Best Jen Oshman Podcasts (2024)

1
Q & A With Christine and Kyle Hoover 39:53

3M ago39:53

39:53

In this Season 4 finale episode of the Ministry Wives Podcast, sit down with my husband Kyle Hoover and me for another Q & A episode. We wanted to give you more details following our episode with the Mandrells. We share about how God transformed our marriage during the COVID season, how that time served as a catalyst for my new book, as well as how…

1
Practical Wisdom for Serving with Brothers in the Church (an interview with Amy Petersen) 40:36

3M ago40:36

40:36

Wisely navigating relationships between men and women is a vital but sometimes difficult conversation we need to be having with one another and our husbands. In this follow-up episode, long-time ministry wife and Ministry Wife Ministry Partner Amy Petersen helps walk us through the specifics of wisely cultivating these relationships. She stresses t…

1
The Life of a Lay Elder’s Wife (an interview with Caroline Cobb) 28:03

3M ago28:03

28:03

The Lord gifts each of us and our spouses so differently, and sometimes those giftings require sacrifices of different kinds as we respond to the call of the Lord in a given season. Singer/songwriter Caroline Cobb joins me today to describe her husband’s volunteer position as a lay elder at their church and how she supports him and the local church…

1
Creating a Culture of Welcome in Your Church (an interview with Jen Oshman) 31:32

3M ago31:32

31:32

Walking into a church for the first time can be a very scary experience for newcomers. Sometimes it feels just as scary for us to approach and invite them into our circle. Pastor’s wife, author, and podcaster Jen Oshman shares her practical tips for creating a culture of welcome within the church. Jen tells us how welcome helped draw her to Christ,…

1
Embracing Biblical Lament (an interview with Danielle Kelly) 32:55

3M ago32:55

32:55

We live in a broken world full of pain and suffering. We are bound to suffer trauma and grief; how do we navigate that pain as believers? Pastor’s wife, writer and podcaster Danielle Kelly joins the show today to share how God invited her into biblical lament as a lifestyle and how choosing to trust God’s character in the process transformed her li…

1
An Interview With Christine and Kyle Hoover (special guests Lynley and Ben Mandrell) 48:51

4M ago48:51

48:51

On this special episode of the Ministry Wives Podcast, Christine hands the microphone over to Lynley and Ben Mandrell as special guest hosts. Christine and Kyle open up about a very vulnerable time in their life and marriage, the lessons God taught them, and the book that was born out of that season, “You Are Not Forgotten,” out April 23. QUOTES “I…

1
Motivations for Ministry (an interview with Krissie Inserra) 34:21

4M ago34:21

34:21

In theory, we should always desire to serve God in ministry to honor and obey him, but in practice, we may sometimes find ourselves struggling with our motivations in ministry. We struggle with what we think we “should” do, wanting to please others, even wanting recognition for our service. Pastor’s wife Krissie Inserra shares how God has worked on…

1
Serving in Small Churches (an interview with Wendy Ortiz) 25:04

4M ago25:04

25:04

God calls us to serve in so many different ministry contexts. Sometimes we’ll be called to serve in large spaces with hundreds of people, and sometimes God calls us into small environments with less than 10. Church planting wife Wendy Ortiz shares her experiences serving in small churches both in the US and Puerto Rico. She explains the joys and ch…

1
Seasons of Spiritual Dryness (an interview with Kristen Wetherell) 35:22

4M ago35:22

35:22

As believers and ministry wives, we will experience times of spiritual dryness, times where we struggle to experience the truth of God’s presence in our daily lives, times where our spiritual walk feels stagnant and emotionless. We live in a world full of distraction and fatigue; the battle to focus on Christ is ever present. Author, mother, and pa…

1
From Pastor’s Wife to Pastor’s Widow (an interview with Melissa Swain) 41:49

5M ago41:49

41:49

There is no escaping the reality that women within our church will experience the loss of their spouse at some point in their lives. The Bible instructs us to take care of widows, but how do we practically live that out? Melissa Swain lost her pastor husband Chris unexpectedly in 2021 and joins the podcast to tell her story. Melissa shares how spec…

1
Unmet Expectations in Ministry (an interview with Lisa Hughes) 35:05

5M ago35:05

35:05

Sometimes unmet expectations seem to pop up everywhere in our lives. We experience hardship or failure in life and ministry over and over again. Today, author and pastor’s wife Lisa Hughes teaches us how to reshape our thinking regarding unmet expectations. She shares that we need to not only expect the hard things, but also accept that the Lord is…

1
Serving in Camp Ministry (an interview with Rachel Shelton) 32:54

5M ago32:54

32:54

Life in a parachurch ministry often looks very different from life in other ministries, but the goal is always the same: live as a minister of the gospel. Rachel Shelton and her husband were called to minister full time at TBarM Camps in Texas. Rachel describes the joys and challenges of camp life, and how her family focuses on doing life with othe…

1
The Joy of Raising Missionary Kids (an interview with Keri Folmar) 45:49

5M ago45:49

45:49

Ministry often stretches us to grow in ways we never imagined, some that are hard but many that can bring us deep joy. Raising children in a completely different culture for missions is no different. Missionary wife, author, and podcaster Keri Folmar joins me to shine light on the joys she experienced raising missionary children. She shares how God…

1
A Church Planting Couple’s Legacy (an interview with Jennifer Clifton) 30:00

6M ago30:00

30:00

Clint and Jennifer Clifton spent their lives planting churches as well as pouring themselves into training and encouraging planters and their wives all over the globe. Jennifer joins the podcast to talk about the legacy of her late husband and how she sees the Lord opening opportunities for her to continue to encourage ministry wives just like us. …

1
Finding Your Place in Ministry (an interview with Angie Brown Elkins) 41:28

6M ago41:28

41:28

Finding your place in ministry as a pastor’s wife or ministry wife can leave you feeling frustrated and stuck. You might feel constrained by expectations in your church, confused about where you are being called, or feeling stuck because a role you used to fulfill is no longer needed. Pastor’s wife and podcaster Angie Brown Elkins joins me today to…

1
The American Criminal Justice System Needs Reform: A Christian Proposal with Matt Martens 48:50

7M ago48:50

48:50

It is comfortable and easy to remain naive and sheltered from the realities of the American criminal justice system. Hearing the stories of those who’ve been wrongfully held and convicted is heartbreaking. Reading the statistics is shocking. In our democratic republic, we must do better. You and I and all citizens have conferred the responsibility …

1
The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks with Dustin Crowe 36:36

8M ago36:36

36:36

Do you find yourself grumbling about life, circumstances, work, stress? Are you quick to complain? Do you have an established routine of giving thanks? Do you know to whom you give thanks and why that matters? What about giving thanks in the midst of a dark trial? It’s Thanksgiving week and Dustin Crowe and Jen Oshman are diving deep into all of th…

1
Expectations in Ministry (an interview with Jeanine Sanchez) 40:58

8M ago40:58

40:58

As ministry wives, it’s far too easy to put ourselves inside a glass bubble with expectations that God does not desire for us. First and foremost, God calls us to be faithful Christians and church members. Pastor’s wife Jeanine Sanchez shares how she teaches other ministry wives to examine the motivations behind their internal and external expectat…

1
Gender Roles, Church Mothers, and the Wide Open Arms of the Black Church with Khristi Adams 46:13

8M ago46:13

46:13

“Debates about women’s roles in the church are back in the headlines, but a lot of them leave out a large and important group of American Christians: the Black church.” - Khristi Lauren Adams, author, minister, dean, and advocate. When we read these first lines of a recent Christianity Today article by Khristi Adams, we knew we wanted to hear more.…

1
In Her Shoes: A Pastor’s Wife (an interview with Caroline Saunders) 50:27

8M ago50:27

50:27

It can be difficult to fully understand the life of a pastor’s wife without being a pastor’s wife. But understanding this role can help us not only be more compassionate with one another as ministry wives, but also show us how we can better serve one another. Caroline Saunders has been a pastor’s wife for the last 14 years and shares with us the di…

1
Cross-Cultural Adoption Takes More than Love with Brittany Salmon 50:22

8M ago50:22

50:22

Should white parents adopt children of color? Today more than 40% of adoptions are transracial, so it’s a conversation we need to have. November is National Adoption Month, so we’re talking about adoption, ethnicity, adoptee and birth mom voices, and more on this episode with Dr. Brittany Salmon. As an adoptive mom herself, she offers a ton of wisd…

1
Ministry After Covid (an interview with Kimberley McGibbon) 35:51

8M ago35:51

35:51

When Covid hit, none of us could have imagined how far reaching its effects would be, nor for how long we would be grappling with the various issues raised by its influence in our lives. Toronto Send Relief Ministry Centre Director and church planter’s wife Kimberley McGibbon shares how Covid forever changed her life and ministry. She explains how …

1
New Research Reveals Troubling Inequities in Women’s Ministry: A Conversation with Jen Wilkin 49:46

8M ago49:46

49:46

A new survey of churches across the US reveals that only 17% of women’s ministry leaders are in paid staff positions at their churches. Put another way, 83% of women’s ministry leaders serve totally as volunteers. Additionally, only 5% of women’s ministry leaders conduct their planning with the involvement of the wider church staff. Women’s ministr…

1
The Basics of Women’s Ministry (an interview with Kelly King) 38:57

8M ago38:57

38:57

In its most basic form, Women’s Ministry isn’t about fancy events or complicated Bible studies; it’s about meeting women’s needs where they are. Lifeway Women’s Ministry Specialist Kelly King shares how we can create a lifestyle of women’s ministry that helps get women in the Word, providing encouragement and creating a deeply desired community. Ke…

1
What is the unborn? And Other Questions to Advance the Pro-Life Movement with Scott Klusendorf 36:23

9M ago36:23

36:23

While the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022 was a victory for life, we have so much more work to do. Most Americans are pro-choice and lack a vision for what a truly pro-life society could look like. Pro-life advocates must get better at articulating our position and moving our mission forward with energy and passion. This episode includes both data …

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A Palestinian Brother in Christ Shares His Experience and Perspective: Pastor Marwan Aboul-Zelof 1:01:17

9M ago1:01:17

1:01:17

On this bonus episode of All Things we are taking time to listen to the experience of our Palestinian brother in Christ, Pastor Marwan Aboul-Zelof. He shares openly with us what it’s like to be a Palestinian Christian in the Middle East at this time in history. Pastor Aboul-Zelof was born in the Middle East and has family roots throughout the regio…

1
Friendship Between Brothers and Sisters in the Church (an interview with Jen Wilkin and JT English) 36:33

9M ago36:33

36:33

Love one another. Serve one another. The New Testament is full of commandments instructing us to engage in relationships with one another, including those of the opposite sex. The church must battle against the lie that men and women cannot operate as friends and recover brother-sister relationships within the body of Christ. Close friends and coll…

1
Is it Even Possible to Love People Who Drive you Crazy? Finding Real Church Unity with Jamie Dunlop 38:26

9M ago38:26

38:26

Almost half of all Christians and pastors associate “unity” with “agreement.” Almost half of all Christians say they experience unity in their friendships, but only about one-third say they experience unity with their church family. The data bears out what many feel: our local church families are not deeply unified. In fact, we find agreement, harm…

1
Revitalization and Burnout (an interview with Andrea Valenti) 35:28

9M ago35:28

35:28

Churches all over the world are dying and God longs to see His churches revitalized, brought back to life, thriving as lights for the Kingdom. But along with the excitement of revitalization can come burnout from the intense emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental work of revitalization. Today, Andrea Valenti shares how she has walked through th…

1
Do You See Your Muslim Neighbor? With A. S. Ibrahim 38:34

9M ago38:34

38:34

Muslims make up about 1% of our population here in the United States. But what do most of us Americans really know about Islam in general and what do we know about our Muslim neighbors in particular? A.S. Ibrahim, professor of Islamic studies and director of the Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam at The Southern Baptist Theological Sem…

1
Intentional Rest in Church Planting (an interview with Vance and Kristie Pitman) 36:05

9M ago36:05

36:05

Life as a church planter is rewarding and encouraging, but also spiritually, emotionally, and physically exhausting. It’s easy to completely burn out when we aren’t intentionally engaging in the rest Jesus commands us to take. Vance and Kristie Pitman share today how God brought them into a season of forced rest. What they found on the other side w…

1
The Good and Dangerous Gift of Authority with Jonathan Leeman 36:19

9M ago36:19

36:19

Research and common sense say most of us are suspicious of our authorities. The American way is to be ruggedly individual and totally autonomous. As a people, we don’t like anyone meddling in our own goals and dreams and how we plan to reach them. Making matters worse, examples of terrible authority abound. Daily news headlines reveal bad authoriti…

1
Spiritual Warfare (an interview with James and Desiree Westbrook) 41:14

9M ago41:14

41:14

The enemy hates any ministry that seeks to increase the kingdom of God. How do we recognize when we are in spiritual warfare, and how do we practically fight against it? James and Desiree Westbrook, planters of The Realm Church in Oakland, California experience immense spiritual warfare every day. They share with us how they battle warfare with Chr…

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Our Culture Feels Chaotic But there’s a 250 year old Reason for That: 1776 with Andrew Wilson 39:54

9M ago39:54

39:54

In the 21st century, culture changes fast. It may seem like there’s never been a more tumultuous period in history. But there was one year - 1776 - that changed the social trajectory of the Western world as we know it. On today’s episode we’re talking with Andrew Wilson about why we are the way that we are. It turns out we in the West underwent som…

1
Serving in Spanish Speaking Ministries (an interview with Carolina Santander, Yessenia Jimenez, Andrea Valenti, Karla Cox) 35:46

10M ago35:46

35:46

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, this episode of the Ministry Wives podcast is being released completely in Spanish. Send Network Español is a branch of the North American Mission Board’s church planting ministry, Send Network. This ministry resources and helps support Spanish speaking church plants all over North America. Today’s episode featu…

1
Where do Christianity & Mental Illness Collide? With Christian Psychologist Tom Karel 44:33

10M ago44:33

44:33

Mental illness has historically been so taboo in the church. Christians struggle to know how our mental health and spiritual health impact one another. Many are paralyzed by the fear of saying the wrong thing. Still others feel ashamed by their own struggles and silently suffer because they fear the judgement of others. Church, this should not be. …

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Maintaining a Tender Heart in Ministry (an interview with Amy Gannett) 42:50

10M ago42:50

42:50

Seeds of bitterness can grow in our hearts for a myriad of reasons. Our own insecurities, criticisms, and the sheer volume of tasks that need to be completed can harden our hearts towards those we’ve been called to serve. We can even be tempted to harden our hearts towards God in the midst of difficult ministry seasons. Author and Discipleship Dire…

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Online All The Time: Applying Christian Wisdom to our Digital Connection with Samuel James 47:34

10M ago47:34

47:34

In 1997 only about 1 in 5 American adults had been on the internet in the last three months. Today, over 85% are online every single day and 30% say they’re almost constantly online. On average we check our phone every 12 minutes and a large portion of us check ours right when we wake up. This is a massive shift for humanity over the span of just o…

1
Comparison and Competition in Ministry (an interview with Carla Sibley) 44:17

10M ago44:17

44:17

Sinful comparison and competition can creep quickly into our hearts when we aren’t focused on Jesus. It’s easy to look at what other women are doing (or even what our husband is doing) and begin to compare what is “lacking” in our own life and ministry. On today’s episode, pastor’s wife Carla Sibley explains how God has taught her to shut down the …

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Suffering is the Source of Joy: A Conversation with Joni Eareckson Tada 38:42

10M ago38:42

38:42

"No one is immune to suffering. It’s a part of life on this side of heaven, and yet we do all we can to avoid it, numb it, or end it. We in the West have a poor theology and practice of suffering. On this first episode of the fall 2023 season of All Things, we are joined by Joni Eareckson Tada. Joni is a well-known author, speaker, and advocate who…

1
Serving the Suffering in Your City (an interview with Cassie Hammett ) 43:09

10M ago43:09

43:09

When we look around our communities, we so often see the suffering of those living in poverty and homelessness. The fear of not knowing what to do frequently keeps us from doing anything. Cassie Hammett, Executive Director of The Hub Urban Ministries, shares how Jesus radically changed her heart for those in distress in her city. She explains how w…

1
Cultural Apologetics and the Ministry Wife (an interview with Trevin Wax ) 42:52

10M ago42:52

42:52

If we want to reach the culture around us with the good news of Jesus, we must first understand that culture and the motivations of those who live in it. Author Trevin Wax joins the podcast to explain how we as ministry wives can learn about the specific culture around us, enabling us to connect with and draw others to Christ. SHOW NOTES As you get…

1
Entering Ministry Mid-Career (an interview with Emay Yeng) 43:35

11M ago43:35

43:35

Sometimes God calls us into a new season of life and ministry when we least expect it. Navigating decisions about those new seasons can be scary and stressful, but ultimately, God wants us to lay it all at His feet. Emay Yeng shares today how she and her husband John navigated God calling them into vocational ministry from the corporate world. Emay…

1
Sacrifice in Marriage and Ministry (an interview with Grace VanMaanen) 36:59

11M ago36:59

36:59

Life as a ministry wife doesn’t always look like radical revivals. Often it’s staying home while your husband leaves to minister to others or answers nonstop phone calls that interrupt family time. Unless you’re constantly lifting your eyes heavenward, it can be difficult to see eternal reward in the daily grind. Grace VanMaanen joins me today to s…

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Let's Go Barbie! A Christian Conversation & Critique of the Barbie Movie 49:23

12M ago49:23

49:23

Thanks for listening to this Bonus Episode of All Things! Jen is joined by Dr. Christina Crenshaw to discuss the blockbuster Barbie movie, which hit theaters just last weekend. If you’ve already seen it and you’re eager to process it with some girlfriends through a theological lens, this is the conversation for you! Or, if you haven’t seen it, but …

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Episode 124: With Laura Wifler: People with Disabilities: Seeing What’s Different, Seeing What’s the Same 33:58

1y ago33:58

33:58

The conversation surrounding disabilities and people with disabilities is evolving and confusing in the West. On the one hand, we see record numbers of abortions due to parents being afraid or unwilling to bring a child with disabilities into the world. For example 67% of children who *may* have down syndrome are aborted in the United States. On th…

1
Episode 123: With Dan Darling: When Division is Incentivized 31:42

1y ago31:42

31:42

One major reason unity in our nation, families, and churches is so fragile is because division and cynicism have been incentivized. We all stand to gain a lot when we retreat to our own corners and tribes. It’s easier to sit in an echo chamber and be told you are right than to wrestle with different perspectives. Less gracious, more extreme opinion…

1
With Jamie Finn: Jesus’s Heart is Not Just for the Children: A Deeper Approach to Foster Care 32:11

1y ago32:11

32:11

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month and there is so much missing in our national and church conversations when it comes to foster care. I’m loving this chance to increase my own awareness and yours on this episode of All Things. Jamie Finn, who wrote Foster the Family, and runs an organization by the same name, joins me today to talk about …

1
Episode 121: With Chelsea Sobolik: Seeing Every Kind of Woman on Mother’s Day 33:41

1y ago33:41

33:41

Mother’s Day is this weekend in the United States and for most of us that means celebration mingled with some kind of grief. Many women are childless for a variety of reasons: infertility, miscarriage, child loss, they made an adoption plan, they chose abortion, they never married, and more. The reasons are varied and complex and the weight of that…

1
Episode 120: With Curtis Yee: How Not to be a White Tourist this AAPI Month 32:11

1y ago32:11

32:11

Obviously one 30-minute podcast episode to commemorate Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is not sufficient—but I’m hoping you’ll tune in to at least get the month going. On this episode I am joined by my friend and journalist Curtis Yee. Curtis regularly contributes to Christianity Today and Sojourners, as well as other outlets,…

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