Pastor to Pastor with Dave Stone Lord, Teach Us to Pray with Matt Smallbone
Apr 28, 2026
Matt Smallbone, lead pastor in Nashville and former touring bass player turned author, shares how praying the Lord's Prayer as a spiritual experiment reshaped his rhythms. He talks about moving from touring to ministry, wrestling with distracted prayer, the six movements of the Lord's Prayer, forgiveness practiced daily, and practical daily habits to keep prayer honest and life-giving.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
From Touring Bassist To Ministry Leader
- Matt dropped out of university at 19 to tour with Rebecca St. James and later joined Michael W. Smith's band after meeting him at church.
- Touring led him to love America, free pizza, and eventually a long-term music career that transitioned into ministry.
Family Strain Prompted The End Of Touring
- Touring 100–150 nights a year and family strain led Matt to sense the season ending and pivot toward local ministry roles.
- Winning a green card and his wife's conviction that it wasn't for music nudged the transition off the road.
Preach In Three Movements And Add Circle Time
- Structure sermons into three movements: intro (felt need), biblical through line, and a right next step that moves bodies to action.
- Matt pairs this with 'circle time'—three-to-five minute small group discussion after the sermon.
