What do you do when you're serving faithfully… and it feels like nothing is happening?

In this episode of The Church Resource Podcast, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass talk honestly about fruitless seasons in ministry — the discouragement, the comparison, and the pressure to measure success by numbers. Lucas shares a personal story of walking through 13 months with no baptisms, followed by an unexpected season of fruitfulness, and the struggle that came with it.

If you have any recommendations for Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass email us at TheChurchResource@gmail.com

What should pastors and church leaders be reading—and does fiction belong on the list?

In this episode of The Church Resource, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Respass talk reading habits, leadership growth, and how both fiction and non-fiction shape preaching and pastoral ministry. From annual must-reads and focused fields of study to award-winning novels and cultural commentary, they explore how storytelling sharpens communication, deepens cultural awareness, and strengthens a commitment to biblical truth.

The conversation challenges pastors not to insulate themselves from the wider world, but to engage thoughtfully with literature that helps them better understand culture, preach with clarity, and shepherd faithfully.

Whether you're building a reading list or just looking for your next book, this episode might change the way you think about what—and why—you read.

If you have any recommendations for Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass email us at TheChurchResource@gmail.com

In this episode of The Church Resource, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass have a practical, honest conversation about fasting in the life of the church—why we do it, how to plan it wisely, and how to avoid missing the point.

As many churches consider beginning-of-the-year fasts, they explore key leadership questions: When should a church fast? How long should it last? How restrictive should it be? Drawing from real ministry experience, they discuss why some churches fast midyear while others fast in January, and how factors like congregational background, health, fellowship, and major events shape those decisions.

The conversation introduces tiered fasting approaches—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—and explains how offering levels can help people participate meaningfully without turning fasting into a competition. Lucas and Chris also address common pitfalls, including turning a fast into a diet, obsessing over recipes or weight loss, and replacing one distraction with another.

At the heart of the discussion is a reminder that fasting is about self-denial and prayer, not personal achievement. They unpack how fasting reveals temptation, pride, and vanity, and how it can deepen prayer by making it more Scripture-driven, more personal, and more focused on others.

If you have any recommendations for Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass email us at TheChurchResource@gmail.com