Episode 24: A Conversation with John Roland
John Roland
Episode 24 of the "View from the Pulpit” podcast, hosted by Ben Smith, is an enlightening conversation about bi-vocational ministry with Pastor John Roland, Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church, Sterrett, AL. In this episode, Pastor Roland shares his insights into the unique blessings and challenges of balancing secular employment with pastoral ministry, highlighting the importance of efficient study methods and relying on the Holy Spirit.
Show Notes: “View from the Pulpit” Podcast, Episode 24: A Conversation with Pastor John Roland.
Episode Theme: Blessings and challenges of bi-vocational ministry.
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Pastor John Roland, Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Sterrett, AL, about his experiences and perspectives as a bi-vocational pastor, his approach to preaching, and the unique aspects of his ministry at Beulah Baptist Church.
Key Highlights:
Study and Preparation on the Go: Pastor Roland's sermon preparation has to be mobile to accommodate his secular job requirements. He typically reads the chosen passage multiple times, writing down questions about it, and then consulting trusted commentaries to find answers. He outlines three to four main points for his sermon and writes out a manuscript in Google Docs. He often copies and pastes commentary notes below his points and summarizes them. He works on this document throughout the week, utilizing Google Docs for mobility across his devices (iPad, laptop, phone), especially when traveling for his secular job. He puts the finishing touches on the manuscript on Friday or Saturday.
Challenges for Bi-vocational ministry: One of the significant challenges is the limited time for traditional pastoral duties like hospital visits and extensive personal visitation. He struggles with feeling like he should be doing more and has had to learn to say no to commitments outside his primary roles to manage his time effectively. Balancing the demands of his secular job with pastoral responsibilities also means he often doesn't have a dedicated day off during the week, requiring constant effort to maintain physical and mental energy.
Importance of relationships: Pastor John encourages young pastors to prioritize "building relationships in the community, and partner with as many other ministries and pastors that you can for accountability, encouragement, and collaboration.”
Join Ben Smith and Pastor John Roland for an enlightening conversation about bi-vocational ministry.
Host: Ben Smith
Guest: John Roland
Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.
For more information and resources from Pastor Ben Smith, visit www.BenSmithSr.org.
Follow Ben Smith on X at https://x.com/bensmithsr.
For more information on Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA, visit https://cbcwaycross.org/.
Other podcasts by Ben Smith:
All For the Kingdom is a weekly podcast of pastor Ben’s preaching ministry. https://www.bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdom
Sermon Shorts is a podcast of sermon clips that are 5 minutes or less. https://www.bensmithsr.org/shortspod
Pastor John Roland is the Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Sterrett, AL. Prior to coming to Beulah Baptist Church, Pastor Roland has served as a transitional pastor and a senior pastor. He earned his undergraduate degree from Samford University, MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and an MBA from Kennesaw State University.
John has worked for many years for various organizations as an executive in advancement. He is currently the Advancement officer for the Howard College of Arts and Sciences of Samford University.
John and his wife, Amy, have three adult children.
Follow Pastor John Roland on X at https://x.com/jaroland74
Listen to Pastor Roland’s latest sermons through the Beulah Baptist Church’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BeulahBaptistChurchSterrett
A special thanks to Jim Gibson for permission to use his recording of “Brethren We Have Met to Worship” for this podcast. You can find more information about Jim Gibson’s music and many other recordings at https://www.hickorycovemusic.com/.
Music by Jim Gibson. “Brethren We have Met to Worship.” Songs of the South III, @2003 Hickory Cove Music.
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