View From the Pulpit Podcast
Conversations about
expository preaching.
Conversations with pastors about faithful preaching, sermon preparation, and life in the local church. For those behind the pulpit and those in the pew.
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Why a Podcast about Preaching?
Start with Ben’s introduction to the purpose and heart of the podcast.
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Browse Episodes
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Episode 34: A Conversation with Dr. Danny Cochran
Episode 34 of the "View from the Pulpit” podcast, hosted by Ben Smith, with guest Dr. Danny Cochran. In this episode of View From the Pulpit, Pastor Ben Smith sits down with Dr. Danny Cochran, longtime pastor, author, and former editor of The Christian Index. Together, they reflect on Dr. Cochran’s decades of ministry, the lessons learned along the way, and the challenges facing churches today.
From his early call to ministry to his leadership in preaching, writing, and denominational life, Dr. Cochran shares wisdom, encouragement, and a pastor’s heart for serving God’s people faithfully. He also offers a perspective on how pastors can navigate cultural change while staying anchored in biblical truth.
Episode 33: A Conversation with Dr. Gerald Harris
Episode 33 of the "View from the Pulpit” podcast, hosted by Ben Smith, with guest Dr. Gerald Harris. In this episode of View From the Pulpit, Pastor Ben Smith sits down with Dr. Gerald Harris, longtime pastor, author, and former editor of The Christian Index. Together, they reflect on Dr. Harris’s decades of ministry, the lessons learned along the way, and the challenges facing churches today.
Episode 32: A Conversation with Dr. Jerry Vines
In this episode of “View From the Pulpit”, host Ben Smith talks with Dr. Jerry Vines, who is often credited with "literally writing the book on expository preaching". Dr. Vines recounts his personal journey from topical preaching in his early ministry to embracing expository preaching and how this shift transformed his approach to teaching God's Word. He shares his three-step sermon preparation process—investigation, interpretation, and application—and discusses the importance of "passion-driven preaching" where the preacher's emotion reflects the passage's pathos. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Vines offers profound wisdom for young and seasoned pastors alike, emphasizing the primacy of preaching and the necessity of a strong devotional life.
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.
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.
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