secular music — because we stop asking questions.

From there, Scott and Chris wade into some genuinely surprising territory — the Christian's duty to culture, what it means to be present without being controlling, and why Scott believes the only way a Christian truly fails is to withdraw entirely. "If I withdraw," Scott says, "I'm not having any influence. But as long as I'm a part, I'm having at least some influence."

The conversation takes one more unexpected turn when Chris raises a question that's been rattling around in his head — is everything that goes wrong in this world really the result of sin? Or did God bake something else into the original equation? Scott's answer might rearrange some theological furniture.

Honest, wandering, and occasionally correcting Chris on his 80s rock trivia, this is exactly the kind of conversation Ministry on the Move was made for.

Life on the road isn’t glamorous — it’s diesel engines, late nights, broken sound gear, gas-station dinners, and trusting God when the love offering doesn’t quite cover the bills.

This week on Ministry on the Move, Chris sits down with Larry DeLawder to talk about what itinerant ministry really looks like behind the curtain.

They dig into:
• why “calling” matters more than comfort
• finding Sabbath when Sundays are work days
• bus breakdowns and real-life faith
• the danger of chasing fame
• a powerful story of forgiveness that changed a man’s life
• and yes… Barney Fife jokes, animal noises, and road-trip madness

If you’ve ever wondered what life in full-time ministry on the road is actually like — the good, the hard, and the hilarious — this one’s for you.

Because the bus might run on diesel…
but the ministry runs on prayer.

Sometimes ministry is serious.
Sometimes it’s stretching.
And sometimes… it’s just plain fun.

In this episode, Chris sits down with Larry DeLawder — part storyteller, part road warrior, part harmonica-playing encouragement machine — for one of the most entertaining conversations we’ve had in a while.

From life on the road to unexpected ministry moments (and a few laughs that feel straight out of a small-town sitcom), Larry reminds us that God doesn’t only work through the big, dramatic moments… He shows up in the everyday, the ordinary, and the downright funny too.

It’s honest.
It’s hilarious .
And yes — there may be some Barney Fife energy involved.

If you’ve ever needed a reminder that ministry can be joyful, this one’s for you.

Listen now and don’t forget to follow along on Facebook so you never miss an episode.

Join Chris McNeil on Ministry on the Move as he sits down with Randy Ganzer, longtime pastor of LifeGate Church in Denton, Texas. Randy shares his journey from a 34-year milk route to answering God’s call at age 57, learning how to shepherd a congregation, navigate pride, and experience the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

From humorous stories about cleaning toilets and surviving deer season to heartfelt reflections on marriage, prayer, and healing, this episode is packed with wisdom, laughter, and practical insights for anyone seeking a deeper walk with God — and maybe a reminder that ministry isn’t about perfection, it’s about love.

In this episode of Ministry on the Move, Chris McNeil sits down with Micah Moore, pastor of Victory Life Church in Boswell, Oklahoma, to explore a journey that spans continents, cultures, and generations.

Micah shares how living in Uganda as a Peace Corps volunteer reshaped his understanding of faith, community, and the spiritual realities often hidden in the U.S. He reflects on what thriving churches look like overseas, the impact of syncretism, and the lessons that American believers can glean from seeing faith lived out in the open.

Back home in Oklahoma, Micah has spent eight years shepherding his congregation, with a particular heart for young married couples and families. He discusses the power of intergenerational mentorship, the importance of passing on biblical truth, and how small acts of community—like monthly life groups for young families—can transform the church culture.

From reflections on spiritual life abroad to practical strategies for nurturing faith at home, this conversation offers insight, encouragement, and a fresh perspective on the church today.

Tune in to hear:

• How a two-year experience in Uganda changed Micah’s approach to ministry

• Lessons from thriving global churches and what they reveal about spiritual reality

• The role of older generations in discipling and supporting younger believers

• Practical ways the church can engage and sustain young families

Whether you’re curious about missions, the state of the church, or fostering authentic faith across generations, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

This week on Ministry on the Move, we’re back in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas—America’s largest gated community—and catching up with Pastor Ronnie Gilmore, who’s been on a 13-year mission to breathe new life into First Assembly of God after it had closed its doors. From starting churches from scratch to engaging a community hungry for the Lord, Ronnie shares how he and his wife, Twana, turned what looked like a retirement town into a thriving, multi-generational church.

We talk real ministry: building relationships, loving people where they are, seeing radical life change, and doing whatever it takes—from preaching to plumbing—to get the job done. Ronnie gives insight into keeping a church healthy, walking the line between truth and grace, and staying true to God’s calling for the long haul.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to rebuild a church, cultivate real community, or simply follow Jesus without compromise, this episode is for you. And stick around for the speed round at the end—you might be surprised by Ronnie’s picks in music, tech, and books!

Don’t forget—follow us on Facebook for behind-the-scenes content, updates, and more from the road with the McNeils.

What happens when you put three seasoned ministry leaders around the same table and ask them what the church is really facing today?

In this episode, Chris sits down at Coronado Baptist Church in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas with Dennis Phelps, Dale Clancy, and Mark Eichelberger for one of the most wide-ranging roundtable discussions the podcast has ever had.

From personal salvation stories to seminary teaching, music ministry, and decades of pastoral experience, these men share how God called them and how their paths intersected in Arkansas. But the conversation quickly moves deeper.

Together they tackle some of the most pressing questions facing the church today:

• What theological issues actually matter to this generation?

• Why are young people hungry for truth and authenticity?

• Has the American church confused the American Dream with the Gospel?

• What does real discipleship look like for Gen Z?

• And what role do prayer, revival, and humility play in the future of Christianity?

Along the way, they discuss everything from Daniel in Babylon to the fulfillment of prophecy, spiritual warfare, cultural pressure, and the danger of “marrying the spirit of the age.”

This is not a shallow conversation. It’s an honest, thoughtful discussion about faith, truth, revival, and the future of the church.

If you care about the next generation of believers—or the direction of Christianity in America—this episode is one you don’t want to miss.

An enchanted universe and the Bible, the sons of God, "Manipulatative", the image of God, Scott Mitchell and Bible Mysteries, Elohim and little gods, Let us make man in OUR image, Colossians 2:15, But Did HE like the worship this morning, The disembodied spirts of the Nephilim, Natural History and early humanoid, speculative theology shouldn't be divisive, theories of atonement, the history of the Christian Church and Communio Sanctorum by Lance Rolston (NOT Jeff, like I said in the podcast!), There is a mystery to the cross.