episodic The last thing you need is another leadership podcast. This isn't that. We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we do have some serious conversations.

Your hosts, Josh Ott and Emily Gardner, have real, down-to-earth, transparent conversations about all things ministry. Each episode captures relatable, meaningful, and encouraging conversations, delving deeply into topics that matter to those serving in the local church. They go beyond theoretical ministry principles to the lived realities of pastors and church staff.

The Hosts

Josh Ott is Lead Pastor of Grace Free Church in Cressona, PA and Strategy Specialist for EFCA East.

Emily Gardner is the Communications Director for EFCA East.

]]> Church Chat 2024 EFCA East Josh and Emily false Josh and Emily emily.gardner@efca.org en https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Welcome to Season 3 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Chris Nerreau, VP of Technology at Sermon Ai. We chat about building a software as a service business from scratch, AI and the intersection of technology and ministry, guardrails for Christian AI use, how AI can be a good barometer on character, how we can use AI to make more space for relational ministry, dealing with a resistance to change and more!

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Chris Nerreau is the founder of, and current VP of Technology at, SermonAi, a platform created from the conviction that nothing should stand between God’s Word and God’s people. With more than thirty years of experience in technical sales and manufacturing systems, he’s dedicated his career to harnessing innovation for meaningful transformation.

Drawing on his dual background in technology and ministry, Chris founded SermonAi to remove barriers that hinder faithful preaching and study—empowering pastors to research deeply, write faithfully, and preach powerfully. He and his wife, Karen, have been married for more than thirty years and are blessed with three children and two grandchildren.

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]]> Faith, Tech, and the Future of Ministry with Chris Nerreau Faith, Tech, and the Future of Ministry with Chris Nerreau 00:51:54 dc175c95-2e69-47f4-a1e0-1f378bad064b Josh and Emily 29 3 full false https://pod.co/church-chat/chris-nerreau Tue, 04 Nov 2025 22:27:12 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Matt Saxinger, Lead Pastor of Susquehanna Valley Church. We chat about fail culture vs try culture, why now is the church hurt era, how to avoid church hurt, tools for church culture shaping, where trust breaks down most often in the church, helping hurting congregants heal, what makes a church safe or unsafe and more!

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Matt Saxinger has served in the EFCA for 14 years. He is currently the Lead Pastor at Susquehanna Valley Church in Harrisburg, PA. He has a heart for the gospel and seeing the next generation rise up in leadership.

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]]> Preventing Church Hurt with Matt Saxinger Preventing Church Hurt with Matt Saxinger 01:14:47 27b5073b-0ace-4461-9807-43a372b8dc71 Josh and Emily 28 2 full false https://pod.co/church-chat/preventing-church-hurt-with-matt-saxinger Tue, 22 Jul 2025 23:49:08 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Tony Balsamo, Lead Pastor of Integrity Church and one of our District Superintendents here at EFCA East. We chat about the strengths and weaknesses of being bi-vocational, longevity in churches, platforming other people, submitting to the process, what to do with the barrage of cultural expectations on churches and pastors, the one thing pastors should be better at, and more!

Tony Balsamo serves as founding and lead pastor of Integrity Church. He loves to teach, preach and lead people towards a passionate love for Jesus.

Tony aslo serves as a co-District Superintendent of EFCA East, a district of the EFCA spanning from New York to Virginia. He loves to connect with, coach, and encourage pastors in the district as they share in the mission of multiplying transformational churches among all people.

Tony began his education at Trinity College, earning an Associates in Theological Studies, and continued his education at Masters International University of Divinity, earning his Bachelor of Biblical Studies, Masters in Ministry, and Doctorate in Practical Theology. Tony continues to serve as an adjunct professor at Masters.

Born and raised on Long Island, Tony married the love of his life, Laura, in 1996 and enjoys time with their 4 sons, Joshua, David, Jonathan, and Gabriel. He loves being outside camping, hiking, biking, and driving long distances with his family.

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]]> Unrealistic Expectations and Habits That Matter with Tony Balsamo Unrealistic Expectations and Habits That Matter with Tony Balsamo 01:01:01 85f8c1d0-6ad2-4151-a1b5-b086cf7f69dc Josh and Emily 27 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat-tony-balsamo/ Tue, 17 Jun 2025 18:20:47 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Greg Wollenhaupt, Care Director at Faith Church in Allentown, PA. We chat about reinventing yourself in ministry, what it looks like to serve in one church for decades, the losses associated with growth, creating an environment where people feel like they belong, the importance of sabbaticals, advice for a thriving ministry marriage, ministering while grieving and more!

By day, Greg Wollenhaupt is the compassionate Care Director at Faith Church, ensuring that every member feels supported and valued. By night (and weekend), he's the reigning Poppop of six energetic grandchildren, a title he holds with a touch of exhaustion. Married to the amazing Sue Wollenhaupt, Greg knows that behind every great man is an even greater woman, reminding him where he left his keys.

An aficionado of glamping, Greg believes in experiencing the great outdoors with all the comforts of home, because why should nature mean sacrificing a good cup of coffee or a comfy chair? His idea of roughing it includes a fully stocked RV and a reliable Wi-Fi signal.

Whether he's providing care at church, sharing stories with his grandkids, or setting up the perfect glamp-site, Greg does it all with a smile, a joke, and perhaps a marshmallow or two.

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]]> Curiosity Over Judgement with Greg Wollenhaupt Curiosity Over Judgement with Greg Wollenhaupt 00:47:32 7c9d9117-695c-44a2-bf10-91ca52f174da Josh and Emily 26 2 full false https://pod.co/church-chat/curiosity-over-judgement-with-greg-wollenhaupt Tue, 20 May 2025 22:25:23 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Marc Ramirez, District Superintendent of EFCA Southeast. We chat about how to discern God's will for a big transition, staying connected to the local church when your role changes, understanding church context, being an influencer vs a decider, how to maximize interactions with people you lead but don't see very often, how to leave well, leading with clarity, and more!

Marc Ramirez is the District Superintendent of EFCA Southeast. For 18 years previously, Marc served as both an associate pastor and senior pastor of Fellowship Church. During that time, he implemented a vision and strategy that led to significant growth in church attendance, church staff and the expansion of the church worship center. Marc has also functioned in leadership roles with his district cluster group and pastoral care team.

Marc received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Misericordia University, Pennsylvania, and a Masters from Liberty Theological Seminary, Virginia. Before serving as a pastor, Marc worked for 12 years in the corporate sector, including time in South Florida.

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]]> Saying Yes, Leaving Well, and Staying Connected with Marc Ramirez Saying Yes, Leaving Well, and Staying Connected with Marc Ramirez 00:56:58 0096f699-96cb-4c8f-be3d-971f493054bf Josh and Emily 25 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat-marc-ramirez/ Sun, 13 Apr 2025 14:01:27 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Benjamin Vrbicek, Lead Pastor of Community EFC in Harrisburg, PA. We chat about questioning your calling, creative solutions when your church doesn't have the resources it needs, cultivating healthy relationships with your elder board, an amillenial ordination, persevering through rejection, how writing and reading influences preaching, books, and more!

Benjamin Vrbicek, is the Lead Pastor of Community EFC in Harrisburg, PA. He and his wife, Brooke, have six children. Benjamin enjoys reading, wrestling with his children, dating his wife, eating at Chipotle, and riding his bicycle in the early hours of the morning. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri and a masters in divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary. He has written for Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and For The Church. He is a content creator for Gospel-Centered Discipleship and a member of the Gospel-Centered Discipleship Writers’ Guild.

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]]> Persevering in Ministry and Publishing with Benjamin Vrbicek Persevering in Ministry and Publishing with Benjamin Vrbicek 01:07:44 ab1528e8-02c5-4984-88d4-1e67eea01a31 Josh and Emily 24 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat-benjamin-vrbicek/ Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:50:38 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Greg Strand, EFCA Executive Director of Theology and Credentialing. We chat about doctrinal purity, the significance of silence, theological guardrails, EFCA's denials and affirmations, cancel culture and the Church, theological anthropology, the next generation of theologians, and re-framing deconstruction.

Greg Strand is EFCA executive director of theology and credentialing, and he serves on the Board of Ministerial Standing as well as the Spiritual Heritage Committee. He and his family are members of Northfield (Minnesota) EFC.

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]]> A Chat With The Theology Yoda, Greg Strand A Chat With The Theology Yoda, Greg Strand 01:08:54 7ac658be-7049-4822-b671-bcbaf9777763 Josh and Emily 23 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat-greg-strand/ Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:14:37 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today we're talking about Josh's new book - Embracing All Of It: How Our Faith Makes Us Feel Better. We chat about why Josh chose to write a book in the first place, giving the gift of seconds, why feelings are so hard to navigate, flexing your feelings muscles, breaking the mental and physical cycle of doing, the importance of baby steps, the paradox of feelings and more!

Josh Ott, is the Lead Pastor of Grace Free Church in Schuylkill County, PA. With over 22 years of ministry experience, Josh is known for his dynamic preaching and insightful teaching, connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to his pastoral work, he is a sought-after speaker, coach, and strategy specialist.

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]]> How Faith Makes Us Feel Better with Josh Ott How Faith Makes Us Feel Better with Josh Ott 01:09:59 03e854c6-939a-4ac6-a4fd-162a3a2ca6c2 Josh and Emily 22 2 full false https://pod.co/church-chat/how-faith-makes-us-feel-better-with-josh-ott Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:53:11 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today we're talking to Cedrick Brown, Lead Pastor of Commitment Community Church and one of our District Superintendents here at EFCA East. We chat about being a preacher who doesn't enjoy talking, being bi-vocational, how working in the public sector influences ministry leadership, unhealthy expectations we place on volunteers and employees, good time management tips and more!

Cedrick Brown, a Compton, California native, excelled in football at Washington State University (1982–1986) before signing as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles under coach Buddy Ryan. After a brief career in the hotel and restaurant industry, Cedrick spent 15 years in executive sales management with Alcoa Inc., overseeing $500 million in sales across 33 states.

Now a public speaker and District Superintendent for EFCA’s Eastern District, Cedrick is also the founding pastor of Commitment Community Church, one of New Jersey’s most diverse churches, where he has served since 1996. He holds degrees from Cairn University and Slidell Baptist Seminary and is the author of several books, including Influencing Your World and Act Like a Man – Woman Can You Help Me?

Cedrick and his wife Lisa, married for over 30 years, have three adult children: Joshua, Jessica, and Jaime.

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]]> Low Control, High Accountability Leadership with Cedrick Brown Low Control, High Accountability Leadership with Cedrick Brown 01:00:41 e7fd0d02-8ec9-415f-b0d3-40a6b6aee4ae Josh and Emily 21 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat-cedrick-brown/ Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:05:51 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today we're joined by Derek Hodne, Program Director at Camp Orchard Hill, to add some levity to your holiday season. Christmas is often a stressful time for ministry leaders. So let's laugh a little - at ourselves and the wild ways Christmas can go awry in the church.

Derek Hodne graduated from Philadelphia Biblical University in 2002 with a degree in Biblical Studies and Elementary Education and thought he would have a long career in teaching. But in 2006, after 4 fun years teaching 6th grade in Somerset, NJ, God clearly called him back to Camp Orchard Hill to serve in the full-time Program Director position.

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]]> The Church Chat Cantata The Church Chat Cantata 00:57:17 b1b3906c-30df-4f3b-918c-efb0a8d4328e Josh and Emily 20 2 full false https://pod.co/church-chat/the-church-chat-cantata Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:51:42 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today we're talking to Kevin Kompelien, 17th president of Trinity International University about the future of denominations, the paradox of grace and truth, developing clear values, leading in the midst of conflict, the practice of stepping away, how to pivot in leadership, and more!

Kevin Kompelien is the 17th president of Trinity International University.

He served as the president of the Evangelical Free Church of America for nine years, from 2015-2023. Before that time, he was the international leader for the Africa Division with ReachGlobal (the international mission of the EFCA) and a senior leader of the mission.

A graduate of TEDS (MDiv ’83), Kevin served over twenty years as pastor of two EFCA churches. In addition, he served on the North Central District Board, chairing the church planting committee, and on the Central California District Board (now EFCA West). In June 2019, President Kompelien was presented with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois. A native of Thief River Falls, MN, Kompelien and his wife Becky have been married for 42 years. They have four grown, married children and nine grandchildren.

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]]> Conflict, Clarity, and Smelling Like Sheep with Kevin Kompelien Conflict, Clarity, and Smelling Like Sheep with Kevin Kompelien 01:07:40 c38d6c6c-94b4-49f6-9b71-ce3e57296eea Josh and Emily 19 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat-kevin-kompelien Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:05:48 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today we're talking to Jeff Martin, Lead Pastor of Rock Creek Church, about the difference between relational and organizational problems, making big changes the simple way, ministering in a transient community, being a flexible leader, what the world needs in a hyper partisan environment, how to combat the one-way sermon, being a majority leader in a diverse community, attracting the younger generation, developing a replace yourself mentality and more!

Jeff Martin grew up in northern New Jersey and attended Miami University (OH) where God changed his life’s ambitions through the ministry of Cru. He joined Cru staff where he met Mary, and they served for 23 years together. Seven of those years were spent in Bulgaria helping to launch collegiate ministries. Back in the States, Jeff served as the Regional Director for Cru in the Mid-Atlantic. In addition to his RD role, Jeff had the privilege of training hundreds of Cru staff members in Christ-centered preaching, through the Institute for Biblical Studies. Jeff has an MDIV from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. 

Since 2013, Jeff has served as the Lead Pastor of Rock Creek Church in Rockville, Maryland. His love for ministry leaders has recently led him to pursue certification with the Society of Church Consultants. In July of 2024, he launched JTM Ministry Coaching with the vision of helping leaders build healthy, gospel-centered ministries.

Jeff loves sports, intense conversations, making people laugh, and creating boating videos on his YouTube channel. He and Mary have been married for 33 years and have two daughters, two sons-in-law, one son, and one grandson. They currently reside in Olney, Maryland. 

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]]> Thriving In Seasons Of Change with Jeff Martin Thriving In Seasons Of Change with Jeff Martin 01:01:05 10fbbfb5-773d-4672-8644-5abf3b0581bc Josh and Emily 18 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:27:33 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today we're talking to Steve Anderson, Pastor of Student Ministries at Mountain View Community Church, about how podcasting has made him a better youth pastor, the isolation of ministry, longevity in ministry, the evergreen needs of students, maintaining a vibrant relationship with your spouse, finding good team members, how to get along with your senior leader and more!

Steve Anderson is a youth ministry veteran of nearly 30-years, and has been at Mountain View Community Church since 2000!

He is a graduate of Grove City College and Denver Seminary, where he received his MDiv with an emphasis in Youth and Family Studies. After many years of raising their own teens, Steve and his wife, Karen, are now the proud parents of three young men. Steve loves to read great books, binge watch good shows, and play golf, basketball, or tennis. Born and raised in Western PA, he bleeds black and gold and is a passionate fan of all Pittsburgh sports.

He's also the founder and co-host of the Youth Ministry Sherpas Podcast.

Steve's spiritual passion is helping teenagers discover their place in God's amazing story and raising up the next generation of leaders.

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]]> Longevity and Leaders That Last with Steve Anderson Longevity and Leaders That Last with Steve Anderson 01:05:04 11e2a59a-ee4a-4bbf-8d89-a757908b3f98 Josh and Emily 17 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:21:35 +0000 Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today Josh and Emily are joined by Trent Williams, student ministries pastor at Tristate Fellowship in Hagerstown, MD. They talk about foster care, what's changed in Trent's ten years of youth ministry, what volunteer recruitment looks like, the danger in trying to replicate other ministries, the fear of failure, Trent's battle with anxiety, leading while suffering, the practice of moving toward health, raising kids in today's culture, being a non-anxious presence, leading in community and more!

Trent and his wife Katie joined the Tristate Fellowship family in June, 2014 as the Pastor of Student Ministries. Trent has his BS in Youth Ministry with a Biblical Literature Minor from Indiana Wesleyan University. He is extremely passionate about building relationships with students and families, challenging them to grow in their faith along the way. He loves sports, hearing people’s stories and spending time with friends and family.

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]]> Being A Non Anxious Presence with Trent Williams Being A Non Anxious Presence with Trent Williams 00:58:25 135f5860-a76a-43b2-947a-fec7cfb2ff50 Josh and Emily 16 2 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:15:46 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today Josh and Emily are joined by Michael Martin, lead pastor of Stillmeadow Community Fellowship in Baltimore, Maryland and Pastor Support Associate here at EFCA East. They talk about why leaders struggle with rest, the difference between hurry and rushing, developing a reservoir of well-being, warning signs of burnout, advice for the next generation of leaders looking to establish healthier rhythms in their lives, the importance of rediscovering the Holy Spirit, systematic things that need to change in the church world and more!

Michael serves at Senior Pastor at Stillmeadow Community Fellowship. He has had significant involvement in the work of church health and church diversity both while serving locally as a resource and nationally in denominational work within the EFCA.

As a recording artist, (MichaelStevenMartin), he has been fortunate to have music he has written heard in a variety of venues in Christian and secular formats. He considers music an amazing means of speaking truth and joy into any life. His current project is JOY lifeStories vol. 2.

He is proud of the fact that Gail, his wife of over 35 years, still seems to like him. They have a daughter, son, son-in-law and 3 grandsons. Raised in a large, loving, extended family in Flint, Michigan; his upbringing in the church has shaped many of his values and commitments today.

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]]> Developing A Reservoir of Well-Being with Michael Martin Developing A Reservoir of Well-Being with Michael Martin 01:08:34 d7eeaea1-a9fe-4ae0-918c-91efd4c4ad3b Josh and Emily 15 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:06:40 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today Josh and Emily are joined by Jim Meyer, co-pastor of Pocono EFC! They talk about why counseling has gotten a bad reputation among believers, what we often miss about Psalm 23, the polarizing views on medication, finding a balance between body and soul, when to refer your parishioners to a professional, how to ask good questions, how you know it's time to seek professional help yourself, how to raise kids in the fish bowl of ministry, the pains pastors are facing and more!

Dr. Jim taught at Cairn University from 1996 – 2019 and continues to pastor the Pocono EFC in Tannersville, PA since 1996. He also offers biblical counseling, discipleship, consulting, and coaching to pastors and missionaries through a ministry called Biblical Counseling Resources (BCR). BCR is a ministry of Pocono Evangelical Free Church.

Jim has been serving continuously with the EFCA since 1984. He resides near Martins Creek, PA with his wife Kathy. They enjoy canoeing on the Delaware River, hiking and being grandparents.

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]]> People Need Help with Dr. Jim Meyer People Need Help with Dr. Jim Meyer 01:11:00 d1cd73a4-9ad0-4871-af05-cdb8b154c469 Josh and Emily 14 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:59:41 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. Today Josh and Emily are joined by Dan Spino, Discipleship Pastor at West Shore Free Church in Mechanicsburg, PA! They talk about why clarity is important, how the corporate world can benefit the church, ministering from your wounds, results vs. systems, leveraging feedback, valuing people over the organization, being addicted to our ideas, church culture shock and more!

Dan provides strategic leadership for many ministries at West Shore. He has a diverse background in organizational talent and culture and has a Master’s Degree in ILR, and a Master’s of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Dan and his wife, Stephanie, reside in downtown Mechanicsburg. For fun, he enjoys working on house projects, traveling, visiting coffee shops and getting to the ocean.

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]]> Creating Culture and Being An Intentional Leader with Dan Spino Creating Culture and Being An Intentional Leader with Dan Spino 01:07:42 c5b24a4d-ebcd-422b-b657-768e75ed4752 Josh and Emily 13 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:14:48 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. Today Josh and Emily are joined by Bill Riedel, lead pastor of Redemption Hill Church in Washington D.C.! They talk about fundamentalism vs evangelicalism, the political divide in our churches, essentials vs non-essentials, how to function as a church when we disagree, getting objective about the culture in which you serve, deconstruction, the intersection of Christianity and politics and more!

Bill is the founding and lead pastor of Redemption Hill Church in Washington, DC. He was formally trained at Trinity International University (BA) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (MDiv), and has served in ministry since 1998. He serves the Acts 29 Network as the DC Area Director and on the A29 North Atlantic Leadership Team, as well as BOMS for EFCA.

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]]> Evangelicalism, Politics, and Essentials with Bill Riedel Evangelicalism, Politics, and Essentials with Bill Riedel 01:03:15 f1d40e6e-8c4d-4098-aa24-ba001c0c5e46 Josh and Emily 12 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Thu, 17 Oct 2024 16:55:16 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. Today, Josh and Emily are joined by Tony Hunt, lead pastor of Lancaster EFC. They talk about the different places pastors get energy, developing a culture of multiplication, how to build a preaching team, nurturing your own soul as a leader in ministry, sabbaticals and more!

Tony joined the Lancaster EFC staff in 2011 after spending eighteen years in youth ministry. He and his wife Kristen have two children. They love spending time at their cabin and exploring new places.

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]]> Concepts That Permeate and Nurturing Your Own Soul with Tony Hunt Concepts That Permeate and Nurturing Your Own Soul with Tony Hunt 00:50:24 3f667725-19ca-40fe-b9f1-fde6beb6c6fa Josh and Emily 11 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Thu, 17 Oct 2024 16:17:17 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. In this episode, Josh and Emily are joined by John Nesbitt, Operations Specialist here at EFCA East. They talk about the value of a confidant and how to find a good one, the marathon of ministry, creating healthy work-life balance, cultivating the heart of a peace maker, finding conflict and resolving it, finding the balance between business and ministry and more!

John yielded his life to Christ in 1969 while a freshman at the University of North Carolina. After graduation, he met and married the love of his life, Terry. Together they began a lifetime of ministry through training at Dallas Theological Seminary. John and Terry have been blessed with two great sons who live in Ohio and Minnesota! John's passions in ministry include peacemaking, developing systems that help the body of Christ thrive, and being helpful. For recreation, John enjoys fitness, reading classic fantasy, and fine desserts!

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]]> Conflict and The Marathon of Ministry with John Nesbitt Conflict and The Marathon of Ministry with John Nesbitt 00:57:06 21e56685-3e30-49d5-914f-10f2393346ad Josh and Emily 10 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Thu, 17 Oct 2024 16:26:22 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. Today Josh and Emily are joined by Deb Hinkel, Director of Spiritual Formation and Family Ministry at Hershey Free! They talk about how to navigate glass ceilings and sticky floors as a woman in ministry, developing a thick skin, chauvinism hiding behind theology, establishing healthy boundaries in a co-ed environment, creating church cultures where the expectation is that women will contribute, and paradigm shifts that need to happen for women in leadership.

Deb joined the Hershey Free staff in 2015 after spending fourteen years as an assistant professor in the Church and Ministry Leadership Department at Lancaster Bible College.

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]]> Navigating Sticky Floors and Glass Ceilings with Deb Hinkel Navigating Sticky Floors and Glass Ceilings with Deb Hinkel 00:57:00 3d4b789a-dd1e-44e8-b217-673043ec5848 Josh and Emily 9 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:22:49 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having.

Today Josh and Emily are joined by John Welborn, lead pastor of Salem Church in Staten Island, NY. They talk about ministering in a transient community, what to do when your church is under fire, the importance of mentors, how to shepherd through grief, what to do when you loose half your people, the importance of reconsideration and more!

John Welborn and his wife of 19 years, Ashley, have 3 children, Gracie, Eli, and Charlie. John holds degrees from Liberty University (B.S. in Biblical Studies and DMin in Evangelism and Church Planting) as well as Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.A. in Ministry Leadership). He was an itinerant evangelist before becoming Lead Pastor of Crosslink Community Church in Harrisonburg, VA where he served for 7 years. Since January of 2016, he has been serving as the Senior Pastor of Salem Church, Staten Island, New York. His life’s passion is making disciples and multiplying churches to the glory of God. Pastor John loves to play golf and watch his favorite sports teams: the Georgia Bulldogs in football and the Atlanta Braves in baseball.

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]]> Elevating Victims and Declining Churches with John Welborn Elevating Victims and Declining Churches with John Welborn 00:53:42 c194951f-07dd-4fe4-a4d8-1b844f40ff6a Josh and Emily 8 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:15:40 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. Today Josh and Emily are joined by Derek Hodne, Program Director at Camp Orchard Hill. They share funny camp stories and talk about how humor improves your preaching, how to bounce back from cringe-worthy mistakes, the value of a shared experience, and more!

Derek graduated from Philadelphia Biblical University in 2002 with a degree in Biblical Studies and Elementary Education and thought he would have a long career in teaching. But in 2006, after 4 fun years teaching 6th grade in Somerset, NJ, God clearly called him back to Camp Orchard Hill to serve in the full-time Program Director position.

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]]> Hospitality and The Art of Being Funny with Derek Hodne Hospitality and The Art of Being Funny with Derek Hodne 01:06:26 6aa7c4b3-0f86-468f-9b47-71f999a2ef3c Josh and Emily 7 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:06:39 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having.

Today Josh and Emily are joined by Ryan Bailey! They talk about the lead pastor/worship leader dynamic, maintaining work-life balance, dealing with unsolicited opinions, how to stay humble in a forward-facing role, how to encourage participation in corporate worship, mental health and more.

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]]> The Music Is Too Loud and Other Things People Say To Worship Leaders with Ryan Bailey The Music Is Too Loud and Other Things People Say To Worship Leaders with Ryan Bailey 01:00:53 ed8f47e3-5c27-4d54-9ec3-64ad3a6b7c1b Josh and Emily 6 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:53:08 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish you were having.

Today Josh and Emily are joined by Ashley Welborn! They talk about being a PK and raising PKs, Ashley's experience as a stand-up comedian, what weeks of silence taught her, women in leadership, and more!

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]]> Emotional Claustrophobia and The Power of Silence with Ashley Welborn Emotional Claustrophobia and The Power of Silence with Ashley Welborn 01:03:25 4fcd4f37-fb78-4f65-856c-db03eaa8a064 Josh and Emily 5 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:43:47 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish you were having.

Today we're talking to Zach Guyton about revitalizing a dying church, leading people who are resistant to change, why calling is so important, how to build trust with the community, longevity in community impact, and the tension between in-reach and outreach.

Zach Guyton is lead pastor of Bethany Church in West Orange, NJ.

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]]> Listening Below The Surface with Zach Guyton Listening Below The Surface with Zach Guyton 00:59:47 72b0b0d3-8bf8-48b2-a203-cbf05a63ffb0 Josh and Emily 4 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Wed, 09 Oct 2024 18:37:08 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. Today we're talking to Matt Saxinger about working under toxic leadership (yes, it happens in the church...), when you know it's time. to leave, how to heal from those experiences, how to build healthy teams, and more (like the merits of Chacos vs Tevas).

Matt Saxinger has served in the EFCA for 14 years. He is currently the Lead Pastor at Susquehanna Valley Church in Harrisburg, PA. He has a heart for the gospel and seeing the next generation rise up in leadership.

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]]> Toxic Work Environments and Building Healthy Teams with Matt Saxinger Toxic Work Environments and Building Healthy Teams with Matt Saxinger 00:54:19 b867d3e2-f2f6-4d51-be3c-da7e045a2919 Josh and Emily 3 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Wed, 09 Oct 2024 18:26:28 +0000 Welcome to Church Chat, the show where we have the conversations about ministry you wish we were having. Today we're talking to David Boerema about how NextGen ministry has changed in the last 3 years, the best way to define success, navigating trauma with people, how the definition of hard has shifted, and more!

David Boerema is the director of Apex and NextGen director for EFCA East. He has decades of experience working with youth.

Get all the blog posts David Boerema has written for EFCA East and all sorts of NextGen resources HERE.

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]]> Numbers, Success and NextGen with David Boerema Numbers, Success and NextGen with David Boerema 00:49:35 9de77418-19e8-48b9-847b-be5bbcfb6b23 Josh and Emily 2 1 full false https://efcaeast.com/church-chat/ Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:39:00 +0000 Get to know the hosts, Josh Ott and Emily Gardner, and the whole vibe of the show. We're so glad you're listening.

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]]> Church Chat Primer Church Chat Primer 00:16:30 b18ae41d-01d6-419e-929e-6ab9c8741626 Josh and Emily 1 full false https://pod.co/church-chat/church-chat-primer Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:19:51 +0000