We are living in a world where there’s a great deal of stress and disagreement. Churches struggle to decide whether to meet in person, require masks, have singing, and figure out how to navigate the technology of hybrid worship. There is a lot of disagreement about these questions, and when there’s disagreement, pastors are going to hear about it from those who disagree with those decisions. Criticism, disappointment, anger, and division are rampant. What is in short supply is encouragement.

E. Stanley Ott, who goes by Stan, and Lee Zehmer are advocates for the power of encouragement. Stan is president of Leading Moments, whose mission is to develop vital leaders for the church and the world. He is also the author of several popular books, including “Pray Daily: Igniting Our Passion for God,” “Twelve Dynamic Shifts for Transforming Your Church,” and “Transforming Your Church Through Ministry Groups.” Lee serves as Transitional Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in High Point, NC. Together they host a podcast called Building One Another.

We got together recently for a delightful conversation about pastoral and congregational vitality, and the power of encouragement in a fault-finding world.

The conversation you are about to hear is one of the most important we have had on this podcast because it is about one of the most prevalent and difficult issues folks face in every one of our congregations, but also one of the most ignored by our congregations. I’m talking about addiction.

Dr. Ed Treat is a Lutheran pastor and the director of the Center of Addiction and Faith. You’re going to hear the moving story of his journey from addiction to recovery and one of the saddest parts of his story is how little support he received from the churches, pastors, and even seminary he attended. Ed has some very convicting words about the lack of understanding and pastoral care most pastors and churches exhibit toward those struggling with addiction - including the families of addicts. But, he also has some words of hope about how we can begin to include these hurting people in our circles of care and prayer.

This first episode of our second season is about a topic that has become an integral part of every congregation’s and every pastor’s life: our church’s presence on social media. My guest is Dee Decker, digital and social media strategist for the Presbyterian Church (USA), and you are going to very quickly learn that you are almost surely doing your social media wrong! In the first 10 minutes of our conversation, Dee completely turned my thinking about the use of social media upside down!