How to Handle Disgruntled Church Members with Grace and Wisdom | The Church Resource Podcast
Release Date: 10/21/2025
Fasting Without Missing the Point: Prayer, Pride, and Self-Denial | The Church Resource Podcast
The Church Resource
In this episode of The Church Resource, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass have a practical, honest conversation about fasting in the life of the church—why we do it, how to plan it wisely, and how to avoid missing the point. As many churches consider beginning-of-the-year fasts, they explore key leadership questions: When should a church fast? How long should it last? How restrictive should it be? Drawing from real ministry experience, they discuss why some churches fast midyear while others fast in January, and how factors like congregational background, health, fellowship, and major...
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The Church Resource
What does it really mean for a church to know and serve its community? In this episode of The Church Resource Podcast, Lucas Pinckard—proudly identifying as the “world’s okayest pastor”—sits down with Dr. Chris Respass to unpack one of the most practical and often overlooked principles of effective ministry: executing the community. Building on ideas introduced by Mark Clifton, Lucas and Chris explore how easy it is for pastors and church leaders to become immersed in church culture while unintentionally losing touch with the people right outside their doors. Church growth books,...
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The Church Resource
As the Christmas season winds down and a new year approaches, pastors and church leaders everywhere feel the familiar pressure to answer a big question: What’s the vision for next year? In this episode of The Church Resource Podcast, hosts Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass have an honest, thoughtful, and occasionally humorous conversation about vision casting, goal setting, and why the church may not need another “new thing” after all. Lucas and Chris begin by acknowledging a reality many leaders quietly live with—most churches aren’t planning years in advance. While large...
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Christ-Centered Christmas Music: What Belongs and What Doesn’t | The Church Resource
The Church Resource
Welcome back to The Church Resource! In this episode, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass dive deep into one of the most joyful—and sometimes most complicated—parts of church life: Christmas music, hymns, and how we disciple our families and congregations through the songs we sing. The conversation starts lightheartedly with Christmas jackets and motorcycle weather before moving into a fun but meaningful question: What are your top three Christmas hymns? Lucas and Chris share their favorites—from “O Come All Ye Faithful” to “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World,” and the rich,...
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Advent Traditions, Volunteer Fatigue, and Holiday Wisdom for Churches | The Church Resource Podcast
The Church Resource
Welcome back to The Church Resource! In today’s episode, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass jump into a fun but meaningful conversation about holiday traditions, Advent rhythms, volunteer burnout, and how churches can navigate the busiest season of the year with wisdom and joy. As Christmas approaches, Lucas and Chris take a lighthearted detour—starting with a joking debate on the “real” birthday of Jesus—before diving deep into how churches can better serve their congregations during the holidays. They share their own experiences as pastors, including what they learned the last...
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Preaching with Wisdom: Balancing Scripture and Statistics | The Church Resource Podcast
The Church Resource
Welcome back to The Church Resource, the podcast where we help pastors, church leaders, and everyday believers discover the best tools, ideas, and insights for faithful ministry in today’s world. Hosted by Pastor Lucas Pinckard (the self-proclaimed “World’s Okayest Pastor”) and joined by the ever-insightful Dr. Chris Respass, this week’s episode digs deep into one of the most practical and important questions facing church communicators: How do we use secular or contemporary resources responsibly in preaching and teaching—without losing focus on Scripture? In our last episode, we...
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Should Pastors Use Secular Resources in Sermons? | The Church Resource Podcast
The Church Resource
Welcome back to The Church Resource, the podcast where Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass dive deep into the best tools, materials, and conversations for pastors, church leaders, and everyday believers who want to grow in faith and serve their communities with excellence. This conversation is both hilarious and deeply practical. From turning 40 and learning patience through parenting, to exploring the tension between biblical truth and cultural relevance, Lucas and Dr. Respass dig into what it means to balance faith, scholarship, and wisdom in ministry. The episode begins lightheartedly,...
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Work-Life Balance in Ministry: Myth or Must? | The Church Resource Podcast
The Church Resource
Welcome back to The Church Resource, the show where we talk about the best tools, books, and insights for pastors, leaders, and everyday believers who want to serve well and live faithfully. Hosted by Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass, this week’s episode tackles one of the most requested—and most misunderstood—topics in ministry: work-life balance. Lucas opens the conversation with the big question: “Does work-life balance even exist?” It’s something pastors, church staff, and Christian leaders wrestle with constantly. The guys share honestly that while “balance” is a...
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Holman Bible Atlas | How Maps Can Transform the Way You Read the Bible | The Church Resource Podcast
The Church Resource
Welcome back to The Church Resource — your go-to show for discovering the best resources for pastors, church leaders, teachers, and everyday believers who want to grow deeper in their understanding of Scripture. Hosted by Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass, this episode dives into a unique and powerful study tool that’s been transforming how people read the Bible: The Holman Bible Atlas. So why should a Christian care about a book of maps? As Dr. Chris explains, everything in Scripture happened somewhere. Understanding that “somewhere” gives depth to what we read. The Holman Bible...
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Is Old Testament Still Relevant? How to Study the Bible the Right Way | The Church Resource Podcast
The Church Resource
Welcome to The Church Resource — the show where we talk about the best tools, tips, and conversations for churches, leaders, and everyday believers! Hosted by Lucas Pinckard and joined by Dr. Chris Respass, this episode dives deep into one of the most important — yet often overlooked — topics in the church today: how to study the Bible. In this episode, Lucas and Dr. Chris start off lighthearted — chatting about sports, old college allegiances, and generational fandom (shoutout to all the long-suffering Cowboys fans!). But soon, they turn their attention to something far more enduring:...
info_outlineWelcome back to The Church Resource, where we talk all things helpful for churches, leaders, and laypeople alike. In this episode, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass dive deep into a real and recurring issue in ministry: how to handle a disgruntled church member.
Conflict in church leadership isn’t new — but understanding why a member is upset and how to respond with grace and wisdom is critical. This episode, titled “Getting to the Heart of the Issue,” explores what’s often going on beneath the surface of complaints. Spoiler alert: most of the time, the thing someone is mad about… isn’t really the thing they’re mad about.
Drawing on real-world ministry experience, conflict mediation insights, and pastoral care principles, Lucas and Dr. Respus unpack:
- Why church members may act out when they feel a loss of control or change in their spiritual environment.
- The importance of recognizing context — such as grief, trauma, or decades of history — behind someone’s frustration.
- What it means to check your ego at the door when someone challenges you.
- How to truly listen, not just hear — and how this simple act can de-escalate most tense conversations.
- The value of building relationships with dissenters before conflict even arises.
- Why not every squeaky wheel needs grease — but every person needs grace.
You'll also hear about the concept of the “Holy Desenter” — those individuals who challenge leadership in ways that help the church stay balanced, self-aware, and Spirit-led. These aren't troublemakers; they’re sometimes God’s instruments for accountability and deeper reflection.
Ministry leaders will be encouraged to remember:
- That not every challenge is a threat.
- That shepherding includes listening, guiding, and even being corrected.
- And that when handled well, difficult conversations can lead to unity, trust, and maturity in the body of Christ.
As always, Lucas and Dr. Respass keep it real, humorous, and incredibly insightful — even sharing a few parenting analogies and three-year-old battles that somehow still apply to church life!
Whether you’re a pastor, ministry leader, or active church member, this conversation will equip you with the mindset and tools to better navigate difficult conversations in your community.
Got a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at: thechurchresource@gmail.com
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