The Calling – Family Life

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast to encourage and equip pastors in their personal and professional lives as they share the Gospel and lead others to Jesus.  Charlie Cotherman is the pastor of Oil City Vineyard Church in Oil City, PA as well as the Exectuve Director of the Center on Rural Ministry and an Assistant Professor of Biblical & Theological Studies at Grove City College. His latest book, Strip Mine Jesus: Hope for the Rural Church, Small Towns, and Overlooked Places explores what it means to faithfully care for small towns and rural communities. Hear him share in Episode 36 of The Calling. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast to encourage and equip pastors in their personal and professional lives as they share the Gospel and lead others to Jesus.  18 years ago, the Lord called Kevin Rollo to ministry after an up and down life. He shares his journey in Episode 35 of The Calling.

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast to encourage and equip pastors in their personal and professional lives as they share the Gospel and lead others to Jesus.  Church planting is the focus for Episode 34 as Steve Smith speaks with Pastor Ben Hamilton who shares how God called him to this aspect of ministry. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast to encourage and equip pastors in their personal and professional lives as they share the Gospel and lead others to Jesus. Goerge Stahnke is an ordained minister who serves as a pastoral restoration counselor with Focus on the Family. In Episode 33, he talks about his 40 years of ministry, the biggest challenges facing pastors, and how we can help them prepare for the Easter season.  

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast to encourage and equip pastors in their personal and professional lives as they share the Gospel and lead others to Jesus. In Episode 32, Pastor Garrett Hall from Grace Bible Baptist Church in Bath, NY talks about experiecing God's power in every day life. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast to encourage and equip pastors in their personal and professional lives as they share the Gospel and lead others to Jesus. In Episode 31, Pastor Dave Stone, a veteran pastor and host of the Pastor to Pastor podcast from Focus on the Family, talks about pastor burnout, the good and bad of using AI, and why it's important for pastors to surround themsevels with good people. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast to encourage and equip pastors in their personal and professional lives as they share the Gospel and lead others to Jesus. In Episode 30, Pastor Tim Middleton from East Randolph Methodist Church in Randolph, NY talks about how God relentlessly pursued him and the spiritual challeges people are facing today. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast for pastors offering encouragement and insight as they navigate their personal and professional lives and follow God's leading.   In episode 29, Tim Powers is speaking with author, speaker, and radio host of Truth for Life - Alistair Begg - about his love of hymns, his appearance at this year's Family Life Pastors Conference, and his new booklet based on his sermon, "The Man on the Middle Cross".   https://blog.truthforlife.org/the-man-on-the-middle-cross-said-i-can-come

The Calling is a Family Life orginal podcast for pastors featuring conversations about the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives as they serve the Lord. In episode 28, retired Pastor Vernon Groves from United Church of Deruyter, NY talks about the lessons he learned when an earthquake struck Haiti while he was on a missions trip, and he shares what advice he would give himself as a young pastor. 

The Calling is an original Family Life podcast for pastors featuring conversations about the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives as they serve the Lord. In episode 27, Pastor Matthew VollBrecht of Everett, PA shares how faith and fear cannont exist in the same heart as he shares how God has used him over the years and why it's so important to speak the truth in love. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast featuring conversations with Pastors about the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives as they serve the Lord. In Episode 26, Pastor Mike Wenger of Lewisburg Bible Church in Lewsburg, PA talks his excitement for the youth of today and the importance of being humble as a pastor. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast featuring conversations with Pastors about the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives as they serve the Lord. In Episode 25, Pastor Ben Nickles of Livonia Community Church in Livonia, NY talks about how attending church helps us to fulfill the Great Commission, how his approach to writing sermons has changed over the years, and what he's working on the improve himself in 2025. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast featuring conversations with Pastors about the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives as they serve the Lord. In Episode 24, Pastor Steve Dumire of Victory Highway Wesleyan Church in Painted Post, NY talks about the challenges that face both small and large churches as well as the importance of delgating responsibilities. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast featuring conversations with Pastors about the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives as they serve the Lord. In Episode 23, Pastor Rick Schmieg of First Presbyterian Church in Montrose, PA talks about his journey from serving in the military to serving God from the pulpit. 

A podcast for pastors featuring conversations about the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives as they serve the Lord. In Episode 22, Pastor Joe Wagner from Christ Church in Wellsboro and Mansfield, PA talks about how God turned his life around and how pastors need to set some boundaries on occassion. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast for pastors that focuses on the personal and professional challenges they face in their mission to serve the Lord. In Episode 21, Steve Smith speaks with Pastor Jeff Bisher of Windham Center Community Church in Rome, PA about how God got a hold of his heart and transformed him from being a "wild child" to a pastor. 

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast for pastors that focuses on the personal and professional challenges they face in their mission to serve the Lord. In Episode 20, Steve Smith speaks with

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast for pastors that focuses on the personal and professional challenges they face in their mission to serve the Lord. In Episode 19, Steve’s guest is Mark Bane, a retired pastor with 40 years of experience leading congregations.  Mark, who is also Steve’s longtime friend, talks about the difference between being a pastor and sitting in the congregation, how to biblically address sin in a friend.

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast for pastors that focuses on the personal and professional challenges they face in their mission to serve the Lord. In Episode 18, Steve’s guest is Steve Baley, Dean of Students at Clarks Summit University who talks about youth, sports, and faith, and how God has used all of it in his life.

The Calling is a Family Life original podcast for pastors that focuses on the personal and professional challenges they face in their mission to serve the Lord. In Episode 17, Steve’s guest is Pastor Dave Gabel from Gowanda Assembly of God who talks about his journey to becoming a pastor and what his son, Jesse (co-host of Family Life’s afternoon show – Main & Gabel) was like as a child.