You're Not Crazy – Details, episodes & analysis

What marks genuine Christian love? The apostle Paul lays out an extensive list in Romans 12:9–21. In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry examine how Paul’s commands are meant to hold together as part of an integrated ecosystem that makes up the Christian life. They consider the humility and vulnerability required to give and receive genuine affection, and they challenge pastors and congregants to cultivate countercultural communities marked by gospel hope.

Recommended resource:

• Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts by Nancy Guthrie (Crossway)

In this episode, Ray and Sam dig into Romans 12:1–8 and how to live as recipients of God’s mercies. They model sober judgment as they reflect on the ways we tend to overestimate our own capacities, considering instead how we might acknowledge that we’re part of a greater whole. Recognizing we belong to one another, they encourage pastors to view themselves as members of Christ’s body, reveling in the beauty of relationships within the church.

Recommended resource: 

• ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible (Crossway)

In this episode of You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry continue their study of 2 Timothy, emphasizing the strength that comes from the grace of Christ and the importance of passing on the gospel to the next generation.

They also highlight the significance of remembering the risen Jesus, which enables pastors to face challenges in ministry with boldness and confidence.

Recommended resource: Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the Gospels by Rebecca McLaughlin

A note from our sponsor, Crossway: In their new book, You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry want to help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture amid every aspect of their churches. If you have benefited from the You're Not Crazy podcast, then we think your church will really benefit from this book.

Pick up a copy of You’re Not Crazy today, and receive 30% off when you sign up for a free Crossway Plus account at crossway.org/yourenotcrazy

In this episode of You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry delve into 2 Timothy 1:8-18 and reflect on the recurring theme of shame in pastoral ministry, particularly the fear of being ashamed of the gospel.

They discuss the temptation to feel ashamed in the face of opposition and the importance of holding firm to their faith, emphasizing that the gospel brings comfort, hope, and true, abundant life.

Recommended resource: United to Christ, Walking in the Spirit: A Theology of Ephesians by Benjamin L. Merkle

A note from our sponsor, Crossway: In their new book, You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry want to help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture amid every aspect of their churches. If you have benefited from the You're Not Crazy podcast, then we think your church will really benefit from this book.

Pick up a copy of You’re Not Crazy today, and receive 30% off when you sign up for a free Crossway Plus account at crossway.org/yourenotcrazy

In this episode of You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry reflect on the importance of pastors honoring those who have come before them in the faith, and how it strengthens their own faith and encourages them to pour out their lives for the next generation.

Though pastors may feel isolated in their studies and in their ministries, they have the communion of saints—including Paul and their own spiritual ancestors—cheering them on. 

Recommended resource: Knowing God by J. I. Packer

A note from our sponsor, Crossway: In their new book, You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry want to help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture amid every aspect of their churches. If you have benefited from the You're Not Crazy podcast, then we think your church will really benefit from this book.

Pick up a copy of You’re Not Crazy today, and receive 30% off when you sign up for a free Crossway Plus account at crossway.org/yourenotcrazy

In this episode of You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry delve into the first few verses of 2 Timothy, highlighting what Paul says are the most essential elements for ministry.

They discuss the importance of pastoral ministry being characterized by grace, mercy, and peace, and how these qualities should be evident in the way pastors love and serve their congregations. They emphasize the need for pastors to be vulnerable and genuine in their relationships with their flock and introduce their unofficial third "co-host", John Stott, whose commentary on 2 Timothy is referenced throughout season three.

Recommended resources:

• The Lord's Work in the Lord's Way by Francis Schaefer

A note from our sponsor, Crossway: In their new book, You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry want to help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture amid every aspect of their churches. If you have benefited from the You're Not Crazy podcast, then we think your church will really benefit from this book.

Pick up a copy of You’re Not Crazy today, and receive 30% off when you sign up for a free Crossway Plus account at crossway.org/yourenotcrazy

You're Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Young Pastors, hosted by Sam Allberry and Ray Ortlund, is returning for a third season in which the hosts will focus on the book of 2 Timothy. Over the course of ten episodes, Ray and Sam encourage pastors and ministry leaders through discussions on the essential elements of pastoral ministry, how to live unashamed of the gospel, the importance of a gentle spirit in the age of contention, and more.

Tune in to You're Not Crazy season three, starting on Monday, October 9. If you're a pastor or ministry leader who feels overwhelmed and in need of a refreshment of gospel hope, Ray and Sam invite you to listen and be reminded that you're not crazy.

A note from our sponsor, Crossway: In their new book, You're Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry want to help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture amid every aspect of their churches. If you have benefited from the You're Not Crazy podcast, then we think your church will really benefit from this book.

Pick up a copy of You’re Not Crazy today, and receive 30% off when you sign up for a free Crossway Plus account at crossway.org/yourenotcrazy.

In the final episode of season two of You’re Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry answer pressing questions from you, the listeners.

• Introduction (0:00)
• Icebreaker: Where do you most love to be? (1:22)
• Why does small talk matter? (4:45)
• How do you encourage a culture of grace among team leaders across the church? (8:07)
• How do you deal with people in the church who are opposed to gospel culture? (11:17)
• How do you prioritize unhealthy areas to address? (15:25)
• Is there ever a right time to commend someone to another church? (18:45)
• How can a church care for its pastor? (23:38)
• Recommended resource: What God Has to Say about Our Bodies by Sam Allberry (26:23)

“Romans 15:7 says, ‘Therefore welcome one another, as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God.’ So, welcome one another. That’s gospel culture. That's the horizontal dimension of grace.” – T. J. Tims

In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and special guest, T. J. Tims, discuss how pastors cultivate gospel culture in their churches at the ground level so that it becomes an intergenerational reality.

• Introductions (0:00)
• The horizontal dimension of grace (2:18)
• What’s at stake (5:14)
• Sensing what’s in the room (9:31)
• Everyone feels like an imposter (11:31)
• Intergenerational gospel culture (17:55)
• Recommended resource: Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners by Dane Ortlund (22:39)

“We're like sprinters, we're hurtling down the track at top speed, giving it our best, giving it our all. But, we’re not made of titanium, and we can't live at full stretch all the time. We must pull back and be replenished, and experience rejuvenation for the next big push.” – Ray Ortlund

In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry address the need for pastors to rest. In an unprecedented time fraught with fragmentation and a heartbreaking number of pastors collapsing under the weight of leadership in these circumstances, rest is not an option, it’s an imperative for the soul.

• Introductions (0:00)
• Favorite foods (2:19)
• We’re like sprinters (3:49)
• Rest is not just a part of the fallen world (5:50)
• We don’t have to rest perfectly (7:19)
• We need regular renewal (10:51)
• “Go to sleep in peace. God is awake.” (14:17)
• Where we find refreshment (18:14)
• Recommended resource: The Death of Porn by Ray Ortlund (20:50)