Is Advent a Catholic tradition, or just a really old Christian rhythm we forgot existed?

In this Advent themed episode, we answer two real pastor questions:

1. “Is Advent a Catholic tradition? Will this cause issues in a Baptist church?” 

2. “Do you sing Christmas carols during Advent, or wait until Christmas Eve?” (Also, why is this guy getting ambushed in elder meetings?)

We talk history, Baptist baggage, and the practical “how do I introduce this without detonating my church” stuff. Plus, we settle the great candle debate: real or electric, and how new the carpet is definitely matters. 

00:00 Cold open

00:49 Question 1: “Is Advent a Catholic tradition?” 

03:12 How to introduce Advent without chaos (and why you should not just drop it in) 

10:59 “Isn’t Advent a Catholic thing?” A simple intro that works 

13:23 Why Advent helps your sermon calendar (and saves your brain) 

14:57 Practically Pastoring Conference  

16:47 Sponsor: Church Merch (stop wearing the 2004 VBS shirt) 

17:55 Question 2: Christmas carols during Advent, yes or no?

21:30 “This is bigger than song choice” the pastoral issue underneath

Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring

Register for the Practically Pastoring Conference (Feb 9–11, 2026, Tarpon Springs, FL). Tampa Bay pastors, DM us for a special code: https://www.practicallypastoring.com/conference

Links from the show:

🌐 Listen anywhere: ⁠⁠https://practicallypastoring.com/⁠⁠

🫂 Join our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

👕 Follow us in Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

📧 Join our mailing list: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3plt5so⁠⁠

👕 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/⁠⁠

Listen or Watch on

🎧 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

🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications so you never miss an episode!

Welcome to the Practically Pastoring Hot Takes Episode — the one where we unintentionally roast half of evangelicalism and guarantee Andrew never gets invited to another conference again.

From At-the-Movies sermons, to canceling church the Sunday after Christmas, to whether bad coffee means you hate visitors… this might be the most unhinged—and honest—episode we’ve ever recorded.



Grab your headphones, brace yourself, and enjoy the chaos.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – The intro that might get us all fired

00:35 – Hot Take #1: At-the-Movies (We said what we said)

05:10 – Is the seeker-sensitive era dead?

09:26 – Conference ad read (but actually funny)

10:42 – Hot Take #2: Canceling the Sunday after Christmas

19:36 – Why “Sabbath Sunday” might be missing the point

20:45 – Hot Take #3: Your livestream probably needs help

27:22 – Why live-stream views don’t count as attendance

30:11 – Hot Take #4: Multi-site churches & accidental celebrity culture

37:11 – When a campus pastor becomes a hostage

38:32 – Hot Take #5: “We’re just being faithful…” or are we lazy?

45:16 – Church revitalization and marketing

46:19 – Lightning Round Hot Takes

47:00 – Kids in service

48:52 – Women on stage

49:57 – Delegation or insecurity?

52:47 – The real story behind “church hurt”

56:26 – The most divisive issue of all: church coffee

01:00:00 – Frank’s wife Cori gets dragged into the show again

01:01:12 – Conference invite + chaos outro

🫂 Join the Practically Pastoring Community

Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring

🎟 Practically Pastoring Conference 2026

📅 February 9–11, 2026 — Tarpon Springs, FL

Register now: https://www.practicallypastoring.com/conference

🤝 Tampa Bay Pastors — DM us for your local code!

👕 Get Merch for Your Church

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

🎧 Listen to Practically Pastoring

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx?si=4a942df64e48410e

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@practicallypastoring

Website: PracticallyPastoring.com

Today’s episode starts innocently enough with a simple question about office hours……and ends with one of the wildest Reddit pastor stories we’ve EVER read.

We’re talking:• Should pastors still keep traditional office hours?• How do you stay available without being chained to a church building?• Where do you meet people for confidential conversations?• How do you build culture when your staff is hybrid or remote?• AND… what happens when a pastor and his wife get “caught” in the church office after hours 😬 (yes, really).

00:00 Cold Open: The wildest church-office story ever
00:25 Why pastors need to rethink office hours
01:06 How different churches handle staff availability
02:15 Where should pastors meet for private conversations?
03:24 Does anyone actually “drop by” the office anymore?
05:15 How COVID changed the way churches think about office space
06:51 The realities of meetings, flexibility, and hospital calls
09:22 Using Calendly & Google Calendar for pastoral care
12:29 How to set healthy availability rhythms
15:00 Private meetings: where should they REALLY happen?
17:15 Why having an office can still matter
18:00 Should pastors be expected to keep “office hours”?
21:20 Why some pastors write better sermons in coffee shops
22:04 Practically Pastoring Conference 2026
23:27 Sponsor: Church Merch
24:21 The Reddit Story: Pastor caught having relations in his office
29:06 Is it wrong, weird, or both?
31:13 Is this a fireable offense?
34:11 Boundaries, foolishness, and pastoral wisdom
37:01 How polity and accountability impact this conversation
39:34 Why this affects your witness and your church culture
44:20 Final thoughts & Facebook Group invite

Join the Practically Pastoring Community:🫂 Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring

Practically Pastoring Conference 2026:📅 February 9–11, 2026 (Tarpon Springs, FL)🎟 Register now: https://www.practicallypastoring.com/conference🤝 Tampa Bay Pastors — DM us for your local code!

Get Merch for Your Church:👕 https://www.promotionsguy.com/churchmerch

Listen or Watch the Podcast Anywhere:
🎧 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx?si=4a942df64e48410e🍎 Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414📺 YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@practicallypastoring💻 Website – https://PracticallyPastoring.com

In this episode of the Practically Pastoring Podcast, the guys tackle some of the real parts of church leadership — like how to respond when disgruntled members try to recruit others, whether it’s okay to reuse old sermons, and what actually works for men’s and women’s ministry events.

Practically Pastoring Conference 2026 — February 9–11, 2026 in sunny Florida! 🌴

It’s three days of real conversations, practical tools, and honest community for pastors who love the church but are tired of doing ministry alone. Early-bird tickets are only $20 if you use code JEFFHATESAI — but prices go up soon!

👉 Learn more and register now at PracticallyPastoringConference.com

Links from the show:

🌐 Listen anywhere: ⁠⁠https://practicallypastoring.com/⁠⁠

🫂 Join our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

👕 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

📧 Join our mailing list: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3plt5so⁠⁠

👕 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/⁠⁠

Listen or Watch on

🎧 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx?si=4a942df64e48410e

🍎 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414

📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@practicallypastoring

💻 PracticallyPastoring.com

It’s Pastor Appreciation Month — but how should churches actually handle it? This week, the guys get honest about recognizing pastors, the misuse of the “pastor” title, developing small group leaders, and what to do when you’re burned out and ready to quit ministry.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 — Cold Open: Pastor Appreciation Month is weird

00:51 — Should churches only honor the lead pastor?

03:35 — How different churches celebrate pastors

05:19 — When Pastor Appreciation Month gets awkward

07:03 — How lead pastors can appreciate their staff

08:17 — Are youth pastors “real pastors”?

10:29 — What the Bible actually says about the role of pastor/elder

11:13 — Rise & Fall, ordination, and rushing people into ministry

13:20 — Why American church culture gets the title “pastor” wrong

14:23 — The discipleship issue behind church leadership titles

15:24 — Youth pastor longevity & maturity in ministry

16:19 — Should you start Pastor Appreciation Month at your church?

17:13 — 💥 Practically Pastoring Conference 2026 (Feb 9–11, Lakeview Church)

21:11 — How to develop and onboard small group leaders

24:25 — The “Coach, Contact, Celebrate” method for retaining volunteers

26:40 — Don’t confuse hosting a small group with leading one

28:44 — Building healthy structures and rotations for small groups

35:16 — When to ask someone to lead (and for how long)

35:37 — When you want to quit ministry but still love the church

36:57 — Burnout, calling, and waiting on God’s timing

39:16 — Staying faithful when ministry gets hard

45:05 — “You’re not a bad pastor for being tired”

46:22 — Finding community and healing when you step back from ministry

48:19 — Prayer for pastors who are hurting

49:19 — Outro + Practically Pastoring Conference reminder

👇 Listen or watch here:

🎧 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx?si=4a942df64e48410e

🍎 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414

📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@practicallypastoring

💻 PracticallyPastoring.com

👥 Join the Conversation:

🫂 Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17WmKxAa1h/

📸 Instagram – instagram.com/PracticallyPastoring

Facebook - facebook.com/practicallypastoring

Pastors’ mailbag time. We tackle anointing with oil in James 5, where the ethical lines are with MLMs in church life, and smart ways to use continuing-ed budgets without wasting a dollar.Chapters00:00 Cold Open + Intro01:10 Mailbag Setup: today’s questions03:00 Anointing with Oil (James 5): theology and practice19:30 When/How to anoint during services24:45 MLMs in Church: boundaries, policies, and wisdom41:20 Quick scenarios pastors face with MLM pressure45:40 Ad Read: Practically Pastoring Conference (Feb 9–11, 2026)47:00 Continuing Education on a Budget: plans that work1:04:00 Lightning-round resources and ideas1:08:15 Final thoughts and takeaways1:09:30 OutroPractically Pastoring Conference — Feb 9–11, 2026 at Lakeview Church. Early Bird $29. Use code JEFFHATESAI for $20 tickets. Learn more: practicallypastoringconference.comJoin the community- Facebook Group: Practically Pastoring- Subscribe here on the channel so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@practicallypastoringLinks from the show:Listen anywhere: ⁠⁠https://practicallypastoring.com/⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring⁠⁠Follow us in Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/practicallypastoring⁠⁠👕 Church Merch - https://www.promotionsguy.com/churchmerchHosts:🧔🏽‍♂️ 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/⁠⁠Listen or Watch on🎧 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🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications so you never miss an episode!

Mike Gunn (Antioch Initiative) joins us to talk about why mission beats brand, how American churches can learn from the global church, and why Christian Nationalism is a distraction from the gospel. He shares a simple Acts 14 pattern for church planting and a call to recover an Acts 13 sending culture.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro & Mike’s background (Acts 29, Antioch Initiative)

00:54 - Should every pastor address “the Charlie Kirk assassination” from the pulpit?

02:09 - How the global church views America (prosperity export, worship & prayer)

06:44 - Christian Nationalism: why it’s attractive—and why it’s anti-gospel

10:50 - Tips for planters a year out (mission > brand, contextualization, Acts 14 pattern)

17:35 - “The church doesn’t have a missions program—the church is God’s mission”

20:24 - Evangelism bell curve & mission drift

22:24 - Acts 13 sending: be willing to send your best

27:17 - The Antioch DNA: train and release

27:40 - Mike’s plug: prayer, persecution, connecting with pastors overseas

30:59 - Palestinian Christians, Gaza, and praying wisely

33:20 - PP Facebook Group invite & close

Follow Antioch Initiative

Website: antioch-initiative.com 

Instagram: instagtram.com/theantiochinitiative

Links from the show:

🌐 Listen anywhere: ⁠⁠https://practicallypastoring.com/⁠⁠

🫂 Join our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

👕 Follow us in Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

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/⁠⁠

Listen or Watch on

🎧 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx?si=4a942df64e48410e

🍎 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414

📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@practicallypastoring

💻 PracticallyPastoring.com

🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications so you never miss an episode!

What makes a faithful sermon? Is it verse-by-verse exposition, topical teaching, or something deeper? In this episode of Practically Pastoring, Frank sits down with Michael Moore. A bi-vocational pastor and the creator behind Honest Youth Pastor. We talk about sermon prep, youth ministry curriculum, and the role of AI in preaching.

Michael shares his framework for sermon reviews, how pastors should think about using curriculum, and why tribalism in the church can cloud our judgment of good preaching. Plus, we dive into the realities of critique, feedback, and how pastors can sharpen their sermons with humility and accountability.

If you’ve ever wrestled with sermon prep, preaching philosophy, or the future of pastoring in a digital age—this episode is for you.

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Intro & Michael Moore (“Honest Youth Pastor”)

01:00 – What makes a faithful sermon? Exegesis vs. exposition

07:20 – Why young preachers copy personalities over doing the hard work

09:50 – Youth pastors & curriculum: when is it helpful, when is it harmful?

17:10 – AI in preaching: ethical use or dangerous shortcut?

23:30 – The “taco illustration” for sermon prep & AI

31:00 – The importance of real feedback vs. AI feedback

33:00 – Michael’s documentaries on pastors & pushback he’s received

38:40 – Pastors people praise vs. pastors people roast (Russell Johnson, Tim Keller, etc.)

47:20 – The problem of tribalism in church circles

50:00 – How to create a sermon feedback system in smaller churches

57:20 – Why thick skin & structured critique are essential

01:01:20 – Final thoughts + Michael’s plugs

🔗 Michael Moore (Honest Youth Pastor)

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honestyouthpastor/

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBFVkW3dp7YMDF_YfXAuHtQ

X/Twitter: https://x.com/honestyptweets

Join our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

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

🍎 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414

📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@practicallypastoring

💻 PracticallyPastoring.com

🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications so you never miss an episode!

In this episode of Practically Pastoring, Frank, Jeff, Delmar, Andrew, and Tim tackle two big conversations pastors are facing:

1️⃣ Should a pastor’s faithfulness be judged by whether or not they mentioned Charlie Kirk’s assassination from the pulpit?

2️⃣ How should we shepherd well in a season where church attendance is spiking, with many calling it a revival?

We’ll talk honestly about pastoral pressure, online “coward” rhetoric, and the danger of reducing faithfulness to soundbites. And we’ll share practical advice on how to care for new people walking into your church for the first time in years.

Timestamps:

0:00 Cold Open

2:00 Should pastors be judged for silence?

10:00 Why “coward” language is harmful

20:00 Are we seeing revival?

30:00 Practical tips to steward new guests

Links from the show:

🌐 Listen anywhere: ⁠⁠https://practicallypastoring.com/⁠⁠

🫂 Join our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

👕 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/practicallypastoring⁠⁠

📧 Join our mailing list: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3plt5so⁠⁠

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

Hosts: Frank Gil, Jeff Simpson, Delmar Peet, Andrew Larsen, Timothy Miller

🎧 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx

🍎 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414

📺 YouTube - https://youtu.be/uwjN2WvbSGc

💻 PracticallyPastoring.com

🔔 Subscribe & Turn on Notifications so you never miss an episode!

Every pastor knows the sting of criticism — sometimes it’s helpful, sometimes it’s ridiculous, and sometimes it’s downright harmful. In this episode, the Practically Pastoring crew share their wildest stories (yes, including “The Devil’s Deli”), break down the three buckets of feedback (helpful, misinformed, and harmful), and offer practical ways to filter feedback without losing your sanity.

Whether you’re navigating jeans critiques, worship song wars, or factionalism in leadership, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone — and that some criticism really does belong in the trash.

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Cold open: The craziest feedback pastors get
• 1:00 – Why feedback stings but matters
• 2:00 – The “Devil’s Deli” letter: wildest church complaint ever
• 5:00 – Jeans, hymns, and checks for new clothes
• 7:00 – When feedback crosses into the personal
• 8:30 – The 3 buckets: helpful, misinformed, and harmful feedback
• 11:00 – Examples of truly helpful critique
• 15:00 – Worship wars & misinformed criticism
• 19:00 – Songwriting, licensing, and CCLI “witchcraft”
• 26:00 – The cultural gap behind church criticism
• 27:00 – Signs of toxic, harmful feedback (factionalism & power moves)
• 34:00 – Staff structure critiques and generational expectations
• 40:00 – Pain behind harmful feedback: what pastors often miss
• 44:00 – Why you need friends who aren’t impressed by you
• 49:00 – Lightning round: quick tips for processing feedback
• 51:30 – Final encouragement: thick skin, soft heart

Join Our Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/practicallypastoring

🎧 Listen or Watch:

• Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0xJqPmXn1MqaznnV8MHFKx
• Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practical-ly-pastoring/id1522043414
• YouTube - https://youtube.com/@practicallypastoring
• Website - PracticallyPastoring.com