The Rural Pastor Podcast

By Andy Addis & Mark CliftonSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Education Self-Improvement Philosophy

The Rural Pastor Podcast episodes

October 01 Too Busy to Volunteer: Stop Looking for Available People
What if your best potential volunteers are already the busiest people in town? Andy, Chris, and Matt tackle a reality every rural pastor knows: capable people attract responsibility. Instead of searching for people with free time, maybe churches need to get better at calling gifted people to meaningful, sustainable opportunities.
36 min
September 24 Back in Rhythm: Leading Your Church Into Fall
For many families, the real “new year” isn’t January—it’s when school starts. Fall brings calendars, routines, predictability, and an enormous opportunity for churches. But it can also bring overload. Andy, Chris, and Matt discuss how rural pastors can capitalize on fall momentum without making the church one more organization exhausting families.
34 min
September 18 The 5–9 Around Your 9–5: Making the Margins Matter
Rural ministry rarely fits neatly into office hours. Whether you’re bivocational, fully funded, or juggling ministry with family and community responsibilities, some of the most important parts of life happen in the margins. Andy Addis, Chris Snider, and Matt Macnaughton talk about intentionally using the “5–9” around your “9–5”—not as another productivity hack, but as […]
42 min
June 12 Growing Up Pastoral – Hearing from Ministry Kids
What do pastor’s kids wish ministry parents knew? In this episode, three siblings who grew up in ministry share honest lessons about family, faith, church life, and living in the ministry fishbowl. Their practical insights on intentional parenting, healthy family culture, and navigating church life offer encouragement for every ministry family. Parenting is hard. Parenting […]
30 min
May 28 From Big Three to Core Four: Tackling Hopelessness in Rural Ministry
Rural ministry challenges are evolving. What was once known as the “Big Three”—isolation, vocational identity, and limited resources—has now become the “Core Four” with a new and critical addition: hopelessness. Recorded live at the North American Mission Board Replant Lab in Alpharetta, this episode dives into why so many rural pastors are battling discouragement and […]
35 min
May 21 Biblical Partnerships: What Colossians Teaches Rural Churches (with Kyle Bueermann)
Ministry was never meant to be done alone. In this episode, Dr. Kyle Bueermann helps us unpack the closing chapter of Colossians and the powerful model it gives for gospel partnerships. Whether you’re a rural pastor needing support or a church ready to help others, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to both give […]
32 min
May 14 You’re Not Alone: Overcoming Rural Ministry Obstacles Through Partnership
Rural ministry can feel isolating—but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Recorded live at a Rural Summit in Palatka, Florida, this episode features leaders from the North American Mission Board Replant Team discussing the most common challenges rural pastors face—and how partnership can provide real solutions. With insights from Kathy Addis, JimBo Stewart, and […]
27 min
May 07 Better Worship in Small Churches: Tools Every Rural Pastor Needs
What does healthy worship look like in a rural church? In this episode, Dr. Kyle Bueermann joins us to unpack the tension between live and recorded worship and how rural churches can thrive regardless of resources. We offer practical tools to evaluate your worship ministry with three key markers: solid, simple, and singable. Whether you’re […]
30 min
May 01 Rural Ministry Unfiltered: Challenges, Joys, and Honest Insights from the Rural Summit
What’s it really like to serve in rural ministry? In this special episode recorded at the Salina Rural Summit, pastors and leaders from across the country share the best and hardest parts of leading in small and remote churches. From isolation and limited resources to deep relationships and lasting impact, this episode gives a raw, […]
32 min
October 02, 2025 The Rural Pastor Podcast – Episode 79 – Intergenerational Ministry
What would it be like to actually be the generation that declares the glory of God? We will never know, until we understand what a generation is in biblical language and terms. Listen in as Andy Addis and Danny Payne unpack the heart of intergenerational ministry, showing how older saints making space for young families […]
28 min

About The Rural Pastor Podcast

From the publisher's feed

The Rural Pastor Podcast knows that isolation, low resources and vocational identity are three heavy weights hanging heavy on the rural church leader and we want to help you move from surviving to thriving. It is designed to be a kitchen table conversation between you and real-time practitioners who've done rural ministry for years. Our desire is to affirm the role that you play whether it's full-time part-time or somewhere in between, and to share with you a variety of resources that will make your life and ministry easier. -

Isolation & Loneliness in Ministry rural pastor loneliness, pastoral isolation, ministry burnout, lonely pastor support, isolated church leader, community for pastors, connect rural pastors

Burnout / Fatigue / Stress pastor burnout recovery, ministry fatigue, stressed pastor, overwhelmed pastor, emotional health for pastors, self-care for church leaders

Bivocational / Financial Struggles bivocational pastor support, pastors with day job, low income pastor, financial stress ministry, ministry with limited resources

Feeling stuck / stuck ministry stuck in ministry, stuck pastor season, ministry stuck point, no resources church, under-resourced church leadership

Renewal / Revival / Hope spiritual renewal for pastors, revival for rural churches, hope for exhausted pastor, renewing passion ministry, ministry refresh

Creative ideas / innovation creative ministry ideas, church innovation rural, fresh ministry strategies, creative outreach small church, novel ministry methods

Biblical / Theological Anchoring biblical solutions for pastors, theology for ministry, doctrine for church leaders, scriptural guidance for pastors, biblical leadership

Community / Connection / Engagement church leader community, peer support pastors, connecting rural churches, pastor network, ministry collaboration

Growth & Opportunity growth for small church, opportunities in rural church, expanding small church ministry, multiplying ministry in low resource areas

Wellbeing & Renewal spiritual, emotional, physical health pastors, rest and renewal ministry, balancing life & ministry, rejuvenation for church leaders

“how to avoid pastor burnout in small towns”

“encouragement for rural pastors feeling alone”

“ministry ideas for under-resourced churches”

“bivocational pastor encouragement podcast”

“renewal and hope for exhausted pastors”

“creative outreach for small town churches”

“biblical answers for struggling church leaders”

“theology for everyday ministry challenges”

“finding community as an isolated pastor”

“ways to reboot your pastoral passion”

“leading a church with hardly any resources”

“surviving small church ministry”