
Ep. 320: Life Giving Activities for Pastors
From Trench Talk by Practical Shepherding
March 31, 2026 · 35 min
About this episode
The episode discusses life-giving activities for pastors, emphasizing the importance of people, places, and things that contribute to their well-being.
Contact us. We’d love to serve you Request a stay at a Shepherd’s House Location Give financially to support the work of helping pastors thrive Write a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Find out more about the Advancing the Church Equip Conference taking place September 10-11, 2026 in New Albany, IN. (03:40) Setting up the topic "life-giving activities" for pastors and broaden definition to people, places, things. (07:00) Biblical Grounding: References to Elijah, Psalm 23, Jesus' retreats (Matthew 14, Mark 6) and Sabbath/rest. (12:00) People — Family & Friends: Jim and Brian discuss family time, grateful companions, and friends who aren’t seeking pastoral care. (20:00) Places — Restful Settings: Conversation about coffee shops, bookstores, mountains, historical cities, and travel as refreshment. (25:30) Things — Hobbies & Ministry Fruit: Examples include gardening, cooking, sporting events, and the joy of being helpful in ministry. (32:00) Why pastors need life giving rhythms —prevention of burnout, sustained joy, and ministerial effectiveness. (34:30) Final Prayer: Prayer for pastors to discover refreshing activities and sustain long-term ministry.
Topics covered
- life-giving activities
- pastoral care
- rest
- family
- friends
- hobbies
Keywords
- pastors
- refreshment
- Sabbath
- community
Mentioned in this episode
Products: coffee shops, bookstores, mountains, historical cities
Places: New Albany, IN
More episodes of Trench Talk
- Ep. 326: Cultivating Vulnerability Among Elders · June 9, 2026 · 32 min
- Ep. 325: Pastors Staying too Long · June 2, 2026 · 35 min
- Ep. 324: Remembering our Ministry Mentors · May 19, 2026 · 39 min
- Ep. 323: When a Church Doesn’t Revitalize · May 12, 2026 · 46 min
- Ep. 322: Pastors Leading Through National Holidays · April 21, 2026 · 33 min
- Ep. 321: When it’s Hard To Love Certain People · April 14, 2026 · 37 min
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