Ministry Minute with Justin Trapp
5-minute, powerful stories from the front lines of ministry to start your week on an encouraging note.
Ministry Minute, hosted by Justin Trapp, shares real stories with timeless ministry insights. Episodes include stories of faith, perseverance, unexpected provision, and practical wisdom from pastors and church leaders across the country. Whether it’s a miracle in the making or a hard lesson learned, each short episode is designed to encourage, equip, and inspire you in your calling.
Episodes
58 episodes
The Church That Gives Its Best People Away | Ministry Minute Episode 56
What if one of the clearest signs of a healthy church is that it keeps giving its best people away? Not because attendance does not matter. Not because growth does not matter. But because the Kingdom has always multiplied through sending. ...
Paralyzed at 18, He Said "I'm Excited to See Where God Takes Me" | Ministry Minute Episode 55
Zachary Abblitt was eighteen years old, and his life was wide open. He was a runner, a surfer, a swimmer, a musician. Then one dive into shallow water changed everything. He hit his head. In an instant, he was paralyzed. His C5 and C6 v...
From the Dairy Queen Booth to Biblical Scholar: The Hakeem Bradley Story | Ministry Minute Episode 54
What happens when you give someone a front-row seat to your everyday life? Explore the discipleship journey of author and biblical scholar Hakeem Bradley. From a Dairy Queen booth to deep academic research and ministry leadership, this ep...
The Day His Dream Died at Texas A&M | Ministry Minute Ep. 53
Brian McCormack stood in a packed gym, ready to sign with Texas A&M, when his father walked in and told him the offer was gone. The scholarship had been pulled an hour earlier, and Brian's dream collapsed in front of his classmates, coaches...
Why Dane Ortlund Wrote "Gentle and Lowly" Before He Was Ready | Ministry Minute Episode 52
Discover the hidden history behind Dane Ortlund’s bestselling book Gentle and Lowly. Moving from a Crossway publishing executive to a frontline senior shepherd during a global pandemic, Dane's journey reveals how God uses hidden season...
The Hidden Pastor Behind MLK Jr. | Ministry Minute Episode 51
Behind almost every public figure is someone most people never hear about. Martin Luther King Jr. had Howard Thurman — a pastor whose quiet influence helped shape one of the most important movements in American history. His book, Je...
A 16-Year-Old With Dyslexia Wrote a Musical About Jesus | Ministry Minute Episode 50
A sixteen-year-old with dyslexia sat down to write a musical about Jesus. No formal training. No Broadway connections. No reason to think the world would ever hear it. Just a prompting she could not shake — and a simple prayer: "Okay, I'll try....
Four Words on Live TV That Changed Global Ministry | Ministry Minute Episode 49
In 1978, Pat Robertson made an unplanned announcement on The 700 Club that no one saw coming. No strategic plan. No polished campaign. Just four words: "I've got a surprise."What followed was a reading from Isaiah 58, a call to feed the...
From Paralyzed to the Joe Rogan Show: Wes Huff’s Journey of Faith | Ministry Minute Episode 48
At 11 years old, Bible scholar Wes Huff was told he would be a paraplegic for the rest of his life. One month later, he woke up and could move—an event doctors could only describe as a "miracle".In this episode of Ministry Minute, Justi...
How Mark Batterson Turned a Crack House into Ebenezers Coffeehouse | Ministry Minute Episode 47
Can a coffee shop be a mission field? Explore the history of Ebenezers Coffeehouse and National Community Church’s radical approach to marketplace ministry in Washington, D.C. Learn how Mark Batterson used local real estate, premium hospitality...
When Your Assignment is in the Rubble: Pastor Mark Sergeev’s Call to Ukraine | Ministry Minute Episode 46
What keeps a leader standing when their physical world completely collapses? Dive into the true story of Ukrainian Pastor and military chaplain Mark Sergeev. After surviving a devastating missile attack on his family home in Kyiv, his choice to...
The Day The Founder of Chick-Fil-A Caught an Employee Stealing | Ministry Minute Episode 45
Discover the business philosophy that shaped the culture of Chick-fil-A. When confronted with a desperate teenager who stole cash, S. Truett Cathy famously declared that it's better to build boys than to mend men. This episode explores the thin...
The History of Dallas Theological Seminary: The 1924 Bankruptcy Miracle | Ministry Minute Episode 44
Go back to Dallas, Texas, in 1924 to witness one of the most famous answers to prayer in church history. Faced with immediate foreclosure, the founders of DTS leaned into a desperate prayer circle that resulted in a literal down-to-the-pe...
The $100K Boiler Crisis: How an Apple Pie Marathon Saved a Michigan Church | Ministry Minute Episode 43
Can a broken heating system rekindle a church's shared purpose? Dive into the story of Bad Axe First United Methodist Church during their 145th anniversary season. Facing a massive $100K repair bill, they leveraged community creativity to raise...
Scott Beck & Pat Gelsinger: Redeeming AI for the Local Church | Ministry Minute Episode 42
Meet Scott Beck, the visionary behind Blockbuster and Boston Market, who is now revolutionizing pastoral ministry. Learn about Gloo’s mission to equip local churches with data, capital, and cutting-edge AI tools designed to measure spirit...
Revival at OSU: Football Stars Lead 60+ Baptisms | Ministry Minute Episode 41
What happens when star athletes prioritize the Great Commission over the gridiron? Explore the story of the 2024 Ohio State University campus revival. From testimonies on a lawn to sixty baptisms in portable tubs, learn how public declarations ...
The Pastor Who Never Slept | Ministry Minute Episode 40
Pews or beds? Pastor Norma Quintero chose the latter. Discover the heart-moving story of a San Antonio pastor who led her church through a 72-hour marathon of hospitality. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to be the "hands and feet" of...
Christmas Miracle Saves Maui Church | Ministry Minute Episode 39
What happens when a church’s budget sheet hits zero, but its relational equity is overflowing? Explore the incredible true story of Living Way Church in Maui. Faced with a 30-day deadline to pay off a $350,000 mortgage, the community they serve...
From Refugee to Viral Christian Influencer: Ruslan KD | Ministry Minute Episode 38
What does a Pizza Hut manager and a woman in community service have in common? They both helped launch one of the most influential Christian YouTube channels of our time. Dive into the story of Ruslan KD and learn why "small evangelism" is ofte...
The 10-Year Test of Pastor Phillip Anthony Mitchell | Ministry Minute Episode 37
Is your ministry progress moving at a snail's pace? Discover the story of Pastor Phillip Anthony Mitchell and the ten-year journey that led to the birth of 2819 Church and ACCESS. Learn why obscurity isn't a sign of failure, but a season of for...
Billy Graham & Ruth: The Partnership That Changed the World | Ministry Minute Episode 36
Experience the untold origin story of Billy Graham. Discover how a failed first sermon and the spiritual groundedness of Ruth Bell Graham built the foundation for the most famous evangelist in history. Whether you are in a season of "swamp prea...
Mike Todd: Respecting the Harvest Amidst the Scrutiny | Ministry Minute Episode 35
From the sound man to the stage: the story of Mike Todd. Explore the evolution of a viral ministry and the lessons learned when your learning curve becomes public property. A look at how we can respect the harvest while navigating the complexit...
Lessons from Jimmy Darts for Church Leaders | Ministry Minute Episode 33
Jimmy Darts has mastered the art of "radical generosity" by making others the hero. Justin Trapp explores how pastors can apply this to their own leadership, moving from big campaigns to simple stories of quiet obedience. Learn how ...
How One Georgia Pastor Reached Pakistan via Video Call | Ministry Minute Episode 34
Global impact doesn't always require a plane ticket. In this episode of Ministry Minute, we look at the life of Marlene Lemons, who balances local outreach in Georgia with international ministry in Pakistan. It’s a masterclass in fa...
This Bible App is Worth Billions | Ministry Minute Episode 32
Today, the Bible App has been installed on over one billion devices.Scripture is available in more than 2,300 languages.And over 31,000 churches and ministry partners help shape its content.Industry analysts say that if YouVersio...