Podcast
The Pastor Theologians Podcast
Hosted by The Center for Pastor Theologians · EN
A theology podcast for the church. The pastor theologians podcast consists of conversations and teaching resources at the intersection of theological scholarship and life and ministry in the local church. The vision for this show is to help equip pastors to be theologians for today’s complex world.
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Kyle Fever
May 1400:55:18Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we are joined by pastor theologian Kyle Fever to discuss his journey from a Lutheran upbringing and love of biblical scholarship into pastoral ministry. Kyle reflects on the shifting nature of vocation, the challenges of balancing academic aspirations with family life, and how his daughter’s traumatic brain injury profoundly reshaped his understanding of ministry, calling, and faithfulness.Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →BONUS | Matthew LaMaster on Books, Preaching, and Sermon Prep
May 100:13:11Tap to summarizeA short bonus conversation with CPT fellow Matthew LaMaster on a book that has influenced his preaching ministry and his aspiration to write his sermons six months before they are preached.Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →Becoming a Pastor Theologians | Matthew LaMaster
Apr 2800:50:45Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the CPT Podcast, Matt Lamaster discusses his path into pastoral ministry, from his upbringing in evangelical churches to serving as a pastor in rural Maine. He reflects on the challenges of his first pastorate, the lessons he learned through ministry and theological study, and how his work in the book of Hebrews has shaped his understanding of the pastor theologian’s calling. The conversation explores church leadership, theological formation, and perseverance in ministry.Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →Finding Faithful Pastors | Rich Kidd
Apr 2200:37:47Tap to summarizeJoel Lawrence sits down with Rich Kidd of Mission Leadership to discuss the changing landscape of pastoral leadership. Drawing from years of experience in executive search and ministry, Kidd reflects on the growing need for shepherds, not just speakers, in ministry today, and the challenges churches face in identifying and supporting healthy leaders. How can churches engage in practices that appropriately vet candidates, build trust with congregations, and prioritize a relational approach to ministry?Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →BONUS | Joey Sherrard on Books and Preaching
Apr 1300:12:23Tap to summarizeA short bonus episode where CPT fellow Joey Sherrard shares discusses St. Augustine's important book, On Christian Teaching.Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →The Augustinian Pastor | Joey Sherrard
Apr 600:50:56Tap to summarizeThis episode features a conversation with Joey Sherrard about his new book The Augustinian Pastor, exploring how the life and theology of Augustine can shape modern pastoral ministry. Drawing from his own journey—especially rediscovering Augustine during COVID—Sherrard highlights how Augustine’s work as a hands-on pastor was itself the outworking of and context in which he did his theological reflection. Key themes include the importance of pastoral friendship, the ongoing struggle with pride and sin, and the cultivation of humility through dependence on God. Pastors should see their ordinary work not as a barrier to theological depth, but as the very place where rich, enduring theology is formed.Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →Jonathan Griffiths | Gathered for Good
Mar 2400:53:17Tap to summarizeThis episode features a conversation* with Pastor Jonathan Griffiths on his ministry journey—from Toronto to Oxford and Cambridge—and the theological vision behind his book Gathered for Good. The discussion explores the importance of the local church’s physical gathering, especially in a post-COVID context, addressing challenges like disengagement, “fringe” attendance, and the rise of virtual church participation. Griffiths offers pastoral and theological insight into why committed, embodied church life matters and how leaders can cultivate deeper buy-in and discipleship within their congregations.(*Note: This episode was recorded in mid 2025. Some time references may be slightly out of date for this reason.)Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →BONUS | Matt Erickson on Books and Preaching
Mar 1700:11:45Tap to summarizeA short bonus episode where CPT fellow Matt Erickson shares two formative books for his ministry—Eugene Peterson’s Working the Angles and Tim Keller’s Preaching—highlighting how they shape his approach to prayer, Scripture, pastoral care, and effective preaching.Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →The Pastor as Gardener | Matt Erickson
Mar 900:46:38Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the The CPT Podcast, hosts Zachary Wagner and Joel Lawrence interview Matt Erickson about his path to pastoral ministry and the ideas behind his book The Pastor as Gardener. Erickson shares his conversion in high school, his formation at Wheaton College and Northern Theological Seminary, and how crises in ministry—including COVID-19 and church tensions—pushed him to rethink common leadership models. Drawing on Eugene Peterson and biblical imagery such as 1 Corinthians 3, he argues that pastors should see themselves as “gardeners” who cultivate conditions for growth while trusting God to produce the fruit, emphasizing spiritual formation, shared ministry, and long-term hope.Join us at the CPT Conference
Transcribe →Preaching as Theology | Nicole Martin (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 10)
Jan 2600:47:42Tap to summarizeIn this final episode of the Preaching in the Pastor-Theologian series, Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim are joined by Nicole Martin—pastor, preacher, and President/CEO of Christianity Today—for a wide-ranging conversation that brings the series’ central themes into sharp focus. Drawing on her own preaching journey and her book Nailing It, Martin reflects on preaching as a theological act of proclamation rather than performance, emphasizing surrender, simplicity, and a God-centered vision of the pulpit. Together, they explore the difference between preaching and teaching, the dangers of human-centered and culturally driven sermons, and the urgent need for theological formation shaped by the cross rather than triumphalism. The episode closes with a candid and pastoral word to preachers: true faithfulness lies not in success or spectacle, but in dying to self, trusting the sufficiency of God’s grace, and letting the Word of God do its work among a listening church—and a listening preacher.
Transcribe →