Conflict is inevitable in pastoral ministry—but how pastors handle it shapes the health of their church. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst explore theological controversy, denominational tension, and local church conflict, offering biblical wisdom for leading with courage, humility, and love.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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Spiritual warfare is real in ministry—but often misunderstood. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan help pastors think biblically and pastorally about Satan’s schemes, the Spirit’s indwelling power, and how to resist discouragement while persevering in faithful ministry.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks
• The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall
• The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon
• The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
• The Work of the Holy Spirit by Abraham Kuyper
• New Life in the Wasteland by Douglas F. Kelly
• The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

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What is true of Christ becomes true of us. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan are joined by Sam Allberry to discuss his book One with My Lord: The Life-Changing Reality of Being in Christ and explore how pastors can recover the often overlooked doctrine of union with Christ and share it with their congregations.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• One With My Lord by Sam Allberry
• By Faith, Not by Sight by Richard Gaffin

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One of a pastor’s primary responsibilities is not only to teach Scripture, but also to help his people learn how to read the Bible for themselves. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan share how pastors can encourage their congregations to engage deeply with God’s Word, meditate on how he has revealed himself, and approach Scripture with obedience and joy.

Resources Mentioned:

• A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation by Matthew C. Bingham
• A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life by J. I. Packer
• Before You Open Your Bible: Nine Heart Postures For Approaching God's Word by Matt Smethurst
• The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made by Mark Dever
• The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept by Mark Dever
• Ryken's Bible Handbook by Leland Ryken, Philip Ryken, and James Wilhoit
• Survey of the Bible by William Hendriksen

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A church budget is not primarily a financial tool, but a spiritual one. Jamie Dunlop joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to discuss how pastors can encourage generous giving with theological clarity, and steward their church’s budget in a way that models trusted leadership and God-honoring faith.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Why Should I Give to My Church? by Jamie Dunlop
• Budgeting for a Healthy Church by Jamie Dunlop
• The Compelling Community by Jamie Dunlop
• Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy by Jamie Dunlop
   

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Pastors are expected to keep learning—just like doctors, teachers, and counselors. In this episode, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan unpack formal and informal ways to stay sharp: carving out daily reading, using journals and courses, attending conferences, leaning on study Bibles, pursuing study leave or targeted coursework (ThM/DMin), and even teaching as adjuncts. They also warn against using degrees as an escape from ministry and offer practical counsel for staying current on cultural issues while remaining focused on your flock.

Resources Mentioned:

• TGC’s Themelios journal
• TGC courses & pastors’ hub
• The Carson Center at TGC
• Study Bibles

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Suffering is not a glitch in the Christian life—it’s part of it. In this conversation, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan talk about how pastors can prepare their people to face pain with faith and endurance. They discuss what it means to view hardship through God’s providence, why the “victorious Christian life” often looks like just hanging on, and how preaching, hymns, and patient shepherding can help believers trust God when He seems silent.

Resources Mentioned:

• When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent by Ligon Duncan
• Joni Eareckson Tada
• Mark Talbot, When the Stars Disappear
• John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life
• Psalm 88; Psalm 40; 2 Corinthians 4; Romans 8; Genesis 50:20
• Hymns: How Firm a Foundation, Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul, Afflicted Saint, to Christ Draw Near

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Many pastors enter ministry to preach and shepherd, not manage spreadsheets—but good administration is deeply spiritual work. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan talk with Jamie Dunlop (Capitol Hill Baptist Church) about how faithful administration protects unity, supports preaching, and strengthens trust in the church. They discuss deacons, elders, executive pastors, and practical ways to build systems that serve people, not just processes. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Compelling Community
• Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy 
• Budgeting for a Healthy Church 
• Deacons by Matt Smethurst 
• The Pastor and Counseling

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Every pastor wants a culture of care, but not every pastor feels equipped to counsel—much less to equip others to counsel one another. In this episode, Deepak Reju—a Delaware pastor who served for nearly 20 years as the counseling pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church—joins Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst to discuss counseling versus discipling, how to build a culture of lay counseling, advice for getting tooled up, tips for pastors who feel out of their depth, thoughts on medication and referrals, and more.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Cure of Souls by David Powilson
• Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness by David Powlison
• How People Change by Paul David Tripp
• How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks
• Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul David Tripp
• The Art of Disagreeing: How to Keep Calm and Stay Friends in Hard Conversations by Gavin Ortlund
• The Pastor and Counseling: The Basics of Shepherding Members in Need, by Jeremy Pierre and Deepak Reju
• Journal of Biblical Counseling
• New Growth Press Minibook Counseling Resource Pack
• Counseling Talk Podcast
• Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) Course

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Practicing church discipline is a vital biblical responsibility that’s often ignored in our modern age. In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst discuss what church discipline is (and isn’t), why healthy congregations practice it, and why it’s actually a form of love. Drawing from experience, they also offer advice for fostering a culture in your church where discipline will seem faithful, not foreign.

Resources Mentioned:

• Is It Loving to Practice Church Discipline? By Jonathan Leeman
• What Should We Do about Members Who Won’t Attend? By Alex Duke
• Understanding Church Discipline by Jonathan Leeman
• Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus by Jonathan Leeman

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