140. Ass-backward Hermeneutics

I mentioned some time ago of my intention to work slowly through the pastorally-suggestive book of 2 Chronicles. This episode is a part of that. Honest pastors know that the interpretation of the Bible is not always straightforward. There are pitfalls and byways, and...

RDC05A – Professional Identity Formation, Part One

Hi! I’m Randy Greenwald, and welcome to this episode of what I call “Rainy Day Conversations around Greatheart’s Table.” I am always on the lookout for generous, gracious, and thoughtful people who have insight into the work of pastors and into the interaction pastors...

139. Live, Laugh, Retire

Recently we’ve revisited the question of when a pastor should possibly leave one church for another. Those episodes were resets first written nearly four years ago. I find that now I’m getting asked a question I was not being asked back then: “When do you think you’ll...

RDC01B. The Power of Pastors’ Wives, Part Two

Hello, all. Welcome again to another Rainy Day Conversation around Greatheart’s Table. This is the second half of an episode that first aired in September of 2024. The first half aired a few weeks ago.  I’m reprising this conversation because of the value of...

Reset 23. Pack It Up and Tear It Down

This episode of Greatheart’s Table is the third of three which are here reset from when they originally aired in the fall of 2021.  One of our objectives here is to encourage pastors to stay in ministry and, if possible, to stay at their churches. But also, we...

Reset 22. Just a Little Bit Longer

This is the second of three resets from the fall of 2021 exploring the question of when a pastor might want or need to leave his church. A part of that question is why we stay? Why do we hang around doing a job that is admittedly hard with people who can be...

Reset 21. Oh, Won’t You Stay?

Something that is rarely discussed, it seems to me, is when pastors should leave a church. Rarely discussed, of course, does not mean rarely thought about. I’m an advocate of long pastorates in single places. But not every place is suited for that. There may come a...

RDC1A. The Power of Pastors’ Wives, Part One

Hello, everyone. Welcome to another Greatheart’s Table Conversation for Rainy Day People, which is actually a reprise of our original conversation first posted in September of 2024. In this conversation I speak with three women with a wealth of ministry experience to...

138. Where Nice Guys Finish

This episode invites us to consider the leadership models we as pastors, but as those filling any role, really, adopt and promote. Authoritarian leadership styles seem to be sweeping the world by storm, and these are trends which pastors particularly must stand...

137. Parenting as Improv

This is the third of three episodes drawn from the content of the retreat I offer for parents of off-script kids, the adult children of Christian parents who have made life choices troubling to their parents. In the retreat I help parents unlearn the toxic teaching...