What happens when God leads you somewhere you never imagined—but you say yes anyway?

In Part 3, Pastor Ivan Ramirez reflects on his transition from the city streets of Chicago to leading a small-town church in Wisconsin. With humor, vulnerability, and pastoral wisdom, Ivan shares how cultural challenges, ministry mergers, and personal growth have shaped his approach to leadership—and why “let’s see where this goes” has become his life mantra.

🎙️ In This Episode:

Why stepping away from ministry became the turning point

The unlikely path that led Ivan to Burlington, Wisconsin

Navigating cultural differences and subtle bias as a Hispanic pastor in a white rural context

How healing, humility, and faithful presence create space for healthy ministry

⏱️ Timestamps:

💡 Takeaway:

Ivan’s story reminds us that when we trust God enough to take the next step—even without a plan—He writes stories we never could have imagined.

What happens when freedom finds you before a courtroom does?

In Part 2 of this gripping conversation, Pastor Ivan Ramirez shares how he left gang life, survived trial, and discovered God’s call through unlikely mentors, a Moody dorm room, and a courtroom bench. From early ministry mistakes to a doctoral degree, Ivan’s story is one of grace that keeps showing up.

🎙️ In This Episode:

The unexpected grace that led Ivan out of the gang—and into ministry

Navigating life after jail: roommates, youth ministry, and cereal-fueled discipleship

Why academic struggle didn’t disqualify his calling

How pastoring a small church taught him who the gospel is really for

⏱️ Timestamps:

💡 Takeaway:

How does a gang-involved teenager from Chicago become a pastor in Wisconsin? 

In Part 1 of this gripping conversation, Ivan Ramirez shares his remarkable story of searching for belonging, spiraling into despair, and encountering Jesus while facing a murder charge in solitary confinement. What begins as a tale of survival becomes a testimony of grace.

🎙️ In This Episode:

Growing up without church but aware of God

The loneliness and boredom that led Ivan into gang life

Dropping out of school—twice—and wrestling with purpose

Facing suicidal thoughts and crying out to God

Getting arrested for a crime he didn’t commit—and finding freedom behind bars

⏱️ Timestamps: 03:00 — Ivan’s childhood in Little Village, Chicago 07:00 — The gang lifestyle and dropping out of school 12:00 — Searching for meaning through partying and friendships 16:00 — Depression, suicidal thoughts, and a near-fatal moment 20:00 — Arrested and falsely charged with murder 23:00 — Solitary confinement and discovering the Bible 25:00 — Accepting Christ in a jailhouse chapel 28:00 — The danger of leaving gang life—and the grace that followed

💡 Takeaway: God often shows up in the places we least expect—jail cells, lonely apartments, and broken stories. Ivan’s journey reminds us that no one is beyond reach, and freedom can begin even when the doors are still locked.

Pastor Scott Moore returns for a vulnerable, soul-level conversation on what happened after his breaking point.

From a life-changing fishing trip with strangers to a tearful reconnection with his family and church, Scott reflects on the slow work of reintegration. With honesty about the setbacks and sacred practices that help him stay tethered, this episode is a call to resist isolation, embrace confession, and fight the subtle seduction of success metrics.

🎙️ In This Episode:

Healing through honesty and sacred vulnerability

Creating relational spaces where confession is normal

Letting go of success metrics as identity markers

How to stay rooted when performance whispers loudest

⏱️ Timestamps:

💡 Takeaway:

What happens when ministry feels less like a calling and more like survival?

In this raw and courageous conversation, Scott Moore shares his story of stepping into a conflicted congregation, facing impossible expectations, and slowly losing himself in the isolation of unacknowledged burnout.

🎙️ In This Episode:

How Scott moved from a thriving ministry to a pastor-killing church

The early warning signs of burnout he didn’t recognize

Why loyalty to "toughing it out" can deepen the isolation

What it feels like to lose hope quietly—while still preaching every Sunday

⏱️ Timestamps:

Why do pastors feel so disoriented the day after Easter?

In this honest, unscripted conversation, Tara Beth Leach and Dr. Mark Quanstrom reflect on the emotional and spiritual aftermath of Holy Week. From packed services and buffet lunches to depression dips and pastoral guilt, they name what many church leaders feel—but rarely say out loud.

🎙️ In This Episode:

⏱️ Timestamps:

02:30 — 16 services in 7 days: Tara Beth’s Holy Week marathon

07:00 — Mark on pastoring in a college town at Easter

10:00 — Why we gorge on buffets and sleep for 12 hours

14:00 — Preacher crowds and the privilege of one-hour ministry

19:00 — Reading Scripture aloud during Lent—even when no one shows up

26:00 — Tazé worship, confirmation joy, and why repetition matters

29:00 — Permission to rest: “Christ is risen… so I don’t have to run the world today.”

💡 Takeaway:

If you feel tired, numb, or unsure after Easter—it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Jesus is still risen. Your worth isn’t tied to a service. Rest is sacred, and grace holds you, even when your brain is foggy.

What does it mean to lead with conviction—without copying someone else’s model?

In Part 2 of their candid host recap, Tara Beth Leach and Dr. Mark Quanstrom reflect on the pressures pastors face to mimic big-box ministry models or speak out on every cultural issue. From franchise churches to the idolization of family and politics, they unpack the theological convictions that keep them grounded—and pastoral.

🎙️ In This Episode:

⏱️ Timestamps:

04:30 — The Disney analogy for contextualized ministry

10:00 — How tradition and personality shape different worship styles

13:00 — Mark’s Willow Creek detour and rediscovering pastoral identity

20:00 — Church, not politics or family, as God’s redemptive plan

27:00 — Should pastors name “Tesla” in the pulpit?

31:00 — Creating space for political difference in the Church

Why do pastors keep showing up when ministry gets hard?

In this honest and vulnerable host recap, Tara Beth Leach and Dr. Mark Quanstrom revisit the origins of The Pastor’s Table and unpack the convictions that continue to drive the show. From painful memories to surprising grace, this episode explores why the Church is still worth loving—and leading.

🎙️ In This Episode:

⏱️ Timestamps:

03:00 — How this podcast started (and why)

06:00 — Working out theology with real people

11:00 — When your memory gets redeemed

18:00 — Forgiveness as the path to healing

23:00 — Finding hope after being hurt by the Church

29:00 — The surprising grace in the painful places

💡 Takeaway:

Ministry will wound you—but it will also surprise you.

Through story, theology, and the slow work of grace, The Pastor’s Table is a place to remember why we’re still here, and why the Church is still worth it.

Is the Church more than a symbol?

In Part 2, Jason Micheli returns to explore what it means to preach the gospel when life itself feels fragile. He shares how cancer reshaped his theology, why the Church must reclaim its sacramental identity, and how sermons should declare—not just instruct.

🎙️ In This Episode:

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:07 — Influences: Barth, Hauerwas & Jensen

07:00 — Preaching as promise, not performance

12:00 — Why suffering belongs in the gospel

15:00 — The Church as the literal body of Christ

17:30 — Preaching that leads to the Table

22:00 — Intimacy with God in suffering

27:00 — Books: Sermon on the Mount, I Like Big Buts, 104 Skins

29:00 — How to pray for Jason

🔗 Resources & Guest Info:

Jason Micheli writes at The Tamed Cynic

Books: I Like Big Buts, The Sermon on the Mount (forthcoming)

What happens when the preacher becomes the patient?

In this vulnerable and deeply pastoral episode, Rev. Tara Beth Leach and Dr. Mark Quanstrom welcome Jason Micheli, United Methodist pastor, author, and writer of The Tamed Cynic. Jason shares his unexpected call to ministry, his battle with mantle cell lymphoma, and how cancer has shaped both his preaching and his relationship with his congregation.

🎙️ In This Episode:

📌 Highlights:

💡 Takeaway:

Pastors are often expected to carry everyone else’s burdens—but what happens when they’re the ones who need care? Jason’s story reminds us that vulnerability is not weakness—it’s leadership, and that God is often most present in the dark and hidden places we’d rather avoid.

Read more on Jason's Blog Tamed Cynic: https://jasonmicheli.substack.com

📖 Next Week:

In Part 2, Jason opens up about the theological convictions that shape his ministry—expect a deep dive into the theology of the cross, suffering, and the beauty of telling the truth.