Shows
ThecuriousmanspodcastMatthew Davis InterviewIn this episode, host Matt Crawford speaks with award-winning journalist Matthew Davis about his book A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore. Davis traces the mountain's transformation from sacred land to national monument, examining the artistic ambition, political motivations, labor history, and cultural conflicts embedded in Mount Rushmore's creation. The conversation addresses both the monument's symbolic power and the controversies surrounding it, including Indigenous perspectives and modern debates over public memory. This episode invites listeners to look beyond the stone faces and consider what Mount Rushmore reveals about American history—an...
2026-01-1339 minThecuriousmanspodcastAmy Pollack InterviewIn this episode, host Matt Crawford sits down with children's author Amy Pollack for a joyful conversation about writing for young readers, nurturing a love of books, and helping children explore big ideas through stories made just for them. Amy shares how she thinks about her audience, the role of educators and mentors in shaping lifelong readers, and how parents can use stories as a bridge for meaningful conversations. This episode is perfect for anyone who believes books can open doors—especially for kids.
2026-01-0648 min
Called to Rise: Business and FitnessCrawford's Pizza - Built to LastIn this episode, Matt and Hil sit down to celebrate a major milestone with their restaurants. They open up about the wild schedules, tough seasons, and unpredictable challenges that came with building their businesses from the ground up. From near-burnout moments to surprising breakthroughs, they reflect on what it really took to stay committed when things got messy.https://linktr.ee/CalledToRisePodcast
2025-12-1625 minThecuriousmanspodcastDr. James Bellingham InterviewIn this episode, host Matt Crawford sits down with Dr. James Bellingham, leading ocean engineer and Executive Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy, to discuss his groundbreaking new book How Are Marine Robots Shaping Our Future? We explore how robotics and AI are transforming ocean science, climate research, national security, global economics, and even the way humanity understands the 70% of Earth that remains unseen. Dr. Bellingham reveals what underwater machines are capable of today — and what they soon will be — as advancements in autonomy, sensing, machine learning, and endurance take us deeper into the ocean th...
2025-12-021h 02ThecuriousmanspodcastGeorge Pesansky InterviewIn this episode, host Matt Crawford sits down with leadership expert, coach, and author George Pesansky to explore his powerful new book Superperformance: 8 Strategies to Reach Your Full Potential for Yourself, Your Team, and Your Organization. Drawing from decades of experience guiding leaders and organizations toward peak effectiveness, George outlines how everyday people can unlock extraordinary potential — not by working harder, but by working more intentionally. He dives into the eight strategies that create "superperformance" and shares how individuals, teams, and organizations can transform themselves through clarity, mindset, trust, and aligned action. This conversation is a roadmap...
2025-11-261h 02ThecuriousmanspodcastMarth Lawrence InterviewIn this episode, host Matt Crawford speaks with writer and leadership collaborator Martha C. Lawrence about her insightful book Catch People Doing Things Right: How Ken Blanchard Changed the Way the World Leads. Drawing on decades of insight into the leadership principles of Ken Blanchard — the bestselling author of The One Minute Manager and one of the most influential thinkers in modern leadership — Martha breaks down why his philosophy of positive reinforcement is both timeless and urgently needed. Martha and I explore the stories behind Blanchard's breakthroughs, the real-world application of his principles, and how "catching peop...
2025-11-2559 minThecuriousmanspodcastBridget Lyons InterviewIn this episode, host Matt Crawford welcomes author, ecologist, and essayist Bridget A. Lyons to discuss her beautiful and thought-provoking book, Entwined: Dispatches from the Intersection of Species. Blending science, philosophy, and lyrical storytelling, Lyons invites readers to reconsider what it means to be human in a world alive with other intelligences. Her work explores the profound connections—and responsibilities—that come with being part of Earth's living network. Together, Matt and Bridget explore how empathy, curiosity, and humility can transform our relationships with animals, ecosystems, and each other. From fieldwork encounters to reflections on climate g...
2025-11-1853 minThecuriousmanspodcastDevon O'Neil InterviewIn this gripping episode, host Matt Crawford talks with journalist and author Devon O'Neil about his powerful new book The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies. Blending the tension of a true survival thriller with the depth of a human drama, O'Neil chronicles an extraordinary real-life story of endurance, fear, and hope in one of the harshest landscapes on Earth. The conversation explores the razor's edge between life and death, how ordinary people find extraordinary strength, and what wilderness reveals about who we really are.
2025-11-1257 minThecuriousmanspodcastWilliam Rankin InterviewWhat if the maps we trust most — the ones hanging in classrooms or glowing on our phones — are shaping not just how we see the world, but how we think about it? In this episode, Matt Crawford speaks with William Rankin, historian of science, cartographer, and author of Radical Cartography: How Changing Our Maps Can Change Our World. Rankin reveals how every map tells a story — and how those stories influence politics, power, identity, and even empathy. From colonial borders to climate change, this conversation explores how reimagining the art and science of mapping can transform the w...
2025-11-1155 minThecuriousmanspodcastRick Steinke InterviewIn this episode, host Matt Crawford speaks with novelist Rick Steinke about his gripping and heartfelt novel Vital Mission: A Jake Fortina Series Love Story. Set against the backdrop of courage, service, and sacrifice, Vital Mission explores what servie and heroism really mean and how novels can evoke feeling history sometime cant. Steinke shares how his military background and life experiences shaped the world of Jake Fortina, a protagonist torn between duty and desire. Together, they discuss the delicate balance between personal connection and professional mission, the emotional reality behind heroism, and how love itself can be the mos...
2025-11-0554 minCalled to Rise: Business and FitnessSmall Town, Big Appetite - with Michael JumpMatt chats with Michael Jump, owner of Crawford’s Pizza in Mt. Zion, about the heart behind small-town business. Together, they explore what it means to serve your neighbors, grow a family, and build something that becomes part of the community.Follow us on social media and watch on YouTube!https://linktr.ee/CalledToRisePodcast
2025-11-0452 minThecuriousmanspodcastRichard Bell InterviewWhat if the American Revolution wasn't just a national uprising — but a global turning point? Prize-winning historian Richard Bell joins Matt Crawford to discuss his groundbreaking new book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World. In this episode, Bell reframes the Revolution as an event that reverberated far beyond the thirteen colonies — reshaping empires, inspiring new movements for liberty, and transforming ideas about democracy itself. Richard and I explore the global consequences of America's founding struggle, the untold stories of those left out of its triumph, and how its ideals still echo — and clash — in t...
2025-11-0454 minThecuriousmanspodcastCharlie Wells InterviewThey were told they could be anything — then handed a world on fire. Award-winning journalist Charlie Wells joins Matt Crawford to discuss his new book What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation, a deeply reported and provocative look at how the largest generation in history was shaped by economic crises, digital revolutions, and cultural change. Matt and Charlie explore how millennials have been misunderstood, misrepresented, and underestimated — and why their struggles reveal so much about modern society itself. From work and wealth to meaning and identity, this conversation challenges every stereotype about "the participat...
2025-10-281h 04ThecuriousmanspodcastJoel Nedecky InterviewWhat happens when the person searching for truth is the one most haunted by it? In this episode, host Matt Crawford speaks with Canadian author Joel Nedecky about his powerful debut novel, The Broken Detective. This isn't your typical crime story — it's a meditation on guilt, redemption, and the fragile humanity behind every investigation. Nedecky's novel follows a detective unraveling not only a mystery but also himself — exploring what it means to seek justice in a world where the lines between right and wrong are constantly shifting. Together, Matt and Joel discuss the psychology of brokenness, t...
2025-10-241h 06ThecuriousmanspodcastGerta Keller InterviewFor decades, we've been told the dinosaurs were wiped out by a single catastrophic asteroid impact — a story that has become almost mythic in its simplicity. But what if that isn't the full truth? In this episode, host Matt Crawford speaks with Professor Gerta Keller, one of the world's leading paleontologists and a bold voice challenging conventional science. Drawing on over 40 years of fieldwork and groundbreaking research, Keller's new book The Last Extinction: The Real Science Behind the Death of the Dinosaurs reexamines the evidence and makes a compelling case that massive volcanic eruptions — not just an asteroid...
2025-10-151h 07Called to Rise: Business and FitnessBuilding Podcasts & Businesses: Matt x NicMatt sits down with Beyond Business host Nic Hancock for a back-and-forth conversation where they interview each other, share how their podcasts started, and swap stories about their business ventures.
2025-09-021h 46Called to Rise: Business and FitnessA Little More on MattIn this episode, Chapman interviews Matt! For those that may not know the host of the show or maybe want to get to know him better, this episode is for you. Matt discusses everything from his childhood to the craziness of his daily life today. https://linktr.ee/CalledToRisePodcast
2025-08-2835 minCalled to Rise: Business and FitnessRolling in Sweet Success with Kaylin CohnIn this episode, Matt sits down with friend and entrepreneur Kaylin Cohn, the creative force behind KLC Creations, a one-of-a-kind bakery truck serving up fresh treats on the go. Having known Kaylin for nearly a decade, Matt has witnessed her remarkable journey from dreamer to full-time food truck owner. Together, they talk about the highs and hurdles of running a mobile bakery, the lessons learned along the way, and what makes KLC Creations stand out in a competitive industry. It’s an honest, inspiring, and deliciously sweet conversation about chasing passion.https://linktr.ee/CalledToRisePodcast
2025-08-121h 06Called to Rise: Business and FitnessMorning RoutineIn this quick episode, Matt talks about his morning routine! This episode has more context on YouTube as Matt is writing on a white board throughout! Subscribe to our YouTube channel below to watch all our podcasts too! https://linktr.ee/CalledToRisePodcast
2025-07-2507 minCalled to Rise: Business and FitnessFlipping the Script (and the Dough): Michael Jump’s StoryIn this episode, Matt sits down with longtime friend and former employee Michael Jump, now the proud owner of a Crawford’s Pizza location. Michael shares his journey from working under Matt to taking the leap and purchasing the shop himself. He opens up about what motivated the transition, the challenges of running a pizza business, and how he and his wife are navigating ownership together. It’s a story of friendship, risk, growth, and of course, pizza.https://linktr.ee/CalledToRisePodcast
2025-07-151h 04Called to Rise: Business and FitnessBuilt on Rock: Why God Is the Only Foundation That LastsIn this episode, Matt dives deep into the importance of building every part of your life—whether it's your business, your family, or your daily decisions—on a solid foundation: God. Matt shares his personal journey of transformation, revealing how surrendering control and trusting God's guidance brought clarity, balance, and peace into areas of his life that once felt chaotic and overwhelming. If you've ever struggled with work-life balance, decision fatigue, or feeling like you're building success on shaky ground, this episode is a must-listen. Learn how faith can realign your priorities, strengthen your purpose, and anchor you in a wa...
2025-07-1016 minCalled to Rise: Business and FitnessReal Estate & Reps with Tony PirainoMatt Crawford is joined by guest Tony Piraino, a local realtor with a strong passion for fitness. In this episode, Tony shares stories from both worlds—what it’s like navigating the challenges of the real estate market, and how staying active and committed to fitness plays a big role in his everyday life. From tough deals to tough workouts, Tony talks about the ups and downs of each, and why he enjoys pushing himself in both areas. It’s an easygoing conversation about work, health, and finding balance in a busy lifestyle.
2025-07-081h 17Called to Rise: Business and FitnessBrotherhood & Pizza Ovens: The Crawford Pizza LegacyIn this episode, Matt welcomes his brother Josh Crawford for a conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership, and the realities of running a restaurant. Both own and operate their own pizza spots in the area, and in this episode, they share what it’s really like to build and manage a food business. From supply chain headaches and staffing challenges to brand building and community engagement, the Crawfords offer honest insights into the highs and lows of life in the restaurant industry. Whether you're a fellow business owner or just curious about what goes on behind the counter, this episode delivers a...
2025-07-0143 minCalled to Rise: Business and FitnessA Redemption Story– A Conversation with My DadIn this powerful first interview of Called to Rise, host Matt Crawford sits down with his very first guest—his own father, Mark Crawford. Once the owner of the Pizza Factory in Decatur where Matt spent his childhood working, Mark opens up about his incredible journey through raising kids and owning a business, addiction, and how finding faith helped him rebuild his life. It's a raw, honest conversation about failure, forgiveness, and the strength it takes to rise again.Follow us on: Facebook & Instagram
2025-06-1841 minThecuriousmanspodcastSimon Tolkien InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author Simon Tolkien about his book, The Palace At The End Of The Sea. Today, we're honored to welcome novelist and historian Simon Tolkien. Known for his gripping historical fiction and literary craftsmanship, Simon's latest novel, Palace at the End of the Sea, is a sweeping, emotionally layered story with the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. A former barrister turned acclaimed author, Simon brings a unique perspective to themes of loyalty, legacy, coming-of age and the cost of war. In this episode, we explore his creative process, the real-life history behi...
2025-06-1759 minThecuriousmanspodcastGeorge Zavershinskiy InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author George Zavershinskiy about his book, The Atomic Shepard. Amid Cold War tensions, a gifted nuclear physicist – poised to become the future father of new weapons – shockingly gains religious faith. Seeking to confess this revelation, he enters the priesthood, finding purpose but facing myriad trials. His startling 1970s conversion from secret Soviet weapon scientist to devout priest elicits incomprehension and suspicion on all sides. Colleagues shun him as studies now intermix seminary training with Siberia's nuclear work. His transfer to a lowly role with barred access quashes the prestige of high-stakes research. Friends and...
2025-06-131h 00ThecuriousmanspodcastChristina Li InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author Christina Li about her debut adult novel, The Manor of Dreams. Vivian Yin is dead. The first Chinese actress to win an Oscar, the trailblazing ingénue rose to fame in the eighties, only to disappear from the spotlight at the height of her career to live out the rest of her life as a recluse. Now her remaining family members are gathered for the reading of her will, and her daughters expect to inherit their childhood home: Vivian's grand, sprawling, Southern California garden estate. But due to a last-minute change to t...
2025-06-1248 minThecuriousmanspodcastJudy Karofsky InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author Judy Karofsky about her book, DisElderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice. The book is a personal account of unmet needs in assisted living and hospice aiming to spark discussions about new approaches for America's aging population and family decision makers. There are 30 thousand assisted living facilities in the US, but most are unaffordable for middleclass Americans and fraught with staffing deficiencies and mismanagement. Chapters on the author's experience helping her mother move from an age-restricted community in Florida to independent living in Wisconsin to assisted living will interest seniors and...
2025-06-111h 07ThecuriousmanspodcastJanelle Kellman InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California Janelle Kellman about her career and political aspirations. As the Mayor of Sausalito, member of the Town Council, and across ten years serving on the Sausalito Planning Commission, Janelle solved many of the same challenges facing California today. Janelle looks to take action with economic policies that directly improve the affordability of living in our state - job creation, supporting small business, workforce development, and balancing California's budget - so all can continue to live in our great state!
2025-06-1045 minThecuriousmanspodcastLynne Olson InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with NYT Best-selling author Lynne Olson about her book, The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück: How an Intrepid Band of Frenchwomen Resisted the Nazis in Hitler's All-Female Concentration Camp . The extraordinary true story of a small group of Frenchwomen, all Resistance members, who banded together in a notorious concentration camp to defy the Nazis—from the New York Times bestselling author of Madame Fourcade's Secret War "At once heartbreaking and beautifully told, this is a masterwork of nonfiction, a must-read for anyone who wants more of the incredible true story behind Lilac Girls."—Martha Hal...
2025-06-051h 04ThecuriousmanspodcastJustin Evans InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with Data Scientist and author Justin Evans about his book, The Little Book of Data: Understanding the Powerful Analytics that Fuel AI, Make or Break Careers, and Could Just End Up Saving the World. Data is not about number crunching. It's about ideas. And when used properly (read: ethically), it is the problem solver of our time. Yet many savvy people seem to be in data denial: they don't think they need to understand data, or it's too complicated, or worse, using it is somehow unethical. Yet as data and AI (just a...
2025-06-041h 04ThecuriousmanspodcastLisa Pratta InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with Big Pharma Whistleblower Lisa Pratta about her book, False Claims: One Insider's Impossible Battle Against Big Pharma Corruption. In Big Pharma, lives are secondary to profit margins. But Lisa Pratta stood her ground—risking everything to expose the lies of a billion-dollar pharmaceutical business mired in deception, greed, and the systemic abuse of both patients and employees As a rising star in pharmaceutical sales, Lisa Pratta wanted to believe that she was helping improve the lives of people who suffered from illness. But as she climbed the corporate ladder, she uncovered a s...
2025-06-031h 03ThecuriousmanspodcastAlia Dastagir InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with Alia Dastagir, an award-winning journalist and author of For Those Who Have Confused You to be a Person. Part memoir, part cultural commentary, her book is a searing meditation on identity, invisibility, and the hunger for dignity in a fractured world. Alia shares how years of reporting on trauma, injustice, and inequity shaped her voice—and how this book became a personal reckoning. Together, we explore what it means to write truthfully when the world demands silence, how journalism and literature diverge when dealing with human suffering, and why empathy alone is never eno...
2025-05-281h 05ThecuriousmanspodcastSylvia Lerch InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author Sylvia Lerch about her book, Grasp the Nettle. Set in a remote district of Western Australia in the 1920s, an era which outlawed suicide, an unidentified body has been found and police are treating the death as suspicious. The story presents a chance for strangers (the reader) to peruse the very private diaries of the protagonists. Intriguingly, this is like peeping through the coin slot of a piggy bank to count the wealth inside. Elsie has married Tom in an arrangement brokered by her brother. Tom's job is delivering the Royal Mail, and it...
2025-05-2356 minThecuriousmanspodcastDavid Singer InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author David Singer about his book, From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall. David and I talk about his eclectic careers and how he managed to end up playing Clarinet for two U.S Presidents; one the same day as he was driving a cab. Resilience and gratitude is the overarching message of this book and everyone can take something from this story.
2025-05-221h 04ThecuriousmanspodcastStephen R. Platt InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author Stephen R. Platt about his book, The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S Special Forces in World War II. In this compelling episode, historian Stephen R. Platt joins us to discuss his latest book, The Raider, a powerful chronicle of Evans Carlson—the controversial, visionary Marine officer who broke ranks with military convention during World War II to lead one of the first elite units in U.S. history. We explore Carlson's radical leadership philosophy, his time with Mao Zedong in China, and how his st...
2025-05-201h 02
The TransactionInverting your Go-To-Market Strategy Thinking with Jordan Crawford - Ep 55AI use cases & tactics are moving at a million miles per hour which can make it hard to adopt some of these amazing innovations into your go-to-market strategy. Thankfully, we knew just the guy to have on the show to help us put into practice what otherwise could seem like technological mumbo, and or jumbo.That man’s name is Jordan Crawford, the Founder of Blueprint GTM and one of the foremost go-to-market engineers innovating B2B sales and marketing on the cutting edge of AI advancements.Jordan joins co...
2025-05-1751 minThecuriousmanspodcastSusan Sturm InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with Columbia Law Professor Susan Sturm about her book, What Might Be: Confronting Racism to Transform Our Institutions. Even as anti-racism practices seemed to be gaining momentum, the nation shows signs of falling back into long-standing patterns of racial injustice and inequality. Leaders who introduce anti-racist approaches to their organizations often face backlash from white colleagues and skepticism from colleagues of color, leading to paralysis. In What Might Be, Susan Sturm explores how to navigate the contradictions built into our racialized history, relationships, and institutions. She offers strategies and stories for confronting racism within predominantly white i...
2025-05-141h 06Called to Rise: Business and FitnessManaging the ChaosIn this first episode, Matt talks about managing the daily life of a business owner. He gives tips and helpful insight on what has helped him manage multiple businesses at once. Owning a business brings a bit more than just stress and sometimes it is hard to manage it all. This episode will bring you some guidance if you are having trouble getting through those busy days, as well as, some tips from Matt's daily routines.
2025-05-1217 minThecuriousmanspodcastCraig Foster InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with Academy award winning documentary filmmaker of My Octopus Teacher and author Craig Foster about his book, My Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World. Craig and I discuss his worldwide phenomenon documentary My Octopus Teacher and how that led to his follow up book My Amphibious Soul. How do we connect with nature in an increasingly disconnected world? Foster takes us through is journey and struggle of maintaining that connection and balancing his own well-being and mental health. We discuss what led him to start a daily routine of immersing himself in the...
2025-05-1255 minThecuriousmanspodcastDean Van Nguyen InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with author Dean Van Nguyen about his book, Words for My Comrades: A Political History of Tupac Shakur. Before his murder at age twenty-five, Tupac Shakur rose to staggering artistic heights as the preeminent storyteller of the 1990s, building, in the process, one of the most iconic public personas of the last half century. He recorded no fewer than ten platinum albums, starred in major films, and became an activist and political hero known the world over. In this cultural history, journalist Van Nguyen reckons with Tupac's coming of age, fame, and cultural capital, and how...
2025-05-091h 02ThecuriousmanspodcastAndrew Holter InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with Andrew Holter about his book, Going Around: Selected Journalism Murray Kempton. A courtly man of Southern roots, Murray Kempton worked as a labor reporter for the New York Post, won a Pulitzer Prize while at Newsday, and was arrested at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago along the way. He wore three piece suits and polished oxfords and was known for riding his bicycle around New York City while listening to his CD Walkman and smoking a pipe with wild red hair that later turned white. He developed a taste for baroque prose and became, i...
2025-05-0854 minThecuriousmanspodcastProfessor Bill Yousman InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with Professor Bill Yousman the director of the Media Literacy and Digital Culture graduate program at Sacred Heart University. We discuss misinformation, disinformation and the important distinction between them as well as how we can become more literate in our media consumption. If we start there, that will enable us to have more meaningful conversations based in fact and not emotion.
2025-05-071h 10ThecuriousmanspodcastDr Charles LeBaron InterviewMatt Crawford speaks with former CDC Epidemiologist Dr. Charles LeBaron about his book, Greed to Do Good: The Untold Story of CDC's Disastrous War on Opioids: A CDC Physician's Personal Account. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that overdose deaths had quadrupled in ten years, hitting a record high of 90,000 in 2020, opioid researchers around the country expressed shock with terms such as "huge" and "unprecedented." They might have reserved a few adjectives since overdose deaths grew to 100,000 in 2021 and 110,000 in 2022. Each year there are now twice as many deaths from overdoses as from b...
2025-05-061h 05
The Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 56: Building Community Among Church Leaders Fred and Matt discuss the why and the how of building community among staff and church leaders.
2023-11-1429 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 55: Preaching Old Testament Narrative Fred and Matt begin a recurring series on preaching from different genres of Scripture. This episode discusses preaching Old Testament narrative. Make sure you listen for that new part of the story of David and Goliath!
2023-11-0733 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 54: Special Events and Initiatives Fred and Matt discuss bringing in outside speakers, artists, and other special initiatives.
2023-10-3125 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 53: How Can Churches Fight Human Trafficking? (Stephen Robert, COO of One More Child) Fred and Matt interview Stephen Robert, the Chief Operating Officer of One More Child (onemorechild.org). Among many other ministry objectives, One More Child helps survivors of human trafficking. The episode deals with how individual pastors and churches can join in the fight against this evil.
2023-10-2436 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 52: Worship Service Elements and Order Fred and Matt discuss elements for a worship service and the order in which they are placed.
2023-10-1736 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 51: Sermon Time Fred and Matt discuss the time involved in preaching - both in sermon prep and in sermon delivery.
2023-10-1033 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 50: Cooperative Ministry, with Mitch Martin Fred and Matt welcome Mitch Martin to the podcast. Mitch is the Director of the Mid-South Baptist Association (midsouthbaptist.com). This episode covers the blessings, benefits, and missional impact of pastors and churches cooperating together.
2023-10-0338 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 49: Hospital Visits Fred and Matt discuss an important aspect of pastoral ministry: visiting people in the hospital.
2023-09-2637 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 48: Your First Steps in Ministry (Part 2) In Part 2, Fred and Matt discuss more steps you should consider taking as you begin serving in pastoral ministry - regardless of the type of pastoral role. This episode covers more of things to do once you have actually started in a ministry role.
2023-09-1932 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 47: Your First Steps in Ministry (Part 1) Fred and Matt discuss some of the first steps you should consider taking as you begin serving in pastoral ministry - regardless of the type of pastoral role.
2023-09-1232 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 46: Transitioning from a Metro Area to a Small-town Pastorate, with Ben Cowell Fred and Matt have Pastor Ben Cowell on the podcast to discuss moving from a large metro area to a pastorate in a small town. Ben Cowell is from Memphis, Tennessee, but he recently transitioned to be the senior pastor at Brownsville Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tennessee.
2023-09-0542 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 45: Staff Meetings Fred and Matt discuss the pastor's leadership through staff meetings.
2023-08-3031 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 44: Caring for Pastors, with Dr. Billy Daws Fred and Matt interview Dr. Billy Daws, who works with PastorCare (https://www.pastorcare.org/) - a ministry focused on walking with pastors through the difficulties of ministry. Dr. Daws has over 50 years of ministry experience and has a passion for shepherding the shepherds.
2023-08-2245 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 43: Funerals Following their episode last week on weddings, Fred and Matt discuss the pastor's ministry through funerals.
2023-08-1532 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 42: Weddings Fred and Matt discuss the pastor's role in weddings.
2023-08-0833 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 41 [REPOST from ep. 11]: Preaching Planning [REPOST from ep. 11] Fred and Matt discuss their processes for planning preaching, both for individual messages and series. The "Series Map" that Fred and Matt discuss can be found here: https://sermonillustr8r.wordpress.com/2022/12/31/series-map-example-for-pastor-in-the-middle-podcast/
2023-08-0135 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 40: Preaching Notes Fred and Matt discuss how much notes we should use while preaching.
2023-07-2535 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 39: Finishing Well, with Dr. Richard Hipps Fred and Matt discuss finishing well in ministry with Dr. Richard Hipps, the Pastor Emeritus at Trinity Baptist Church (where Matt currently serves). Richard served for 17 years at Trinity.
2023-07-1845 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 38: SBC 2023 Recap Fred and Matt recap the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.
2023-07-1137 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 37 [REPOST from ep. 8]: Shepherding Our Families [REPOST FROM EPISODE 8] Fred and Matt discuss the pastor's first ministry responsibility.New episodes resume next week, July 11!
2023-07-0432 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 35: Homiletical Method, with Reginald Taylor PART TWO: Fred and Matt interview Pastor Reginald Taylor of The Rock Church in Memphis. Reginald is writing a PhD dissertation at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on the doctrinal preaching of Adrian Rogers. In this second of a two-part series, Reginald discusses homiletical method.
2023-06-2031 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 34: Hermeneutical Method, with Reginald Taylor Fred and Matt interview Pastor Reginald Taylor of The Rock Church in Memphis. Reginald is writing a PhD dissertation at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on the doctrinal preaching of Adrian Rogers. In this first of a two-part series, Reginald discusses hermeneutical method.Here is the link for Dr. Tom Schreiner's book mentioned in this episode:https://www.amazon.com/Interpreting-Pauline-Epistles-Thomas-Schreiner/dp/080103812X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=interpreting+the+pauline+epistles+by+thomas+r.+schreiner&qid=1686631775&sprefix=interpreting+the+pauline+e%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1And...
2023-06-1334 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 33: Raising Up Leaders Raising up new ministry leaders in the church is part of discipleship and accomplishing the church's mission. In this week's episode, Fred and Matt discuss ways of raising up new leaders in the church.
2023-06-0629 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 32: International Ministry in Your Community, with Dr. Gerson Garros Fred and Matt invite Dr. Gerson Garros, Associate Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Cordova, Tennessee, onto the podcast to discuss his vision and experience leading international ministries in the city of Memphis.
2023-05-3035 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 31: Discerning God's Will Fred and Matt discuss wrestling to discern God's will, for Christians in general and pastors in particular.
2023-05-2330 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 30: Kids in Church When kids follow Jesus, they should be treated as full church members. Fred and Matt think through involving kids in church life.Two books mentioned in the episode:1) https://www.amazon.com/Guard-Preventing-Responding-Child-Church/dp/1939946514/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BE49YEWE6OGE&keywords=reju+on+guard&qid=1684185874&sprefix=reju+on+guard%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-12) This one is FREE on Kindle right now: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Church-that-Cares-Abused-ebook/dp/B07SKM7PGN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=becoming+a+church+that+cares+well+for+the+abused&qid=1684185895&sprefix...
2023-05-1630 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 29: Community Involvement Fred and Matt discuss ways to show the light of Christ and the gospel through community involvement - both as individuals and as churches.
2023-05-0933 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 28: Ministering After a Disaster, with Cliff Marion On March 31, 2023, a historic tornado outbreak occurred across the Mid-South, doing particularly devastating damage in Covington, Tennessee. In this episode, Fred and Matt interview their friend Cliff Marion, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Covington, about the doors of ministry that the Lord opened in the aftermath of those storms.
2023-05-0241 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 27: Creating a Discipleship Culture Evangelism and discipleship go hand-in-hand. In this episode, Fred and Matt talk through ideas for building a culture of discipleship within the local church.Here's the link to an article (referenced in the episode) that Matt wrote for LifeWay Research in 2020: https://research.lifeway.com/2020/06/04/how-to-avoid-sacrificing-evangelism-for-discipleship-and-vice-versa/
2023-04-2535 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 26: Ordinations Fred and Matt discuss the church's ordination processes and ceremonies - both for deacons and for pastors.
2023-04-1830 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 25: Sermon Illustrations Fred and Matt discuss the importance of effective sermon illustrations, as well as methods for collecting, tagging, and utilizing them.
2023-04-1131 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 24: Finding Joy in Ministry Fred and Matt discuss a recent Barna study on pastor's satisfaction in ministry, and then how pastors can find joy in the gift God has given them in ministry.Here's the Baptist Press article mentioned in the episode: https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/pastors-satisfaction-certainty-of-call-in-rapid-decline-barna-finds/
2023-04-0434 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 23: Casting Vision in the Local Church, with Dean Inserra Fred and Matt interview special guest Dean Inserra, founding and lead pastor of City Church Tallahassee (citychurchtallahassee.com). We discuss casting vision as leaders in the local church.
2023-03-2845 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 22: Theological Education Fred and Matt discuss the importance of theological education for the pastor, as well as pros and cons of different methods of getting that education.
2023-03-2139 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 21: Prayer Fred and Matt discuss the importance of prayer for the Christian in general and the pastor in particular. We share some helpful practices and things we've learned regarding personal and corporate prayer.
2023-03-1433 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 20: Deacons Fred and Matt discuss the biblical role of deacons in the church, as well as ideas on recruiting and developing deacons.
2023-03-0733 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 19: Ordinances, Part 2 (Baptism) Fred and Matt continue their 2-week discussion of the ordinances. This week they address baptism.
2023-02-2836 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 18: Ordinances, Part 1 (Lord's Supper) Fred and Matt start a 2-part series on the ordinances, including a discussion of the concept of theological triage. This week covers the Lord's Supper, with baptism coming next week.Here's a link to the Lord's Supper document Matt uses with his deacons when they take the Lord's Supper to shut-in or homebound church members: https://sermonillustr8r.wordpress.com/2023/02/20/communion-for-the-homebound-guide/
2023-02-2137 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 17: Staff Development Fred and Matt discuss the why and the how of strategies for developing church staff members.Sample staff evaluations mentioned on the podcast can be found at the link below. One is for ministerial staff, and the other is for support/administrative staff.https://sermonillustr8r.wordpress.com/2023/02/13/sample-evaluations-ministerial-and-support-staff-for-pastor-in-the-middle-podcast-episode-17-staff-development/
2023-02-1436 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 16: The Pastor's Library Fred and Matt discuss the pastor's reading and the building of a pastoral library.Resources mentioned in the show:1) LibraryThing.com - a personal library database2) Daniel Akin's "Building a Theological Library" - https://www.danielakin.com/pdf-download-building-a-theological-revised-edition-2019/3) Bestcommentaries.com - recommendations and rankings of Bible commentaries (Matt accidentally said ".net" on the episode. It's ".com")4) Thomas Schreiner's New Testament commentary recommendations: https://www.9marks.org/article/recommended-new-testament-commentaries-for-evangelical-pastors/
2023-02-0735 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 15: Church Facilities Fred and Matt discuss the use of church facilities.
2023-02-0132 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 14: Your First Year as a New Pastor Fred and Matt follow up on their two episodes about pastor search processes with an episode about how to walk through your first year in a new pastorate.
2023-01-2431 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 13: Search Process, Part 2 Fred and Matt work through Part 2 of their two-part series on pastor search committees (which is also relevant for ministerial position searches). This second episode is addressed to the candidate. Again, a sample theological and ministry questionnaire for these kinds of searches can be found here: https://sermonillustr8r.wordpress.com/2023/01/08/sample-theological-and-ministry-questionnaire/
2023-01-1727 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 12: Search Process, Part 1 Fred and Matt work through Part 1 of two episodes on search committee processes. This first episode is geared to the members of search committees. You can find a sample theological questionnaire for search committees to use here: https://sermonillustr8r.wordpress.com/2023/01/08/sample-theological-and-ministry-questionnaire/
2023-01-1035 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 11: Preaching Planning Fred and Matt discuss their processes for planning preaching, both for individual messages and series. The "Series Map" that Fred and Matt discuss can be found here: https://sermonillustr8r.wordpress.com/2022/12/31/series-map-example-for-pastor-in-the-middle-podcast/
2023-01-0335 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 10: The Pastor's Rest Fred and Matt discuss how they biblically and practically flesh out rest in the life of the pastor.
2022-12-2735 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 9: Christian Celebrity Culture Fred and Matt discuss the issue of putting other Christians on pedestals.
2022-12-2031 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 8: Shepherding Our Families Fred and Matt discuss the pastor's first ministry responsibility.
2022-12-1332 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 7: Big Events Fred and Matt discuss the value of churches using big events for outreach ministry.
2022-12-0629 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 6: Handling Criticism Fred and Matt talk about how a pastor should react to criticism in ministry.
2022-11-2929 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 5: Addressing Difficult Topics Fred and Matt discuss addressing difficult topics as a pastor, both from the pulpit and on social media.
2022-11-2230 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 4: In the Middle of the Church Fred and Matt discuss what it means to be a pastor doing ministry in the middle of your congregation.
2022-11-1528 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 3: The Spiritual Life of the Pastor Fred and Matt interview their friend and co-laborer in Memphis, Pastor Shun Abram, about the spiritual life of the pastor. Shun is the founding and lead pastor of Binghampton Community Church in Memphis, as well as the Director of the SEND Relief Ministry Center in the Raleigh area of Memphis.Link to sermon by Dr. Donald Whitney at Southern Seminary, mentioned by Matt in the episode: https://equip.sbts.edu/chapel/chapel-fall-2005/the-almost-inevitable-ruin-of-every-minister-and-how-to-avoid-it/
2022-11-0830 minThe Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 2: Traditions Fred and Matt talk through a balanced, biblical approach to traditions in the church.
2022-11-0132 min
The Smoking TireMatt Crawford (Author of "Why we Drive")Matthew Crawford is the author of the book, "Why we Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road." We talk about why people see autonomous cars as an inevitability, and why we shouldn't. Buy his book: http://www.matthewbcrawford.com/why-we-drivehttps://www.crownandcaliber.com/mattUse code "TIRE" at https://www.shipstation.com Follow us!T: @thesmokingtire @zackklapmanIG: @thesmokingtire @fakezackklapman Watch the show!: https://youtu.be/AcB1LgUpqs4
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2020-07-211h 09The Pastor in the MiddlePITM Episode 100 [Repost from Ep. 39]: Finishing Well, with Dr. Richard Hipps [FINAL RE-POST EPISODE FOR SUMMER - NEW EPISODES NEXT MONTH!]Fred and Matt discuss finishing well in ministry with Dr. Richard Hipps, the Pastor Emeritus at Trinity Baptist Church (where Matt currently serves). Richard served for 17 years at Trinity.
1970-01-0145 min