Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Every Square Inch.

My name is Robert Cunningham.

And this podcast is my attempt to think critically and Christianly about the world around us.

This episode is going to be the first

of a two-part series containing some thoughts and reflections from my 16 years of pastoral

ministry. For those you don't know, I have recently stepped away from leadership at Tates Creek

Presbyterian Church, where I served happily for over 15 years

to follow Jesus into a new unconventional pastoral calling. I'm very excited about what God

has before me, which will officially launch at the beginning of the new year, and I will

record a podcast detailing all of that

when it is introduced. But first, I did want to record some concluding thoughts and observations

as I have processed what has been an amazing 15-plus years of pastoral ministry. And I do emphasize

amazing. I love TCPC, and TCPC loved me so well.

And part of the reason I feel so free to record these reflections from my time in ministry is because

it was such a healthy season for me and my church. Now, usually this podcast is aimed at a wider cultural audience, but occasionally

I will record something that is specific for Christians and churches, and that's what

this will be. Originally, I was going to just do one episode, but that episode, not surprisingly,

has turned into two. And so here's how I am going to approach

it. I want to record one podcast for pastors and those in church leadership, and then I want to

record a podcast for the congregants that they serve. So this one is for the pastors. The next one

will be for the laity. Okay, first some thoughts for pastors and leaders in the

church. Although I will say, now that I say that, I do think this will be a good resource for

...