What makes a church feel truly welcoming? 

In this episode of the CPT Podcast, we welcome one of CPT's Senior Fellows, Dr. Matthew Kim, to discuss his new book, Becoming a Friendlier Church: A Pathway to Genuine Community. Drawing from years of ministry, teaching, and personal experiences visiting churches around the world, Matt explores why many congregations unintentionally create barriers for newcomers and how pastors can foster a culture of authentic hospitality. 

The conversation examines five common obstacles to church friendliness—including insularity, apathy, busyness, comfort, and prejudice—and offers practical, discipleship-centered practices to help churches become places where people experience belonging from the moment they arrive. Matt also reflects on the pastor's role in shaping church culture, the connection between preaching and hospitality, and why becoming a friendlier church is ultimately part of making faithful disciples of Jesus. 

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Heather Joy Zimmerman shares why the Evangelical Homiletics Society has been one of the most formative influences on her preaching ministry. She discusses the value of a scholarly community devoted to expository preaching, opportunities for pastors and students to grow as preachers, and how meaningful relationships and collaboration can sharpen faithful proclamation of God's Word. 

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In this episode of the Pastor Theologians Podcast, we invite Heather Joy Zimmerman, a member of CPT's St Irenaeus fellowship, to share how profound personal suffering shaped both her faith and her calling. Reflecting on the loss of a close friend, her father's battle with cancer, and her journey through lament, Heather explains how God used Scripture—especially Romans 8 and the Psalms—to deepen her understanding of God's goodness and inspire a lifelong passion for helping others faithfully navigate suffering. 

Heather also traces her path from Moody Bible Institute to Dallas Theological Seminary and Wheaton College, where her academic work on the Psalms of lament and preaching emerged from her own spiritual journey. She discusses her passion for theological education, forming faithful preachers, and bridging the gap between the academy and the local church. The conversation offers a compelling vision of the Pastor Theologian—one whose scholarship is rooted in personal faith, pastoral ministry, and a deep love for Christ and his people.

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In this episode of the Pastor Theologians podcast, we welcome one of our own, Zach Wagner, to discuss his new book, Men of Virtue: How the Fruit of the Spirit Forms Male Character in the Modern World. Zach reflects on his decade of ministry with CPT, his transition into a new season, and the journey behind writing a book that reframes conversations about masculinity through the lens of Christian virtue.

Rather than focusing on cultural ideals of manhood, Zach explores how the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control—forms a distinctly Christian vision of male character. The conversation examines the modern crisis of meaning, competing narratives around masculinity, and how following Jesus challenges both the denigration and idolization of masculine identity.

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In this short bonus episode of the Pastor Theologians podcast, Jeff Hubing discusses preaching within the context of his network of house churches. He explains that pastoral leadership is not simply about delivering sermons but about equipping and empowering the whole church to participate in ministry. Jeff recommends Robert Banks’ Paul’s Idea of Community and Gordon Fee’s Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God as influential resources that shape his vision of church leadership, community, and Spirit-led ministry. 

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In this episode of the Pastor Theologians podcast, we invite Jeff Hubing to share his journey into pastoral ministry, shaped by personal tragedy, a deep love for Scripture, and a desire to connect theology with everyday life. He reflects on how his father’s faith influenced his calling, his theological studies, and his work leading a network of house churches in Chicago. Jeff discusses a vision of church leadership centered on family, discipleship, and raising up others—not simply gathering crowds, but equipping and releasing people for the work of ministry.

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In this short bonus episode of the Pastor Theologians podcast, Ben Espinoza shares the preaching resources that have shaped his ministry, highlighting John Stott’s Between Two Worlds and Haddon Robinson’s work on expository preaching. He discusses the importance of bridging Scripture and culture, understanding the world of the Bible alongside the world of today. Ben also reflects on how his Wesleyan theological journey has shaped his preaching through an emphasis on grace, dialogue, and engaging people where they are. 

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In this episode of the Pastor Theologians Podcast, we invite CPT fellow and Wesleyan pastor Ben Espinoza to talk about his new book, The Good News About Self-Care: How Nurturing Your Soul, Yourself, and Your Sanity Honors God. Ben shares his journey into ministry, theological formation, and the experiences that shaped his understanding of Christian self-care.

Ben reflects on how ministry pressures, ambition, and the COVID-19 pandemic exposed unhealthy patterns in his own life. He explains that self-care is not a secular pursuit of comfort, but a theological practice rooted in honoring the image of God within us. The conversation explores Sabbath, limits, vocation, and spiritual health, with Ben encouraging pastors and leaders to embrace rest, prayer, boundaries, and accountability so they can faithfully serve others.

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In this short bonus episode of the Pastor Theologians podcast, Cole Feix talks about a lesser-known preaching resource that has deeply shaped his ministry: The Pastor of Kilsyth by Islay Burns. Cole reflects on how the life of pastor W. H. Burns reshaped his understanding of preaching—not as a stand-alone skill, but as something rooted in faithful shepherding, pastoral care, and loving a congregation well. 

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In this episode of the CPT Podcast, we welcome Rev. Cole Feix, pastor of Carlton Landing Community Church and a member of the CPT’s St Irenaeus Fellowship. Cole shares his journey from faith exploration and theological formation to pastoral ministry in a unique new urbanist community.

Cole reflects on how intentional spaces, hospitality, and deep relationships create opportunities for spiritual growth, and how his experience pastoring in a walkable, close-knit town has shaped his understanding of the pastor theologian’s calling. We explore questions of place-making, community, discipleship, and what the church can learn from the environments where ministry happens.

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