The Don't Pastor Alone Podcast

This week on the Don’t Pastor Alone podcast we are joined by special guest Scott Yirka, senior pastor of Hibernia Baptist Church, discussing how churches can identify and equip people already in their congregations who may be called to vocational or bi-vocational ministry. Scott describes hosting a simple “calling out the called” lunch that drew […]

If you don’t tell your calendar what to do, it’ll tell you what to do. Bob and JimBo talk through block calendaring — naming your priorities before the week fills every gap on its own — and walk through the First Coast Churches block calendar template you can start using this week. Bob and JimBo […]

Pastoral wellness isn’t about avoiding burnout or making ministry comfortable — it’s whole-person stewardship for long-term faithfulness. Bob and JimBo talk through why pastors are often the worst at taking care of themselves, what the warning lights look like before things go bad, and six dimensions of wellness every pastor should be paying attention to. […]

In this episode we talk about the church starting pathway at First Coast Churches with Darren Sullivan, who oversees church planting. We discuss why we continue to start new churches, with the focus on lostness, the Great Commission, and the need to reach new neighborhoods, generations, and cultures. We also talk about how church planting […]

In this episode we talk about intentional disciple-making through a framework called the Dream Disciple, describing the kind of follower of Jesus a church is designed to help people become in relation to its mission and community. We discuss why having a clear target matters, and how churches can otherwise drift into busy programs, unclear […]

In this episode, we wrap up our four-part series on the kingdom practices that shape healthy pastors and churches, focusing on what it means to lead wisely. We define wise leadership as leading like Jesus, treating leadership as stewardship, and helping people move toward God’s mission with tomorrow in mind. We also discuss why church […]

Bob Bumgarner and JimBo Stewart continue the Don’t Pastor Alone series on four kingdom practices by focusing on “shepherding resiliently,” defined as faithfully loving people over time—staying tender without becoming fragile, hopeful without being naive, and resisting cynicism by learning to “bounce back” in healthy ways. They discuss why pastors lose heart through slow, private […]

Bob Bumgarner and JimBo Stewart continue their series on four kingdom practices by defining “preach boldly” as confidence in Scripture, not volume, personality, or anger, emphasizing that boldness comes from the Word properly understood, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and delivered with clarity, compassion, and hope. They discuss obstacles that steal courage (fear of people, […]

Bob Bumgarner and JimBo Stewart continue their series on four kingdom practices by defining “preach boldly” as confidence in Scripture, not volume, personality, or anger, emphasizing that boldness comes from the Word properly understood, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and delivered with clarity, compassion, and hope. They discuss obstacles that steal courage (fear of people, […]

Bob Bumgarner and JimBo Stewart launch a four-part series on kingdom practices for healthy pastors and churches by focusing on “praying dependently,” distinguishing it from simply praying more. They describe prayer as aligning with God’s will and the language of dependence that acknowledges human limits and God’s sufficiency, noting pastors often crowd out prayer due […]

Bob Bumgarner and JimBo Stewart introduce the Don’t Pastor Alone podcast, explaining that the phrase came from pastors in focus groups and reflects a commitment to help pastors avoid isolation, cynicism, and burnout through relationships and shared resources. They describe how First Coast Churches has grown into a true network—connecting pastors to people who have […]

After a hiatus of more than a year we have decided to partner with Bob Bumgarner at First Coast Churches and reboot the Replant Bootcamp as the Don’t Pastor Alone Podcast. The first episode will launch on August 20th. Bob has a wealth of wisdom to

In this episode, we continue our monthly focus on the bi-vocational pastor. The “Bi-Vo Bros”—Chris Snider and Matt MacNaughton—join JimBo to walk through the practical steps of building a sermon calendar once you’ve carved out dedicated planning time. We