Books
Shepherd & Sheep: Essays on Loving & Leading in a Local Church
For most pastors, shepherding a local church is far more than their day job. The local church signifies the place a pastor’s heart loves to be, even though leading a church often involves more than a little suffering. Shepherd & Sheep, I try to give color and texture to one pastor’s love for the church. The twenty-five essays in this book first appeared in places such as Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, 9Marks, For The Church, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and Desiring God.
Available at Amazon.
Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World
If you are a Christian blogger, you likely oscillate between burnout and apathy, with thoughts like “I must post NOW!” and “Who even gives a rip?” If you’re at this point, you’ve likely lost the plot. But you can get back on script. In our book we explore where the spiritual stamina will come from to serve a small readership faithfully and how to steward attention in a way that honors God in a world that celebrates chasing profit and pageviews.
Available at Amazon.
Don’t Just Send a Resume: How to Find the Right Job in a Local Church
I spent four years working on a book to help pastors in the job-search process. The typical pastor, while fully equipped to do his job, is not equipped to transition effectively when God calls him to move to another church. The book also features short contributions by 12 published authors and ministry leaders.
Available at Amazon or wherever books are sold online.
Once for all Delivered: A Reformed, Amillennial Ordination Paper for the Evangelical Free Church of America
In the summer of 2019, the EFCA broadened its statement of faith to include all orthodox views of the glorious return of Christ. I am the first pastor who holds an amillennial view of the return of Christ to be ordained in the new era. Once for all Delivered is an expanded version of my ordination paper.
Available at Amazon.
Enduring Grace: 21 Days with the Apostle Peter
When tomorrow is harder than today, how will you endure? Peter preached boldly in one moment and cursed cowardly in another. His faith and obedience went up and down, down and up. But through it all, the grace of Jesus toward Peter endured. This is also how we will endure—through the amazing, enduring grace of God. Peter’s story gives us hope that Jesus really is a friend of sinners and mighty to save.
Available at Amazon.
Struggle Against Porn: 29 Diagnostic Tests for Your Head and Heart
Many Christian men struggle with pornography. And that's the problem. I wrote this book to help men struggle against (not with) sexual sin. There’s a huge difference.
Endorsements from Tim Challies, Drew Dyck, Tim Chester, and others.
Available at Amazon.
Also available on Amazon in Spanish under the title Batalla Contra la Pornografía: 29 Pruebas de Diagnóstico para Tu Mente y Corazón.
More People to Love: How the Bible Starts in a Garden and Ends in a City and What That Means for You
Jason Abbott and I wrote a book called More People to Love. It's about The Big Story of the Bible. Brant Hansen wrote the foreword. He’s a nationally syndicated Christian radio host and author of Unoffendable and Blessed are the Misfits.
Available at Amazon.
Each Part Working Properly: Membership at Community Free Church
I wrote this short book for our church membership class. It answers questions such as, "What is the Gospel?" and "Is church membership even biblical"? Also, it teaches Christians how to tell the story of what God has done in their life. Important stuff. The book is tailored to our church, but I think others will find it helpful, too.
Available at Amazon.
God’s Joy Project: A Short Introduction to Reformed Theology & A Discussion Guide to Tony Reinke’s Book The Joy Project
This booklet is no longer available for purchase. Tony Reinke published a new edition of his book that included its own study guide, which drew from my work.
You can download my study guide here.
Lost in December
This is a short story about returning to life after a miscarriage. Over the years, it has surprised me to learn how many couples have had one, or even several, miscarriages. For Brooke and I, it's been five years. And it's still hard. In the story, a husband and wife (Joshua and Allison), as well as their other young children, learn what it means to move on after losing a child.
You can download it here.
Podcasts & Radio
“Bible Q&A Hour,’” Moody Radio: Kurt and Kate Mornings, October 16, 2023 (no link available)
“Interview on about ‘Pastor, There’s a Ministry in Staying Put,’” Moody Radio: Kurt and Kate Mornings, September 27, 2023 (no link available)
“Two Hundred People Left Our Small Church: A Conversation about Missing Sheep,” a radio interview for Word FM in Pittsburgh on The Ride Home with John and Kathy, March 30, 2022 (begins around 1:10:50)
“Blogging for God’s Glory: A Conversation about Writing,” Consider the Ravens Podcast, March 9, 2022
“Jumpstart: A Christian Struggle Against Pornography,” a course for the Remojo app, December 30, 2021
“A conversation about my book, Shepherd & Sheep,” The Common Good Radio Program, October 26, 2021
“Benjamin Vrbicek On Christianity And Porn (YouTube link),” REMOJO Podcast, June 25, 2021
“Interview on about ‘Congregations of Bruised Reeds,’” Moody Radio: Kurt and Kate Mornings, June 4, 2021 (no link available)
“A conversation about my article, ‘Dear Twitter, I’m Leaving You for My Wife’,” The Common Good Radio Program, April 16, 2021
“A conversation about church, covid, lament, blogging, and the gooey buttery goodness of the Lord,” The Common Good Radio Program, March 4, 2021
“Winning the Struggle Against Porn with Benjamin Vrbicek,” Jesus & Therapy, July 5, 2020
“Fathers, Ask for Their Heart (And, Preachers, Write a Poem),” EFCA EAST, Evangelical Free Church of America, Eastern District Blog, June 18, 2020
“Does pornography use disqualify you from missions service?” main speaker on webinar for Covenant Eyes with 30–50 people from various mission agencies, January 30, 2020 (no link available)
“Expository Preaching and Anchoring to the Rock,” Evangelical Free Church of America, EFCA EAST Podcast, January 22, 2019
“An Amillennial Ordination in the EFCA,” Evangelical Free Church of America, EFCA EAST Podcast, October 30, 2019
“Don’t Just Send a Resume to a Church—Or a Missions Agency,” The Missions Podcast, June 30, 2019
“Summertime and the Lust Comes Easy,” Evangelical Free Church of America, EFCA EAST Podcast, June 19, 2019
“Porn: The Killer of Missions,” The Missions Podcast, January 13, 2019
“Reflections on The Pursuit of Writing,” Pastor Writer Podcast, November 10, 2018
“Blogging for God’s Glory,” interview on the His People radio program with Bill Feltner and Pilgrim Radio, March 30, 2018
“Why Your Wedding Day Matters,” a television interview for CBN, June 30, 2017
Articles
2024
“Why the Banana Peel Tim Keller Didn’t Move Matters” Christianity Today (forthcoming May 2024)
“Coaching Sports as a Christian to Produce Rightly Ordered Loves,” The Gospel Coalition (forthcoming March 2024)
“How the Gospel Reconciled a Pastoral Feud,” EFCA Now, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog (February 28, 2024)
2023
“Ordinary Faithfulness (Even in Middle Age) Is Extraordinary, Review: ‘Just Show Up’ by Drew Dyck,” The Gospel Coalition, December 6, 2023
“‘All the Light We Cannot See’ Reminds Me to Look for God,” Christianity Today, November 7, 2023
“A Review of Jeremy Writebol’s Book ‘Pastor, Jesus Is Enough,’” 9Marks, October 12, 2023
“Pastor, There’s a Ministry in Staying Put,” Christianity Today, September 6, 2023
“Worship Is War,” EFCA Now, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, April 13, 2023
“It’s Good When Bad Pastors Make Us Mad,” Christianity Today, March 28, 2023
“All the World’s Not a Stage,” a review of John Stark’s book The Secret Place of Thunder, Christianity Today, March 2023 print edition and online February 13, 2023
2022
“Little by Little, Your Boundaries Should Improve,” EFCA Now, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, November 9, 2022 (Spanish translation published at Pastor Network Panama.)
“11 Tips for Getting Published Online,” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, October 26, 2022
“Article-Publishing Truths and a Lie: An Interview with Benjamin Vrbicek,” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, September 28, 2022
“Strategies for Preaching to the Polarized,” Christianity Today, September 25, 2022
“Pastor, You Must Die to Live,” The Gospel Coalition, July 20, 2022
“Preacher, I Think You Should Use ‘I Think’ Less Often,” Christianity Today, June 17, 2022
The foreword to the book From Everlasting to Everlasting: Every Believer’s Biography by Will Dobbie, Christian Focus (publication date May 13, 2022)
“Two Hundred People Left Our Small Church,” Christianity Today, March 15, 2022
2021
“A Generous Church Is From Him, Through Him and to Him: Oh, the depth of the riches of God,” EFCA Now, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, December 29, 2021
“When You Feel Like a Missionary Carrying a Grand Piano,” ABWE International Blog, November 9, 2021
“For The Church Preaching Guide: Judges,” For The Church, September 7, 2021
“How Much Does a Pastor Work? Wrestling with the Ambiguities of a Pastoral Timesheet,” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, forthcoming July 26, 2021
“Congregations of Bruised Reeds,” For The Church, May 10, 2021
“The Truth Is Always Good: A Tale of Two Books,” The Gospel Coalition, March 11, 2021
“When My Church Was Washed in Butter,” The Gospel Coalition, March 2, 2021
“Let the Nations Be Glad in God: A Pastoral Prayer,” ABWE International Blog, February 18, 2021
“Ministry Morning, Noon, and Night: A Day in the Life of a Pastor,” Fathom Mag, February 11, 2021
“Do Not Despise the Gentle Nudge,” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, February 1, 2021
“A Call for Content Creators to Cultivate Discernment,” For The Church, January 6, 2021
2020
“A Book Review: A Little Book for New Preachers, by Matthew D. Kim,” 9Marks, December 3, 2020
“Redimiendo la ambición pastoral,” 9Marks - Spanish Website, (“Redeeming Pastoral Ambition,” repost from 9Marks), November 24, 2020
“The Wrath of God Should Come into Our Minds More Often,” EFCA Now, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, November 17, 2020
“Redeeming Pastoral Ambition,” For The Church (repost from 9Marks), October 6, 2020
“A Book Review of Analog Church by Jay Kim,” 9Marks, September 17, 2020
“Pastor, Why Aren’t You Preaching About What’s Happening? [Part II],” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, September 2, 2020
“Pastor, Why Aren’t You Preaching About What’s Happening? [Part I],” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, August 31, 2020
“10 Tips for Finding a Ministry Position During the Pandemic,” The Gospel Coalition, August 14, 2020
“Book Review: Don’t Just Send a Resume, by Benjamin Vrbicek” a review written by Kris Sinclair, 9Marks, August 8, 2020
“A Book Review Jesus Driven Ministry by Ajith Fernando,” 9Marks, July 30, 2020
“Fathers, Ask for Their Heart (And, Preachers, Write a Poem),” EFCA EAST, Evangelical Free Church of America, Eastern District Blog, June 18, 2020 (an audio reading of this post by Benjamin appeared on the EFCA EAST Podcast, here)
“Know Where to Find a Pastoral Job after COVID-19,” The EFCA Leader’s Network, June 9, 2020
“Redeeming Pastoral Ambition,” 9Marks, June 12, 2020
“Bending the COVID Bow of Bronze,” EFCA NOW, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, May 13, 2020
“How to Land Employment in the Local Church: A Brief Overview,” an excerpt from Don’t Just Send a Resume at the Gospel Relevance blog, February 25, 2020
“An Interview with Chuck DeGroat, author of When Narcissism Comes to the Church,” Christianity Today, online February 17, 2020 and the March print edition
“Expository Preaching and Anchoring to the Rock,” EFCA EAST, Evangelical Free Church of America, Eastern District Blog, January 22, 2020 (an audio reading of this post by Benjamin appeared on the EFCA EAST Podcast, here)
“Neither Sin nor Death nor Elections Can Hinder God’s Work in 2020,” The Gospel Coalition, January 2, 2020
2019
“Pastor, Don’t Interview like Michael Scott,” For The Church, November 22, 2019
“An Amillennial Ordination in the EFCA,” EFCA EAST, Evangelical Free Church of America, Eastern District Blog, October 30, 2019 (n audio reading of this post by Benjamin appeared on the EFCA EAST Podcast, here)
“Pride Goes Before Porn,” The Gospel Coalition, October 17, 2019
“Struggling Against Pornography, Not With It,” EFCA NOW, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, October 15, 2019
“Corre como el viento del pecado sexual,” Coalición por el Evangelio (The Gospel Coalition Spanish Website), September 13, 2019
“Don’t Let Sexual Shame Move You from Christ’s Mission,” ABWE International Blog, September 12, 2019
“Run Like the Wind from Sexual Sin,” For The Church, September 3, 2019
“Men, the Women in Porn Bear God’s Image,” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, August 2, 2019
“Two Ways Every Christian Can Be Pastoral,” Unlocking the Bible, July 15, 2019
“Three Big Surprises When Interviewing for Missions,” ABWE International Blog, June 25, 2019
“Summertime and the Lust Comes Easy,” EFCA EAST, Evangelical Free Church of America, Eastern District Blog, June 19, 2019 (an audio reading of this post by Benjamin appeared on the EFCA EAST Podcast, here)
“Was I Betraying My Church by Interviewing Elsewhere?” Christianity Today, June 13, 2019
“Book Review: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop,” 9Marks, June 6, 2019
“When Self-Preservation Becomes Our God,” For The Church, June 5, 2019
“Are We There Yet? Knowing the Steps in a Pastoral Transition (Part 2 of 2),” Am I Called?, May 30, 2019
“Is It Time to Change Churches? (Part 1 of 2),” Am I Called?, May 24, 2019
“Christians and the Struggle Against Porn: Q&A with Benjamin Vrbicek,” Anchored in Christ – KevinHalloran.net, May 23, 2019
“Clarity About Compensation,” EFCA NOW, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, March 28, 2019
“Networking for Pastors who Hate Networking,” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, February 14, 2019
2018
“God Loves a Cheerful Preacher: A Book Review of The Preacher’s Catechism,” EFCA NOW, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, July 31, 2018
“If Today Was Your Last Day,” Unlocking the Bible, July 31, 2018
“Jumping the Shark and the Trajectory of Sin,” For The Church, July 5, 2018
“Blogging for God’s Glory,” For The Church, March 16, 2018
“When Should a Pastor Address a Current Event?” For The Church, February 13, 2018
2017
“12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke [A Book Review],” Themelios (Vol. 42, Is. 3), December 2017
“What If Tomorrow Is Even Harder Than Today?,” Desiring God, November 4, 2017
“A Book Review of Strong and Weak by Andy Crouch,” EFCA NOW, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, September 20, 2017.
“Pastor, Strive to Learn Their Names,” The Gospel Coalition, September 11, 2017
“Encouraging the Not-Yet-Married, a book review of Not Yet Married by Marshall Segal,” The Gospel Coalition, July 28, 2017
“Sometimes God Just Closes Doors,” Desiring God, June 27, 2017
“Am I Still Me? Finding Yourself When Life Changes,” Desiring God, April 18, 2017
“The Gospel in 140 Characters,” For The Church, March 28, 2017
“Church-Growth Fear or Excitement?” EFCA NOW, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, February 2, 2017
“Pastors Need Healthy Boundaries,” EFCA EAST, Evangelical Free Church of America, Eastern District Blog, January 18, 2017
2016
“Light for Those Who Sit in Darkness: What Christmas Says About Our Sin,” Desiring God, December 20, 2016
“A Book Review of How to Survive the Apocalypse,” EFCA NOW, Evangelical Free Church of America Blog, November 8, 2016
“9 Tips for Giving a Retreat Talk,” For The Church, October 6, 2016
“5 Strategies for Shortening Your Sermons,” The Gospel Coalition, July 6, 2016
“Thank God for Spiritual Grandfathers: Thoughts on Wayne Grudem,” For The Church, July 5, 2016
“Can You Really Become Unoffendable?” A book review of Unoffendable by Brant Hansen, The Gospel Coalition, June 29, 2016
“The Problem with the Pinterest Dream Wedding,” Desiring God, June 6, 2016
“From Hating Words to Loving Them,” Stories of Change, May 7, 2016
“Gluten Free to the Glory of God,” Desiring God, January 6, 2016
2015
“Pastoral Transplant Criteria,” For The Church, December 26, 2015
“What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung [A Book Review],” Themelios (Vol. 40, Is. 3), December 2016
“The Greatest Enemy of the Church,” Desiring God, August 12, 2015
“Éxito ministerial,” Coalición por el Evangelio (The Gospel Coalition Spanish Website), May 7, 2015
“When Ministry Success Becomes an Idol,” The Gospel Coalition, April 22, 2015
“Burning Hearts: Preaching to the Affections by Josh Moody and Robin Weekes [A Book Review],” The Gospel Coalition, February 18, 2015
