For the Church Podcast

It’s another Mailbag installment of the FTC Podcast, with Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson answering listener-submitted questions and topics, including counseling baptism for children, pastoral recovery from pandemic burnout, and more. Due to technical difficulties, this episode’s recording was cut shorter than usual Mailbag episodes. We will make up for it in the next installment!

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson return to a listener favorite segment — “peeves” — and share some ways small group leaders, Sunday School teachers, and other Bible study teachers can improve.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson visits with ministry leader and author Ben Connelly about the ways churches sometimes train believers to read their Bibles without Jesus at the center.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson share their favorite Christian musical acts, plus a few honorable mentions.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with pastors Ronnie Martin and Donnie Griggs about their new book on pastoring small towns.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss how Christians can leave a church wisely and charitably.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, author and Moody Publishers editor Drew Dyck returns to talk about the ins and outs of Christian publishing, including plagiarism, ghostwriting, and more.

Get a pen and paper handy! You'll want to write these recommendations down. On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss what ought to be included on every Christian family bookshelf.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with scholar and author Jenny-Lyn de Klerk about what the lives of five Puritan women teach us about holy living and devotion to God.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about how church members can support and encourage their pastors -- and why this work is so important and a benefit to the church!

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with author Aaron Armstrong about his new book of counsel for new believers and how we all might help our new brothers and sisters take their first steps in the pursuit of Christlikeness. But first, a conversation about comic book movies! (If you just want […]

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson dip back into the mailbag to answer your questions on Christian life and ministry. This week we cover when to inform congregations of a pastor's theological shift, whether pastors should ever turn off their phone, whether husbands should confess their porn struggle with their wives, handing ministries off to a new generation, and more.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and his wife Becky talk about the heart and vision behind their first book together, Go Outside . . . and 19 Other Keys to Thriving in Your 20's, available this May from Moody Publishers.

On this special Easter week episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson interviews author and professor Daniel Darling about the message of Easter as seen through the various witnesses to Christ's resurrection.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the new Christian film "Jesus Revolution." Did Ross love it? Did Jared hate it? And what implications might it have for ministry and church life today?

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson visits with pastor and author Jeremy Writebol about his new book *Pastor, Jesus is Enough* and the problem of ministerial burnout.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with author and publisher Drew Dyck about the ins and outs of Christian publishing -- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about navigating worklife as a Christian in a secular world.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with pastor and author Barnabas Piper about his new book "Belonging" and the beauty of gospel-centered unity and community in the local church.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about the ins and outs of singleness within the church community.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about some simple ways to approach evangelism without fear.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson visits with Dr. Jason Thacker, a prof at Boyce College and the chair of research in technology ethics at the ERLC, about his book Following Jesus in the Digital Age

Why are Christian movies so bad? On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the state of Christian media and how it can be improved.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with pastor and author Erik Raymond about his book He is Not Ashamed and the amazing grace of Jesus for hurting, broken, sinful people.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson dig back into the ol' mailbag and answer listener-submitted questions related to handling the departure of a beloved pastor, what first-year pastors should prioritize, performance-driven worship, when to leave the secular workforce and pursue a ministry job, and more.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with fellow Midwestern Seminary professor Dr. Patrick Schreiner about his new book on Christians bearing public witness in a politically crazy world.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson offer some counsel on entering the new year with optimism and confidence.

Mr. Christmas himself -- pastor and author Ronnie Martin -- is back for our annual Christmas episode. This time he and host Jared Wilson discuss their favorite "redemptive" moments from various Christmas movies.

With the holidays on our mind, we know the prospect of spending time with difficult family members can be anxiety-inducing for many. On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson share some ways to navigate family conflicts and tension with grace and joy.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson visits with Blake Long about his book about displaying Christlike character in the practice of evangelism.

Jared and Ross have let worship leaders and pastors have it. In this episode of the FTC Podcast, they take aim at what bugs them about youth pastors. Come for the grouchiness. Stay for the encouragement.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with pastor and author Andrew Hébert about why more pastors don't pastor like Jesus.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss how to approach relationships in person (and online) from a Christlike perspective.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ronnie Martin "go to war" over their new Advent devotionals and talk about the goodness of meditating on the grace of Christ during this holiday season.

This episode of the FTC Podcast brings another installment of the regular mailbag feature. Today's questions and topics include: advice to a young pastor, building healthy ministry boundaries, if the Billy Graham Rule applies to social media, finding a mentor in the church, and what exactly is an Author in Residence?

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, we continue an occasional series on diverse missional contexts, as Jared Wilson interviews church planter and author Justin Buzzard about gospel ministry in the Silicon Valley of California.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about having those hard conversations we love to avoid with friends, family, and fellow church members.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with Dr. Jason Allen, president of Midwestern Seminary, on the occasion of his 10th anniversary at the seminary and his new book Turnaround, laying out the leadership principles applied in the extraordinary comeback he led at the institution.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the challenges of a bivocational pastorate and offer some advice on navigating the ministry circumstances well.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson visits with Cameron Cole, chairman of Rooted Ministries, about the state of student ministry in American evangelicalism and what greater gospel-centrality in these ministries would look like.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about the tricky issue of the church "engaging the culture." What should that look like? What should it not? From participation in Halloween to navigating cultural artifacts like movies, music, or even politics, what are some ways Christians should think about such things?

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with radio host and author Brant Hansen about Christian manhood -- its problems and promise -- about godly ambition, toxic masculinity, and the like, as well as Asperger's, mission, and more.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about the discipleship of children, from family worship tips to church engagement and beyond.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with his MBTS colleague Dr. Geoff Chang, professor of church history and curator of the Spurgeon Library, about his new book on Spurgeon's pastoral ministry, implications for megachurches, and more.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson open up the mailbag for another round of listener-submitted topics and questions, including: whether pastors are held to a higher standard, whether should disqualified leaders have their books removed, finding a rhythm for pastoral visitation, and more.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with friend and former co-host of the podcast Dr. Ronni Kurtz about his new book connecting the life of the mind to the life of the soul.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss some things preachers do they wish they wouldn't (and a few things they're glad they do).

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss pursuing holiness in the area of sexuality while the world around us seems to be on fire with impurity and temptation.

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Dean Inserra chat about Dean's new book, "Pure: Why the Bible's Plan for Sexuality isn't Outdated, Irrelevant, or Oppressive."

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss things worship leaders do that they wish they wouldn't (and a few things they're glad they do).