In this Serve Story episode, Dr. Travis Montgomery talks with Dr. Jeff Medders—Director of Theology and Content for Send Network (NAMB), Visiting Professor of Christian Studies at Midwestern Seminary, and General Editor and Fellow of the Spurgeon Center. Together they discuss why church planters need robust theology, how Send Network prepares and assesses planters, and the importance of faithful, effective ministry. Jeff shares insights from his church planting experience, his work building theological resources, and the new masterclass and courses designed to equip planters for long-term, healthy ministry. Learn more about Send Network resources at www.newchurches.com.

About the Podcast

Local Theologians is a podcast for everyday Christians and ministry leaders from Midwestern Seminary's Global Campus. Learn more about online theological education at mbts.edu/global.

Keywords

church planting, Send Network, NAMB, theology, ecclesiology, assessment, pastoral ministry, missiology, ministry training, discipleship

Takeaways

• Church planters need both faithfulness to Scripture and effectiveness in leadership.

• Send Network provides training, assessments, and resources to prepare planters for the challenges of ministry.

• Theological depth protects planters from error and equips them to shepherd their people well.

• The assessment process helps ensure that planters are called, qualified, and ready for the rigor of planting.

• Spiritual formation, not just strategy, is essential for long-term health in ministry.

• Robust theological resources—including seminary, masterclasses, books, and podcasts—help multiply healthy churches.

• Good theology helps planters triage issues, avoid unnecessary division, and focus on gospel essentials.

Sound Bites

• We want planters who are faithful and effective—because one without the other won’t last.

• Church planters are local theologians; they must tell the truth about God.

• Fog machines won’t help you if you don’t know your doctrine.

• Anybody can gather a crowd, but only the gospel raises people from the dead.

• Good theology helps us care about what matters—and stop caring about what doesn’t.

In this episode, Dr. Travis Montgomery talks with Dr. Rustin Umstattd, Professor of Theology and Ministry at Midwestern Seminary and pastor at Northland Church in Kansas City, about the importance of understanding the Bible as a unified story. Rustin explains how seeing Scripture as an unfolding narrative—from Genesis to Revelation—transformed both his theological study and pastoral ministry. Together they discuss why biblical theology matters, how genre fits into the Bible’s story, and why reading the whole Bible is essential for understanding Jesus, the gospel, and the Christian life.

About the Podcast

Local Theologians is a podcast for everyday Christians and ministry leaders from Midwestern Seminary's Global Campus. Learn more about online theological education at mbts.edu/global.

Keywords

biblical theology, story of Scripture, Old Testament, New Testament, preaching, discipleship, seminary training, Scripture reading, church ministry

Takeaways

• The Bible tells one unified story that centers on Jesus Christ.

• Understanding the story of Scripture helps clarify difficult passages like Hebrews and Melchizedek.

• Systematic theology is strengthened when grounded in biblical theology.

• Reading the whole Bible is essential for making sense of individual books and doctrines.

• Different biblical genres contribute uniquely to the overall story of redemption.

• Teaching and preaching become richer when rooted in the unfolding narrative of Scripture.

• The Bible’s story provides a compelling and objective framework for Christian faith.

Sound Bites

• You don’t need a decoder ring—you need to know the story.

• You can’t make sense of Romans without Genesis through Malachi.

• Once you see how Jesus fulfills the story, you can’t unsee it.

• The Bible’s story proves more than it proposes.

Resources Mentioned

• T. Desmond Alexander, From Eden to the New Jerusalem

• Stephen Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty

• G. K. Beale, A New Testament Biblical Theology

• Bartholomew and Goheen, The Drama of Scripture

• James Hamilton, What is Biblical Theology?

• Geerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology

• Gentry and Wellum, Kingdom Through Covenant

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction and Rustin Umstattd’s Background

2. 01:30 Discovering the Bible as a Story

3. 03:12 Abraham, Galatians, and the Unity of Scripture

4. 04:29 Hebrews, Melchizedek, and Story Context

5. 05:30 How This Shaped Rustin’s Ministry

6. 08:12 Teaching Theology Through the Story of Scripture

7. 09:50 Preaching and Reading the Bible Biblically

8. 11:30 Story, Culture, and Worldview Formation

9. 12:57 Biblical Genres and the Place of Proverbs

10. 17:19 Stories, Songs, and Scripture’s Power

11. 21:25 Why Whole-Bible Reading Matters

12. 24:49 Recommended Resources on Biblical Theology

13. 28:21 Why the Story of Scripture Validates Faith

14. 30:33 Closing Reflections

In January 2026, students of Midwestern Seminary's Global Campus gathered for an intensive week of class, worship, and fellowship. In this episode, Dr. Travis Montgomery gathers the professors teaching Winter Week classes—Colton Strother, Ken Parker, Dale Johnson, Wes Pastor, and Todd Chipman—for a conversation on friendship in ministry. They share their experiences of calling, mentoring, seminary friendships, loneliness in modern life, relational vulnerability, and the challenges and blessings of maintaining friendship while serving the church. The panelists offer biblical wisdom, seasoned pastoral insight, and practical strategies for cultivating healthy, life-giving friendships in ministry and in the local church.

About the Podcast

Local Theologians is a podcast for everyday Christians and ministry leaders from Midwestern Seminary's Global Campus. Learn more about online theological education at mbts.edu/global.

Keywords

friendship, ministry, seminary, pastoral leadership, loneliness, community, vulnerability, spiritual formation, relationships, church life

Takeaways

• Friendship is essential for long-term faithfulness in ministry and grounded in the relational nature of God.

• Many ministers are first encouraged toward seminary by pastors, mentors, or professors who see gifting and potential.

• Seminary friendships can become lifelong ministry partnerships, especially when grounded in shared calling and service.

• Loneliness is both a cultural and spiritual issue—exacerbated by digital life and healed through embodied Christian community.

• Vulnerability, honesty, and intentionality are key ingredients of meaningful friendship.

• Ministers must pursue friendship both inside and outside their churches, while also cultivating friendship within their families.

• Friendships require proactive effort—through hobbies, shared routines, text threads, or simply making space for people.

• Betrayal is an inevitable risk in ministry, yet the call to love and serve without demanding reciprocity remains central.

Sound Bites

• Real friends are few—and they require vulnerability.

• God uses friendship to steady us in ministry’s ups and downs.

• Loneliness thrives where self-focus grows; love pulls us outward.

• Love is often a one-way street—and that’s okay.

• We flourish when we risk being known and loved.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introductions and Panel Overview

2. 01:50 Panelists’ Ministry Roles and Backgrounds

3. 04:20 Who First Encouraged You Toward Seminary?

4. 09:31 Seminary Friendships and Lifelong Ministry Relationships

5. 14:10 Loneliness in Culture and the Church

6. 17:41 Biblical and Practical Approaches to Isolation

7. 23:04 Vulnerability, Honesty, and Being Known

8. 24:58 Faith, Hope, Love, and Relational Health

9. 26:52 How Busy Ministers Make and Maintain Friendships