The Flourishing Pastor

In this conversation with pastor Artie Lindsay, co-lead pastor at Tabernacle Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI, we explore a sermon he preached on James chapter 2, on faith and works. As C.S. Lewis once commented, we often imagine “good works” as something different than “good work”–but this is not according to our Lord’s example. Artie makes this uncommon connection in the sermon he delivered, applying this famous text in James to the work lives of his congregation.

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Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

Especially in the past few decades, many churches have declared their desire to serve the cities where they live—based on the prophet Jeremiah’s words to the exiles 29 to “seek the peace and the prosperity of the City, and to pray for it.” In today’s episode, Jim Davis helps us understand the context of Jeremiah 29, and unpacks how our everyday work can bless the cities where we live. 

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Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

In this episode, Matt interviews Ron Edmondson, lead pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, as they discuss a sermon Ron gave on how the work of the people was just as important as his work as a pastor— anchoring his message in Exodus 31:1-6— Bezalel and Oholiab. 

Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

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***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

In this episode with Bryan Loritts, we’re exploring the theme of work and justice through a sermon Bryan preached from Matthew 25 on the sheep and the goats. Bryan understands this text to be not about the root of salvation, but the fruit of salvation—and it has profound implications for the work we do everyday. 

Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

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***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

In this conversation with Andrew Arndt, Lead Pastor of New Life East in Colorado Springs, we explore the question — how do you help your congregation embrace a biblical theology of work? That might sound like a dry theme, but Andrew unpacks the biblical story for work in a way that provides concrete applications for everyday discipleship. 

Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

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***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

In this episode, Chris Brooks, lead pastor at Woodside Bible Church, a large multisite church in Detroit, MI, talks through a sermon he preached from the Proverbs on work. Chris unpacks three destructive behaviors that keep us from God’s purpose for our work, and how God’s wisdom reframes our perspective on his purpose for our labors.  

Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

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***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

Rich Villodas has a passion to teach and equip God’s people to live on mission with him right in the places they already are–especially in their daily labors. In this conversation, Rich walks through a sermon he preached on Colossians 3:23-24, where he reframes everyday work as full-time ministry.

Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

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***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

In this episode, Matt interviews Charlie Dates as they discuss a sermon he preached on Matthew 5:13-16, on Jesus’ message about salt and light. It’s a familiar text for many people, but Charlie finds fresh ways to apply this familiar biblical text about our identity as salt and light to people’s everyday work. 

Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

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***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.

Welcome to season two of The Flourishing Pastor podcast, now hosted by Matt Rusten.

This season, we’re exploring what it means to preach to the people in our pews who spend the majority of their week at work — whether that’s in an office, a warehouse, a kitchen, a classroom, or in the unpaid roles of caregiving, volunteering, or community leadership.

Through conversations with thoughtful pastors from around the country, we’ll look at how the preaching ministry can become a powerful means of connecting the Word of God to the real, everyday lives of people in their work. Each episode is anchored in a specific sermon and text of Scripture, giving us a grounded, practical look at how pastors are helping their congregations live out their faith where they labor.

The goal? To help pastors steward the pulpit more intentionally — so that the unchanging truth of Scripture can shape and form people not just on Sunday mornings, but in the Monday-to-Saturday realities of their calling.

The Flourishing Pastor podcast is brought to you by Made to Flourish, a national nonprofit that empowers pastors and churches to integrate faith, work, and economic wisdom for the good of their communities.

In this episode, Tom Nelson discusses a sermon he gave in the book of Ecclesiastes— touching on a question many people feel deeply—is work meaningless? Ecclesiastes is written in the voice of the critic, punching holes through easy answers for life. Tom’s sermon addresses the angst that many people feel when they think about their work, and how God can reframe our labor even when it feels as fleeting as smoke.

Matt Rusten serves as the president of Made to Flourish. Previously, Matt pastored at churches in Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt’s book about pastoring with congregants’ work in view releases from InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026. 

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***Get Free Books*** Many Christians say their churches don’t prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of daily work. We call this the Sunday to Monday gap — a disconnect that can cloud our sense of God’s purpose in the world and our place in it. To help church leaders bridge that gap, we’re offering a free box with practical books, including The Flourishing Pastor by Tom Nelson, and the latest issue of Common Good magazine. Get yours at madetoflourish.org/box.