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.

View From the Pulpit with Ben Smith podcast cover

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Preaching, Expository Preaching Ben Smith Preaching, Expository Preaching Ben Smith

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.

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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.

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