View from the Pulpit
Discover why preaching is fundamentally central to every church with "View from the Pulpit" hosted by pastor Ben Smith. Each episode will feature interviews with pastors and church members exploring the role of preaching, the labor of preparing to preach, the effectiveness of how one preaches, and so much more. This podcast is about preaching, but it is not just for preachers. Whether each Sunday you are behind the pulpit or in the pew, tune in for engaging conversations that will help you better understand why preaching is vital to the church's health.
New episodes every Monday. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app so you will not miss any of these great conversations.
Season 1 Guests Include:
Jarrod Everson
Dr. Levi Skipper
Freddie Smith
Rusty Grace
Bob Richardson
Dr. Patrick Latham
Dr. Don Hattaway
Dr. Jeremy Morton
Randy Ray
Trey Herweck
Dr. Jimmy Dale Patterson
Clint Pressley
Mitch Hall
Wayne Woods
Dr. Bart Barber
Mike Everson
Mitch Jolly
Randy Mullinax
Dr. Landon Dowden
Dr. Mac Brunson
Chris Fowler
John Roland
Dr. Robert Smith, Jr.
Brian Carroll
Noah Oldham
Jarrod Everson Dr. Levi Skipper Freddie Smith Rusty Grace Bob Richardson Dr. Patrick Latham Dr. Don Hattaway Dr. Jeremy Morton Randy Ray Trey Herweck Dr. Jimmy Dale Patterson Clint Pressley Mitch Hall Wayne Woods Dr. Bart Barber Mike Everson Mitch Jolly Randy Mullinax Dr. Landon Dowden Dr. Mac Brunson Chris Fowler John Roland Dr. Robert Smith, Jr. Brian Carroll Noah Oldham
Still to come
Dr. Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, SC
Chris Roberts, pastor, elder, and founding pastor of Bridge Church, Blackshear, GA.
Dr. Heath Lambert, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL
Brad Waters, pastor of First Baptist Church, Hazelhurst, GA
Dr. Jerry Vines, a revival and conference preacher, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. (1982-2006) and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1988-1989).
Dr. Danny Cochran, retired pastor from Northwest Georgia.
Robbie Foster, Pastor of Northside Baptist Church, Valdosta, GA.
Dr. David Allan, Distinguished Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of the Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee.
Dr. Gerald Harris, retired pastor and former editor of The Christian Index.
Episode 29: A Conversation with Chris Roberts
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Chris Roberts, lead pastor and elder of Bridge Church, Blackshear, GA, about expository preaching, particularly within the context of church planting. Roberts shares his journey to expository preaching, the importance of prioritizing God's word, and his practical approach to sermon preparation and training others to preach.
Episode 28: A Conversation with Dr. Danny Akin
In this episode of "View From the Pulpit," host Ben Smith talks with Dr. Danny Akin, President and Professor of Preaching and Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Akin shares his journey and conviction for expository preaching, defining it as text-driven, where "the text of scripture sets the agenda both in terms of the structure of your sermon and the substance of your sermon". The conversation covers the historical shift towards expository preaching in pulpits and seminaries, Dr. Akin's meticulous sermon preparation process, and valuable advice for both preachers and congregations.
Episode 27: A Conversation with Noah Oldham
In this episode of The View From the Pulpit, host Ben Smith talks with Noah Oldham, Executive Director of Send Network, about his extensive experience in church planting. Noah shares insights into establishing the central place of preaching in new churches, the critical role of biblical, expositional preaching, training the next generation of preachers, and cultivating a church culture that deeply values God's word.
Help Me Wrap Up This Season of the Podcast — I’d Love to Hear from You
Help Me Wrap Up This Season of the Podcast — I’d Love to Hear from You
As this season of View for the Pulpit nears its end, I’ve been reflecting on the conversations we’ve had—and the impact they’ve made on me personally. When I started this podcast, my goal was to offer a resource to the church that would renew our appreciation for faithful preaching and highlight why it is vital to the health and life of the church.
From the beginning, I’ve intentionally invited guests who are committed to—or growing in—expository preaching. Each conversation has stretched me, encouraged me, and given me practical insight. I’ve learned so much by hearing how different men approach the preparation and delivery of their sermons. It’s been a joy to see how God uniquely equips each one to bless the church.
But what’s been just as meaningful? Hearing from you.
Your messages, emails, and conversations about the episodes have been incredibly encouraging. And that got me thinking: why not wrap up this season with you?
A Roundtable Wrap-Up Episode — Featuring Listeners
To close out the season, I’d like to record a special roundtable-style episode featuring listeners like you—pastors, laypeople, men and women, younger and older voices. I want to hear what you’ve learned, what’s helped you most, and how God has used the podcast in your own walk with Christ.
It doesn’t matter where you live—we can connect remotely. The only requirement is that you’ve listened to the podcast and are willing to share your thoughts.
Want to Join the Conversation?
If you'd like to participate, please sign up at:
👉 www.vftppod.com/talk
I’m aiming to wrap up this season in October, and I’d love to release these listener conversations in early November.
Whether you’ve listened to every episode or just a few, your voice matters. I’d be honored to have you be part of this final conversation.
Episode 26: A Conversation with Brian Carroll
In this episode of “View From the Pulpit”, host Ben Smith talks with Pastor Brian Carroll, Pastor of Chattanooga Valley Baptist Church in Flintstone, GA, about expository preaching and the challenges and rewards of long-term pastoral ministry. Pastor Carroll explains his commitment to faithful biblical exposition, his sermon preparation process, and the importance of loving and knowing one's congregation.
Episode 25: A Conversation with Dr. Robert Smith
In episode 25 of The View From the Pulpit, host Ben Smith talks with Dr. Robert Smith, Distinguished Professor of Divinity and preaching at Beeson Divinity School, in Birmingham, AL. Dr. Smith describes his approach as an "exegetical weaver," interweaving explanation and application throughout the sermon. A notable aspect of his delivery is preaching without notes, relying on "internalization not memorization," which allows for improvisational, Spirit-guided expression. Dr. Smith emphasizes that "what counts is content," not just style, and teaches a 10-step Christocentric method that heavily focuses on deep textual study, including reading the text "50 times". He advocates for the sermon's form to reflect the text's genre, distinguishing between deductive and inductive approaches. Dr. Smith stresses the importance of unity in diversity within the church, encouraging preachers to learn from various cultural preaching traditions and for congregations to value faithfulness to the text over performative dynamics, warning against "emotionalism" that overshadows exegesis.
Episode 24: A Conversation with John Roland
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Pastor John Roland, Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Sterrett, AL, about the unique blessings and challenges of balancing secular employment with pastoral ministry, highlighting the importance of efficient study methods and relying on the Holy Spirit.
Episode 23: A Conversation with Chris Fowler
In episode 23 of View from the Pulpit, host Ben Smith talks with Pastor Chris Fowler of Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church in Statesboro, Georgia. Ben and Chris discuss the role of preaching in the church, focusing on Chris's ministry in the college town of Statesboro. Chris shares how God provided for Fletcher Memorial to grow a significant college ministry. Their conversation explores the joys and challenges of ministering to college students. Chris also details his approach to expository preaching, and he explains his weekly sermon preparation process.
Episode 22: A Conversation with Dr. Mac Brunson
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Dr. Mac Brunson, Senior Pastor of Valleydale Church in Birmingham, AL, about his approach to Bible study, sermon preparation, and lifelong pursuit of learning.
Episode 21: A Conversation with Dr. Landon Dowden
Episode 21 of the "View from the Pulpit” podcast, hosted by Ben Smith, explores the crucial role of preaching in the church, with a particular focus on expository preaching, the preparation process, and the importance of biblical literacy with Dr. Landon Dowden, Lead Pastor of Hebron Baptist Church, Dacula, GA. In this episode, Dr. Dowden shares insights from his extensive experience in both pastoring and training others in preaching.
Episode 20: A Conversation with Randy Mullinax
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Randy Mullinax, senior adult pastor of Northside Baptist Church, Valdosta, GA, on his experience working with two Baptist state conventions, how he came to appreciate expository preaching, and how he employs an expositional approach to ministry with senior adults.
Episode 19: A Conversation with Mitch Jolly
In this helpful and honest episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Mitch Jolly, pastor and founder of Three Rivers Church, Rome, GA, on how God taught him to study the word and how he has led his church to be rooted and grounded in God’s word.
Episode 18: A Conversation with Mike Everson
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Mike Everson, interim pastor of Morningside Baptist Church, Bainbridge, GA, on the changes and challenges of preaching. Everson shares his wisdom and experience from his pastoral ministry and time as a regional state missionary with the Georgia Baptist Convention (Now the Georgia Baptist Mission Board).
Episode 17: A Conversation with Dr. Bart Barber
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Pastor Dr. Bart Barber, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Farmersville, TX, about how to integrate systematic theology with Biblical theology through expositional preaching, effectively utilize original language study in preaching, and his unique method of sermon preparation process.
Episode 16: A Conversation with Wayne Woods
In this down-to-earth episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Wayne Woods, pastor of Ten Mile Baptist Church, Alma, GA, on the calling of God to preach, the power of God to use His word, and the joys and sorrows of faithful ministry.
Episode 15: A Conversation with Mitch Hall
Episode 15 of the "View from the Pulpit” podcast, hosted by Ben Smith, engages in a helpful conversation with Mitch Hall, Pastor of Mershon Baptist Church, Mershon, GA, who shares his experience of God calling him to preach later in life and the unique ministry demands of a rural church.
Episode 14: A Conversation with Clint Pressley
In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Clint Pressley, senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC, and the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, on how he has strived to grow continually as a preacher and how he prepares to preach each week. Pressley also discusses the state of preaching among Baptist pastors from his perspective as president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Episode 13: A Conversation with Dr. Jimmy Dale Patterson
Episode 13 of the "View from the Pulpit” podcast, hosted by Ben Smith, engages in an insightful discussion with Dr. Jimmy Dale Patterson, Transitional Pastor of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, Griffin, GA, who shares his journey through various stages of pastoral ministry and how God has developed him as a preacher.
Episode 12: A Conversation with Trey Herweck
Episode 12 of the "View from the Pulpit” podcast, hosted by Ben Smith, examines the importance of preaching in church planting in an interview with Trey Herweck, Lead Pastor of Refuge Church, St. Charles, MO. Trey discusses the unique pressures he felt as a young church planter and how God has developed his understanding of preaching.
Episode 11: A Conversation with Randy Ray
In this helpful episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Randy Ray, Pastor of Pineview Baptist Church, Waycross, GA, on the challenges and blessings of bi-vocational ministry.