Rural Church Renewal

Apr 02 2025 188 ep. 42 mins 16

Rural Church Renewal Podcast artwork

Rural pastors helping rural churches think biblically about the local church.

Religion & Spirituality

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Are Bad Habits Killing Your Ministry?

Apr 02 2025 32 mins

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode, rural pastors TJ Freeman, Joshua McLaren, Joe Wagner, and guest Casey Nowlin discuss the challenge of managing pastoral responsibilities, focusing on creating effective goals and habits. Casey shares insights from his 16 years in ministry, emphasizing the importance of discipline and habitual practices grou

What Other Pastors See in Your Preaching That You Missed

Mar 26 2025 16 mins

Host: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Joshua McLaren discuss the value of not being isolated as rural pastors and the benefits of forming cohorts to enhance pastoral skills and spiritual growth. They recount their experience with the Simeon Trust, an organization aimed at improving preaching th

The Best Way to Find Leaders

Mar 13 2025 16 mins

Host: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, Pastor TJ Freeman focuses on the crucial task of preparing future church leaders. He discusses the decline of churches that fail to invest in leadership development and emphasizes that the Bible provides clear guidance on raising faithful, godly men. Drawing on Paul's instructions to

When God Feels Distant

Mar 06 2025 18 mins

Host: TJ Freeman Summary: In this episode of 'Back to Rurality,' host TJ Freeman discusses the sense of isolation that can come from living in rural areas and how it can make you feel distant from God. TJ is joined by guest CJ Dematitis, who shares his journey from an urban upbringing in D.C. and Baltimore to finding God glorifying ministry in rural Pennsylvania. They explore the c

Is it Time to Kill the Church Business Meeting?

Feb 26 2025 20 mins

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh McLaren discuss how to transform dreaded church business meetings into enjoyable, gospel-centered gatherings. They talk about the negative experiences commonly associated with these meetings and suggest steps to shift the focus towards caring for each

Why Rural Churches Can’t Skip Discipling

Feb 19 2025 24 mins

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, TJ, Joe, and Joshua discuss the misconceptions and challenges of discipleship in small, rural churches. They emphasize that discipling isn't just optional but a biblical mandate. The conversation sheds light on the sufficiency of Scripture in guiding discipleship efforts and how orga

The Church is Not a Building… Or is it?

Feb 12 2025 19 mins

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, TJ, Joe, and Josh discuss the often-overlooked importance of church building conditions and hospitality. They explore how the sufficiency of Scripture guides every part of life, including how church environments reflect biblical hospitality. They emphasize that welcoming, clean, and

Do You REALLY Believe Scripture is Sufficient?

Feb 05 2025 20 mins

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, & Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, TJ, Joe, and Josh discuss the importance of relying on the sufficiency of Scripture in all aspects of life and ministry. They share personal experiences and reflect on the challenges of consistently depending on God's Word rather than traditions or human wisdom. The conversation hi

What's Your Reason for Renewal?

Jan 29 2025 16 mins

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, & Josh MacClaren Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, TJ and his fellow pastor friends, Joe and Josh, dive into the crucial role rural churches play in God's mission. They discuss how God's Word, from Genesis to Revelation, underscores the importance of these small congregations in spreading His glory across the earth. Despite the cha

The Best and Worst of the Rural Church

Jan 22 2025 21 mins

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, & Josh MacClaren Summary: In this premier episode of Rural Church Renewal, formerly known as Rural Pastors Talk, hosts TJ, Joe, and Josh share experiences from their pastoral work in rural settings. They discuss the unique joys and challenges faced by rural churches, such as community support, resisting change, and maintaining traditions. Through