Let’s See Where This Goes: Ivan Ramirez on Trusting God, Cultural Tension, and Pastoring Across Difference (Part 3) | PT 124
What happens when God leads you somewhere you never imagined—but you say yes anyway?
In Part 3, Pastor Ivan Ramirez reflects on his transition from the city streets of Chicago to leading a small-town church in Wisconsin. With humor, vulnerability, and pastoral wisdom, Ivan shares how cultural challenges, ministry mergers, and personal growth have shaped his approach to leadership—and why “let’s see where this goes” has become his life mantra.
🎙️ In This Episode:
Why stepping away from ministry became the turning point
The unlikely path that led Ivan to Burlington, Wisconsin
Navigating cultural differences and subtle bias as a Hispanic pastor in a white rural context
How healing, humility, and faithful presence create space for healthy ministry
⏱️ Timestamps:
03:00 — Leaving ministry and finding rest
07:00 — Preaching on July 4 and falling in love with a new church
10:00 — Merging two congregations and selling a building in two days
15:00 — Pastoring as the only Hispanic leader in a white community
19:00 — Confidence, calling, and finishing seminary after 20 years
22:00 — Letting go of “going home” and serving where God sends
27:00 — The wisdom of “let’s see where this goes”
💡 Takeaway:
You don’t have to know the outcome to be obedient.
Ivan’s story reminds us that when we trust God enough to take the next step—even without a plan—He writes stories we never could have imagined.
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30:12
From Solitary to Seminary: Ivan Ramirez on Freedom, Calling, and Preaching with Scars (Part 2) | PT 123
What happens when freedom finds you before a courtroom does?
In Part 2 of this gripping conversation, Pastor Ivan Ramirez shares how he left gang life, survived trial, and discovered God’s call through unlikely mentors, a Moody dorm room, and a courtroom bench. From early ministry mistakes to a doctoral degree, Ivan’s story is one of grace that keeps showing up.
🎙️ In This Episode:
The unexpected grace that led Ivan out of the gang—and into ministry
Navigating life after jail: roommates, youth ministry, and cereal-fueled discipleship
Why academic struggle didn’t disqualify his calling
How pastoring a small church taught him who the gospel is really for
⏱️ Timestamps:
02:30 — Choosing Jesus over gang life… again
06:15 — Transferred to the Christian wing
10:00 — Released from jail and taken in by a youth pastor
13:00 — From GED to Moody Bible Institute
17:30 — Facing trial while attending Bible college
21:00 — Not guilty verdict—and the cost for others
25:00 — Struggling academically but thriving spiritually
28:00 — Learning to pastor without making “little Ivans”
💡 Takeaway:
You don’t need polish to be called. Ivan’s story reminds us that the gospel forms pastors not just through pulpits, but through scars, failures, and second chances. Freedom doesn’t always come in the ways we expect—but it always comes with grace.
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33:00
From Inmate to Pastor: Ivan Ramirez on Finding Jesus in Solitary (Part 1) | PT 122
How does a gang-involved teenager from Chicago become a pastor in Wisconsin?
In Part 1 of this gripping conversation, Ivan Ramirez shares his remarkable story of searching for belonging, spiraling into despair, and encountering Jesus while facing a murder charge in solitary confinement. What begins as a tale of survival becomes a testimony of grace.
🎙️ In This Episode:
Growing up without church but aware of God
The loneliness and boredom that led Ivan into gang life
Dropping out of school—twice—and wrestling with purpose
Facing suicidal thoughts and crying out to God
Getting arrested for a crime he didn’t commit—and finding freedom behind bars
⏱️ Timestamps: 03:00 — Ivan’s childhood in Little Village, Chicago 07:00 — The gang lifestyle and dropping out of school 12:00 — Searching for meaning through partying and friendships 16:00 — Depression, suicidal thoughts, and a near-fatal moment 20:00 — Arrested and falsely charged with murder 23:00 — Solitary confinement and discovering the Bible 25:00 — Accepting Christ in a jailhouse chapel 28:00 — The danger of leaving gang life—and the grace that followed
💡 Takeaway: God often shows up in the places we least expect—jail cells, lonely apartments, and broken stories. Ivan’s journey reminds us that no one is beyond reach, and freedom can begin even when the doors are still locked.
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30:43
Confession, Connection, and the Fight for Identity: Scott Moore on Ministry Beyond Metrics (Part 2) | PT 121
Pastor Scott Moore returns for a vulnerable, soul-level conversation on what happened after his breaking point.
From a life-changing fishing trip with strangers to a tearful reconnection with his family and church, Scott reflects on the slow work of reintegration. With honesty about the setbacks and sacred practices that help him stay tethered, this episode is a call to resist isolation, embrace confession, and fight the subtle seduction of success metrics.
🎙️ In This Episode:
Healing through honesty and sacred vulnerability
Creating relational spaces where confession is normal
Letting go of success metrics as identity markers
How to stay rooted when performance whispers loudest
⏱️ Timestamps:
02:20 — What started to shift: "I’m tired of lying."
06:15 — A pastor’s fishing trip—and honest friendship
09:42 — Returning to church, scared but honest
14:00 — Leading without hiding
18:40 — Why metrics nearly broke Scott’s sense of self
22:33 — The WhatsApp group and the gift of confession
28:14 — Soteriology, scars, and staying tethered
32:50 — Closing reflections on hope and hard-won identity
💡 Takeaway:
You don’t have to pretend you’re okay to keep going. The road back is rarely clean or linear—but confession, connection, and calling are still possible on the other side of burnout.
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31:50
When Ministry Breaks You: Scott Moore on Burnout, Isolation, and Holding On (Part 1) | PT 120
What happens when ministry feels less like a calling and more like survival?
In this raw and courageous conversation, Scott Moore shares his story of stepping into a conflicted congregation, facing impossible expectations, and slowly losing himself in the isolation of unacknowledged burnout.
🎙️ In This Episode:
How Scott moved from a thriving ministry to a pastor-killing church
The early warning signs of burnout he didn’t recognize
Why loyalty to "toughing it out" can deepen the isolation
What it feels like to lose hope quietly—while still preaching every Sunday
⏱️ Timestamps:
03:00 — Stepping into conflict without knowing it
07:00 — No honeymoon and immediate resistance
12:00 — Internalizing failure and the slow onset of despair
17:00 — Five years of secret depression
24:00 — A surprising invitation to Wyoming—and the first crack of hope
Corporate leadership systems focused on vanity metrics have left today’s church leaders weary and burnt out. The Pastor’s Table Podcast brings you conversations with local pastors working out deep theological convictions in their churches.
Listen to the Pastor’s Table today to get a renewed perspective on how to integrate a robust theological vision with your ministry practices. Embrace the gift of serving in God’s Kingdom with Join Dr. Mark Quanstrom & Rev. Tara Beth Leach on The Pastor’s Table.
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