What's a pastor to do who has too many ministry responsibilities and not enough willing volunteers to help?!

How to I keep from having more work shoveled onto my pastoral plate than I can possibly handle? People die, move, need a break, or just quit - and I get stuck with the work they leave behind!

How do I keep my sermon content fresh?

Why can't I get people excited about Life Groups?

These, and other questions, were all sent our way via the Small Church Pastor group on Facebook, and Dave Jacobs and I (Jeff) tackle them one by one in a two episodes, the first of which is right here with Episode 283!

Dave and I have a combined 60 years of ministry experience, so what you hear is not theoretical or ethereal - it comes from a lot of success and failure! Most of all, it all comes with a lot of LOVE for pastors of small churches! Dave and I love you and hope that this episode provides MINISTRY ENCOURAGEMENT for you!

Jonny joins me for the front and back of this episode, and his son Joseph even makes a cameo appearance!

You can find Dave Jacobs at www.smallchurchpastor.com, and you can contact him with for pastoral coaches sessions at dave@smallchurchpastor.com! Dave coaches pastors full time and has been doing it for the past ten years!

Derek Vreeland from Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri joins us on this episode in a wide-ranging conversation that covers work/family balance, discipleship ministry, his personal journey of growth and development, and even the enneagram.

Derek is the Discipleship Pastor at Word of Life Church and has served as a youth pastor, associate pastor, and lead pastor before his journey brought him back to St. Joseph.

​Derek brings practical wisdom along with some philosophical and theological insight throughout this conversation and we know that you'll be blessed by what he shares. Enjoy!

Imagine beginning your first pastoral ministry before even finishing Seminary. Then imagine that when you get to your church, you realize that yes, you really do have to preach most Sundays to a former U.S. President!

Brandon's story is an interesting one, but what is even more interesting is the heart of this young pastor. Jonny and I quickly realized why he is where he is, and doing what he is doing - he has a heart that seeks after God, and deeply loves his people.

Brandon's small church pastoral ministry story is like so many of our stories. That's right, even though he has a unique parishioner, that is not what you walk away from him being struck by, but rather you leave thinking that this young pastor is a breath of fresh spiritual air in his small church, and yet struggles with the same loneliness and isolation that so many rural and small church pastors do.

Brandon shares inspiration, affirmation, and challenge for all of us in this episode. Thanks Brandon, for joining us on the 200churches Podcast. May your words encourage pastors all around the world, for many years to come...

Jonny records a solo episode and follow's in Jeff's footsteps with his own "What's On My Mind" episode. He and Jeff have been wanting to create some solo episodes just to speak personally to small church pastors, and this is the second one.

This is Jonny's response to Jeff's challenge to create a "What's On My Mind" episode. Jonny focuses his episode on family, worship services, church decline, and a challenge to pastor's to think new thoughts and engage the world and their churches creatively. 

This week Jonny puts forth a great counter-episode to the last one, #279, with his own What's On My Mind episode, live from Holland, MI, where he is attending a seminary class!

You can hear the different perspective from a 30-something pastor with Jonny, as compared to the 50-something episode with Jeff last week.

In the coming weeks we will have some great new guests and episodes, created especially for you, men and women pastors of normal-sized churches!