In today’s episode, Jason sits down with pastor and church planter Pradeepan Jeeva for a vulnerable conversation on calling, suffering, and leading a church where everyone can find their place. Pradeepan and his wife Amritha co-lead Kalos Church in Bellevue, Washington, a vibrant, multicultural community born out of a literal dream and built one backyard barbecue at a time. With tender honesty Pradeepan shares about the joy and heartbreak of planting in one of the most unchurched cities in Ameri...
Jun 30, 2025•58 min
In a time when Christian sexual ethics are increasingly seen not just as outdated but as morally offensive, how can pastors lead with both clarity and compassion? In this conversation, author and apologist Rebecca McLaughlin engages with questions around Christian sexual ethics and makes a case for why the Christian story is ultimately good news for everyone. Rebecca reflects on how the cultural conversation surrounding Christian apologetics has shifted over the last two decades, from intellectu...
Jun 16, 2025•41 min
In this episode, Jason sits down with long-time pastor, professor, and marketplace theologian R. Paul Stevens to explore the sacredness of daily work. Paul’s ministry journey spans decades, from student ministry in Halifax to pastoring in Vancouver, teaching at Regent College, and even a mid-career stint as a carpenter. Paul unpacks the heartbeat behind his conviction that every follower of Jesus is in full-time ministry and that whatever your vocation, be it a pastor, a police officer, or a mot...
Jun 02, 2025•42 min
In this episode, Jason sits down with Dustin Funk, Lead Pastor of Oasis Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dustin shares his journey from encountering God at summer camp as a teenager, to stepping into leadership at a small Italian-speaking church, to guiding that same church through a remarkable season of cultural transition and growth. Dustin reflects on the lessons he’s learned over 27 years in pastoral ministry, how to lead through change, how to apologize well, and how to stay grounded in the fa...
May 19, 2025•43 min
In today’s conversation Preston Pouteaux shares what it means to be a tenderhearted pastor in a fast-paced world. Speaking from Chestermere, Alberta, Preston invites us into a vision of pastoring that’s slow, rooted, and profoundly local. From RCMP ride-alongs to keeping bees and loving neighbours, Preston offers a poetic yet practical vision of what it means to love and serve a place and its people. In this conversation Preston shares about: How pastoral imagination is formed, How curiosity and...
May 05, 2025•46 min
What does it look like to stay tender and human as a pastor, even while holding the weight of others’ pain? In this rich and deeply practical conversation, Steve Cuss shares wisdom from decades of ministry—including his years as a hospital chaplain, a lead pastor, and now, a trusted voice equipping leaders around the world in managing leadership anxiety. Steve reflects on transitioning out of senior leadership, the gift of simply being a congregant, and how to stay present in rooms thick with gr...
Apr 21, 2025•59 min
In this special episode of The Pastorate Podcast, we’re doing something a little different. Rather than one long-form conversation, you'll hear stories from three Canadian lead pastors. Representing the suburbs of BC, the heart of Quebec, and a small coastal town on the Pacific Ocean, these pastors—Joe Jung, Ben Carbone, and Jaz Ghag—open up about calling, family, leadership, and the unique challenges of ministry in their contexts. Each story offers encouragement for pastors navigating their own...
Apr 07, 2025•43 min
In this episode, Jason sits down with Reward Sibanda, a pastor, speaker, and writer, a leading voice on fasting and a Pastor at Saddleback Church. Reward is known for his contagious joy, his deep love for the church, and his ability to bridge cultural gaps in ministry. In this conversation, Jason and Reward explore: How different cultural perspectives shape our understanding of church, community, and discipleship. The tension around megachurches and why large-scale ministry can still be redeemed...
Mar 24, 2025•49 min
In this episode of The Pastorate, Jason sits down with Tyler Staton, lead pastor of Bridgetown Church and author of The Familiar Stranger, to explore how God works in seasons of suffering and renewal. Tyler shares candidly on how deep pain has shaped his understanding of faith, ministry, and the presence of God in everyday life. Tyler is known for his deep love of prayer, his thoughtful teaching, and his passion for seeing people encounter the living God. In this conversation Tyler and Jason cov...
Mar 10, 2025•47 min
Pastoring in rural Canada comes with unique challenges and opportunities—navigating leadership transitions, bilingual ministry, and the call to raise up the next generation of leaders. That’s why we need pastors who commit to remaining faithful over decades, seeking God’s guidance through seasons of change. In this episode we’re joined by Claude Lainey, lead pastor of Gospel Mission Church in Winkler, Manitoba, to hear his story of moving from Northern Ontario to Manitoba and the lessons he’s le...
Feb 24, 2025•48 min
Our world is changing at a rapid pace, and for many, it’s hard to make sense of it all—let alone carry the weight of shifting expectations and uncertainty. That’s why we’re grateful for voices like Mark’s—leaders who cut through the noise with a prophetic edge, distill complex cultural trends, and speak to the Church with a non-anxious presence. Today, we’re joined by Mark Sayers—pastor, author, and cultural commentator—known for his sharp insights into secularism, leadership, and the Church’s e...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Preaching with authenticity is no easy task, but for Megan, authenticity is the only gear she knows. The question remains—how do we craft honest sermons and let the message impact our own lives first? Megan is a pastor, speaker, and author joining us from Lakewood, California. She serves as the teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois and leads a women’s Bible study at Arbor Road Church in Long Beach, California. Whether preaching, leading, or writing her latest book, Megan b...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 6 min
It’s a New Year, and we’re thrilled to welcome you back to The Pastorate. As we step into 2025, we’re continuing our mission of creating meaningful conversations to equip and encourage pastors, starting with an episode we pray will strengthen both your hands and your heart for the work ahead. Our guest today is Andy Moore, Pastor of Coastline Church in the heart of Victoria, British Columbia. With years of ministry experience and a heartfelt dedication to developing leaders, Andy offers a perspe...
Jan 13, 2025•55 min
As we close out 2024, we’re excited to bring you a special episode to end the year. Last year, we began a tradition of hosting a conversation with Darrell Johnson near the end of each year, and it’s quickly become a meaningful rhythm for this podcast—a chance to sit down and reflect on life and ministry. Darrell has been preaching, teaching, and pastoring for over 50 years, with a ministry journey that has taken him from the Philippines to the United States and, of course, here in Canada. He cur...
Dec 27, 2024•52 min
A question many of us face this time of year is how to guide our congregations well through the Advent season. In the midst of pastoring others, some of us have been able to enter into the wonder of the season ourselves, some of us are navigating the busyness of planning and executing events and services, and others of us are walking through a deeply painful season that can come with this time of year. Wherever you find yourself today, our prayer is that this time spent listening to this convers...
Dec 16, 2024•46 min
Pastoring has always been a vocation of great responsibility, yet the expectations placed on pastors today have grown increasingly complex. From preaching and shepherding to being organizational leaders, cultural commentators, and trauma-informed counselors, the demands can stack up, making the work feel impossible. Add to this the challenge of navigating a rapidly changing cultural and technological landscape, and it’s no wonder so many pastors wrestle with questions of calling, capacity, and r...
Dec 02, 2024•44 min
This week on The Pastorate we are excited to host Carey Nieuwhof —Bestselling author, Host of the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast, and Founding Pastor of Connexus Church in Barrie, Ontario Today’s episode covers a wide range of topics: Carey discusses his journey of founding and then stepping back from the Lead role at Connexus Church. He reflects on how stepping aside has required humility and an intentional shift from leading to supporting. Carey takes the time to walk us through some insigh...
Nov 18, 2024•49 min
This week on The Pastorate, Rachel Hughes—Pastor of Gas Street Church in Birmingham, England—joins us on the podcast for a conversation on pastoral ministry. Rachel shares about: The experience of planting Gas Street Church, the ongoing cycle of raising and sending new leaders, and how church planting can disrupt comfort zones, keep churches mission-focused, and foster a kingdom mindset. Managing her roles as a church leader and a mother of five, navigating the complexities of parenting, pastori...
Nov 04, 2024•48 min
This week in the inaugural episode of The Pastorate, Adam Browett – Pastor of Calvary Temple in Winnipeg, Manitoba – joins us on the podcast for a conversation on pastoral ministry. Adam shares about: What Adam’s been learning recently, as a naturally gifted speaker, about continuing to develop his craft of preaching, Adam’s journey discerning transition–taking on the role of lead pastor for a historic church and how he’s guided his family in the midst of the move, and Leading an inner city chur...
Oct 21, 2024•43 min
Since its inception over four years ago, the Canadian Church Leaders Network (CCLN) has served thousands of pastors through its podcast, monthly newsletter, cohort-based programs, and pastors retreats and gatherings. This week, Jason Ballard, host of the Canadian Church Leaders Podcast and Executive Director of CCLN sits down with Chris Price to discuss the future of CCLN and the adoption of a new name for both the organization and the podcast: The Pastorate. Jason reflects on: The rationale beh...
Oct 07, 2024•37 min
We've got a special episode for all of you this week. The CCLN Team is working hard on a special project that will be officially announced with the October 7th episode on the podcast, but we didn't want to leave you high and dry this week. In 2022, we had Keith Taylor speak to a group of Pastors as part of our first cohort based program, The Church Leaders Incubator. Out of the many amazing speakers that the cohort was able to learn from, this was a session that captures our desire for creating ...
Sep 23, 2024•27 min
The work of renewal in a church is slow, costly, and long-term. It requires pastors who consistently say, “I can’t do this alone,” and who return to the feet of Jesus, the One making all things new. This week, Father James Mallon, Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in beautiful Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, joins us on the podcast to share his heart for evangelism and his passion for parish renewal. Father James reflects on: His journey back to local church ministry after a season in parachurch an...
Sep 09, 2024•49 min
As pastors we want to run the race well and finish more in love with Jesus and with His church than when we started. Pastors that have been both fruitful and faithful set a beautiful example for what longevity in ministry can look like. This week Dan Cochrane, Pastor of CrossRoads Church in Red Deer, Alberta, joins us on the podcast to share insights from over 45 years of experience as a Pastor. With 27 of those years being spent at CrossRoads Church alone. Dan shares about: His story and the pa...
Aug 19, 2024•45 min
What does community look like when it’s rooted in love and grounded in the realities of life? How do we grab hold of a vision for biblical unity within our congregations and learn to live in the tensions that come with knowing and loving others well? This week, Rich Villodas, author of The Deeply Formed Life and Pastor of New Life Fellowship, joins us on the podcast for a second time to share insights from his wealth of experience and out of his heart to care well for other pastors. Rich shares ...
Aug 05, 2024•57 min
The church growth movement of the 20th-century has left a lasting impact on our perception of the Church today. What can we learn from its successes and shortcomings, and how can we move forward in the context of our post-everything society? This week, Daniel Im from Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton joins us on the podcast for a second time Daniel shares about: His experience pastoring in the midst of deep loss Reflections on the transition into the Lead Pastor role of Beulah Alliance Church, ...
Jul 22, 2024•49 min
Every leader faces moments when vision dims and passion wavers. How do we sustain a vision for long term leadership and be able to lead with joy in our hearts and conviction in our steps? This week, Shaila Visser from Alpha joins us on the podcast for a second time to share insights from her extensive leadership experience. Shaila shares about: Sustaining vision for longevity in ministry The importance of asking the Holy Spirit to spark passion for personal evangelism New research Alpha has done...
Jul 08, 2024•52 min
Seasons of transition and uncertainty can test a leader’s resilience and calling. How do we guide a church through grief, rebuild trust, and embrace transformation with integrity? In this episode, Chrishan Jeyaratnam, Lead Pastor of Hillsong East Coast, joins Jason Ballard to share his journey of pastoring through deep change. He reflects on leading a church in the aftermath of crisis, navigating distrust in leadership, and the personal and communal transformation necessary for renewal. Chrishan...
Jun 24, 2024•53 min
How can followers of Jesus inhabit their cities—through workplaces, commutes, and classrooms—in a way that reflects the hope of God’s kingdom breaking in? In this episode, Tyler Staton (Lead Pastor of Bridgetown Church & National Director of 24-7 Prayer USA) and Pete Hughes (Lead Pastor of KXC Church in London) join us for a powerful conversation on prayer, renewal, and mission. Originally shared with our Emerging Leaders Lab, this discussion dives deep into the rhythms and practices that su...
Jun 10, 2024•1 hr 27 min
38 years into ministry, Helen Burns speaks of the Church We’re excited to share this conversation with Helen Burns, a beloved voice of encouragement and wisdom in the Canadian Church. With 38 years of ministry experience, Helen and her husband John planted Relate Church in 1986, serving as lead pastors for 35 years before transitioning leadership to their daughter Angela and her husband Rod in 2018. With deep love for the Church and an unwavering hope for the next generation, Helen shares reflec...
May 27, 2024•57 min
Every leader faces seasons of struggle and discouragement. How do we stay faithful to God’s call while navigating personal challenges and leading with perseverance? In this episode, Evan Allnutt, Lead Pastor of Northgate Church, joins us to share his journey through career transitions, church leadership, and the importance of surrendering to God's vision. Evan reflects on overcoming moments of discouragement and the role of community in sustaining long-term ministry. Key Takeaways: The importanc...
May 13, 2024•53 min
