This is a sobering yet hope-filled episode. I sit down with Summer Vinson Berger and Adam Paa to discuss the pain, complexity, and redemptive potential of shepherding care in the local church. From owning massive failures in 2015 to building a robust, gospel-centered care framework at The Village Church, we discuss stories, strategies, and heartfelt convictions about what real, redemptive care looks like when the church chooses humility over image.

Whether you’re walking through trauma, burnout, addiction, or just longing for your church to care better—you’ll find wisdom and honesty here. This episode is a call to take the mess seriously, to listen better, and to believe that Jesus still heals through His body.

In This Episode

• The Weight of Shepherding
• 2015: Owning the Failures of Care
• Introducing Summer Berger and Adam Paa
• Building a Comprehensive Care Ministry
• What Is Redemptive Care?
• Why Recovery Must Stay Messy
• The Three Buckets of Recovery
• Ministry through Recovery: A Front Door to the Church
• Integrating Gospel and Therapy
• Psychology Catching Up to Scripture
• Gratitude, Paul, and Neuroscience
• Common Grace and Counseling
• When Churches Resist Therapeutic Tools
• Why Shepherding Is So Complex
• Trust, Time, and Trauma Recovery
• The Risk of Mislabeling Problems
• The Weight and Cost of Church Hurt
• Training Churches to Respond Better
• A Call to Action for Pastors and the Broken

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Covenant Eyes

Victory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.

The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.

Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.

Moody Publishers

Find Grace Beyond Salvation and I Choose Joy wherever you get your books or at Moodypublishers.com

Acts 29

This episode of The Overcomers is sponsored by Acts 29, with an invitation to the Acts 29 Conference this coming October in Dallas. To learn more and register, visit acts29.com/conference. Overcomers listeners will receive a special discount of $20 off registration prices using the code OVERCOMERS in all caps anytime before October 1.

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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

Today I unpack the gritty, grace-filled realities of planting churches with three faithful men—Ronnie, Travis, and Spencer—who are living it right now. We talk about the surprising slowness of fruit, the wounds of unmet expectations, and the refining power of suffering. We also celebrate the deep friendships, family sacrifices, and the sacred calling of building from scratch. Whether you’re dreaming of planting, deep in the trenches, or a church member wondering how to help—this one will stir your heart and steady your hands.

In This Episode

• Why Church Planting Still Matters
• First-Year Surprises: Slow Growth, Big Work
• Vision Matters More Than You Think
• Heart Maintenance in the Hustle
• Questioning the Call: When Doubt Creeps In
• Family and Friendship on the Frontlines
• When Kids Feel the Cost
• Paper Cuts and Perseverance
• God's Provision in Scarcity
• The Power of Sending Churches
• Preaching and Leading from the Trenches
• A Word for the Weary Planter
• A Call to the Comfortable: Join the Work

Resources Mentioned

Book: Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer - https://a.co/d/dij4kT2

Organizations & Networks:

• NAMB (North American Mission Board) – namb.net
• Send Network – sendnetwork.com
• Acts 29 Church Planting Network – acts29.com

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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

This episode is special to me. I sit down with two of my heroes in the faith—Ray Ortlund and Crawford Loritts. These men have been anchors for me in moments of doubt and discouragement, and I wanted to ask them the questions that most pastors eventually ask themselves: How do you stay faithful for the long haul? How do you finish well when so many don't? We talk about the rhythms that sustained them over decades, the call of ministry that’s far more than a career, and what it looks like to fight pride and pursue humility every single day. We also dive deep into marriage, legacy, and the sacredness of being a pastor. If you're in the trenches—especially in your 20s to 40s—this one's for you. I want to finish well, and I know you do too.

In This Episode

• [02:00] Rhythms That Sustain the Soul
• [05:00] The Call of God vs. a Career in Ministry
• [08:00] Shepherding, Not Hiring: A Vision for Pastoral Ministry
• [13:00] The Crisis of Calling in a Careerist Culture
• [16:00] The Tragedy of Falling Away
• [20:00] Discerning the Dangers in Different Seasons
• [25:00] Kill the Lion: Confronting Sin Early
• [30:00] The Deception of Success
• [33:00] The Call to Vulnerability and Brotherhood
• [36:00] Marriage, Legacy, and Intimacy
• [40:00] Cultivating Lifelong Love with Your Spouse
• [45:00] Final Encouragement: Stay Low, Stay Faithful

Resources

• Finishing Strong by Steve Farrar
• Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp

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If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors

Covenant Eyes

Victory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.

The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.

Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.

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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

In this episode, I sat down with Mason King and Nick Crawford—two of my fellow elders at The Village—to talk about plurality. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s biblical, and because it has been a safeguard in my ministry. Early on, I had all the power, all the control—and I knew it. It was efficient, it was fast, and it was dangerous. So we talk about why one-man leadership is a bad idea, what true elder plurality actually looks like, and how it’s protected us, humbled us, and served the body over the years. If you’re planting a church, rethinking leadership, or just wondering how to build something that lasts—this one’s for you.

In This Episode

• [03:00] The Biblical Case for Plurality
• [06:00] Why We Avoid Plurality
• [12:00] What Plurality Has Given Us
• [16:00] Shield-to-Shield Leadership
• [21:00] How We Choose Elders
• [30:00] When Plurality Prevents Church Hurt
• [38:00] Signs of Fake Plurality
• [43:00] First Steps Toward Plurality
• [49:00] Final Encouragements to Young Leaders

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If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors

Covenant Eyes

Victory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.

The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.

Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.

Communio

Communio is not another program. It’s a non-profit organization that comes alongside churches, training and equipping them to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and the family. Family structure is key for passing on faith to children, yet 72 percent of churches lack significant relationship ministry. That’s where Communio comes in. Communio has worked with hundreds of churches across the country. These churches have seen divorce rates drop – attendance rise – weekly generosity increase – and marriage and family bonds restored.

Visit: communio.org/overcomers to learn more about the Communio impact and how Communio can come alongside your church.

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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

Man, today’s episode is rich. I’m sitting down with Dr. Michelle Bowman—an educator, leader, and sister in Christ who has walked through the fire and come out on the other side with her joy still. Her story? It’s not the cleaned-up version. It’s real. Ten years of struggle, a marriage that ended in heartbreak, and a journey back into the family of faith, not with shame but with strength.

What you’ll hear in Michelle is the kind of resilience that only comes from walking with Jesus through deep pain. From idolizing marriage to embracing her calling as a spiritual mother, she’s living proof that you can lose everything the world calls secure and still gain something far better—belonging, joy, and purpose in Christ.

If you've ever felt like your story disqualifies you, let this be a holy disruption. There’s healing here, and it starts by stepping into the light. Keep your eyes up.

In This Episode

• [02:00] - Walking Through Divorce & Letting Go of Identity
• [04:30] - Coming Home to TVC: A Story of Community & Welcome
• [08:00] - Serving in Singleness: From Family Legacy to Faithful Presence
• [10:45] - Can You Love Jesus and Not the Church?
• [14:30] - The Cost and Freedom of Being a Single Woman in the Church
• [17:45] - Seeing God's Goodness in Unexpected Seasons
• [21:30] - Spiritual Motherhood & Nurturing the Body of Christ
• [25:45] - Lifelong Encouragers: Family, Faithful Friends & SSR Sisters
• [28:15] - A Heart for Missions: Finding Purpose on the Field
• [30:00] - Rhythms That Keep Her Anchored: Serving, Studying, and Scripture
• [33:00] - To the One Feeling Shame: What Michelle Wants You to Hear
• [40:00] - A Final Word on Grace, Courage, and Coming Home Again

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If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors

Covenant Eyes

Victory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.

The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.

Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.

Communio

Communio is not another program. It’s a non-profit organization that comes alongside churches, training and equipping them to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and the family. Family structure is key for passing on faith to children, yet 72 percent of churches lack significant relationship ministry. That’s where Communio comes in. Communio has worked with hundreds of churches across the country. These churches have seen divorce rates drop – attendance rise – weekly generosity increase – and marriage and family bonds restored.

Visit: communio.org/overcomers to learn more about the Communio impact and how Communio can come alongside your church.

–

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

In this episode of The Overcomers, I sit down with Danny Spencer, a long-time member of The Village Church, as he shares his powerful story of healing and hope. Raised in a home marked by addiction and loss, Danny carried deep wounds into adulthood—even as he built a successful banking career. Behind the scenes, alcohol was quietly undoing everything.

At his lowest point, Danny found his way into a 12-step meeting and soon after, into the community at Highland Village First Baptist Church. It was there that God began a radical work of redemption. Through the support of people like Ida Stump and a faithful home group, Danny’s life began to change—his sobriety took hold, and his faith deepened.

In this conversation, we explore the healing power of Gospel community, the beauty of restored relationships, and the truth that no one is ever too far gone. If you or someone you love is struggling, Danny’s story will point you to hope, healing, and the One who breaks every chain.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• From Rock Bottom to Redemption
• God’s Faithfulness in the Mess
• Breaking Chains in Community
• Healing That Only Jesus Brings

FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:

Instagram | Youtube | Website | Newsletter

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors

Covenant Eyes

Victory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.

The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.

Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.

Communio

Communio is not another program. It’s a non-profit organization that comes alongside churches, training and equipping them to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and the family. Family structure is key for passing on faith to children, yet 72 percent of churches lack significant relationship ministry. That’s where Communio comes in. Communio has worked with hundreds of churches across the country. These churches have seen divorce rates drop – attendance rise – weekly generosity increase – and marriage and family bonds restored.

Visit: communio.org/overcomers to learn more about the Communio impact and how Communio can come alongside your church.

Air Doctor

AirDoctor comes with a 30-day money back guarantee so if you don’t love it, just send it back for a refund, minus shipping! Head to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code OVERCOMERS and you’ll receive up to $300 off air purifiers! Exclusive to podcast customers, you will also receive a free 3 year warranty on any unit, which is an additional $84 value! Lock this special offer by using my promo code OVERCOMERS at checkout!

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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co