From the Pulpit to the Pickup with D.J. Horton

What do you most want to be remembered for as a leader? One thing I love to do on the podcast is give you a little behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be a leader, especially if you care about ministry. That’s why I’m excited to have my good friend Dr. Mike Harder, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Spartanburg, as this week's guest. Mike shares from his personal story of being a missionary kid...

We all carry wounds—some we caused ourselves, some were inflicted on us by others. And too often, we either try to ignore the pain or we let it become our identity. But what if God wants to redeem what we’ve been through? This week’s podcast guest is Dr. Derwin Gray, author and Lead Pastor of Transformation Church in Indian Land, SC. In his encouraging conversation with D.J., Derwin discusses his...

Join D.J. for a conversation with two longtime ministry friends, Matt Capps and Steven Wade, pastors and coauthors of “Shepherding Renewal: A Guide to Church Revitalization.” Breathing new life into dying churches is possible. But how? While they don’t offer any formulas in their book or on this podcast episode, they do offer hope and insights drawn from years of personal experience. Listen in as...

What does it look like to put Jesus first as a wife, a mom, an entrepreneur, a church member, a woman who wants to represent Jesus well in all her many roles? We’re kicking off this new season of “From the Pulpit to the Pickup” with an incredibly encouraging conversation with Michelle Myers, author, founder of She Works His Way, and Discipleship Director at Biltmore Church. In this week’s episode,...

In this bonus podcast episode, D.J. is speaking with his friend, Josh Powell. As lifelong Southern Baptists, they both care deeply about the work of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is being nominated as president of the SBC, and in this episode, he shares about his journey, his motives, and what they are both most excited about in Baptist work.

Studies from the Barna Group and Lifeway Research show that 70–75% of Christian youth disengage from their faith and church after high school. In light of this, it feels like an important question to consider whether they will attend a college that will make living a life of faith easier or more challenging. Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Dr. Evans Whitaker, the twelfth president of Ande...

What is true success in this life? If it’s something that forever feels just out of reach in your own life, don’t miss this conversation that Pastor D.J. Horton has with Clyde Christensen, the current associate head football coach at Appalachian State, who has also coached the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Marvin Harrison, and Jameis Winston during his nearly 50-year career. Ado...

Knowing what to do after high school can feel overwhelming for young people as they try to figure out what’s next in life. Should they pursue a trade? Go to college? If so, what kind of college? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Dr. Dondi Costin, President of Liberty University, for a conversation on the value and importance of Christian higher education. Dondi, a retired Major General whose military ca...

Government is a gift from God. Yet we live in challenging times when some would consider “politics” a bad word or a topic to be completely avoided. But we, as believers, need to be both politically informed and involved. Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Trey Gowdy—attorney, author, Fox News Host, and former congressman—about faith, serving in the public square, and what it means to leverag...

Scripture calls us to forgive, but what if your pain makes forgiveness seem impossible? Don’t miss Dr. D.J. Horton speaking with Reverend Anthony B. Thompson, a pastor who astounded the city of Charleston and our nation when he openly forgave the gunman who murdered his wife, Myra, in the 2015 Emanuel AME Church shooting. He went on to write the memoir, “Called to Forgive,” and almost 11 years aft...

There is a great deal of emphasis on helping young men and women start strong in their careers or ministry, but we must not forget the importance of calling and equipping them to finish strong. Leaders can also struggle with finding their identity in their ministry, leading them to stay too long instead of passing on the baton. Join Pastor D.J. Horton for a conversation on this topic with Dr. Dann...

The world’s greatest problem is lostness, and we as believers have the answer—the gospel. But how do we encourage more believers not only to go on short-term mission trips, but to dedicate seasons of their lives to living in places where the gospel has not yet penetrated the culture? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Dr. Paul Chitwood, President of the International Mission Board, for a conversation abo...

Children are influenced by a wide range of people in their lives, such as pastors, teachers, coaches, camp counselors, and church ministry volunteers. But the most influential people in most children’s lives are their parents, and one of the greatest stewardships of a parent’s life is shaping the children God blesses them with. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and his wife, Laurel, as they talk about the j...

When it comes to helping people, one of the groups that can struggle the most is actually pastors. The burnout rate in pastoral ministry is extraordinarily high, and with the average age of pastors in North America being their late fifties, not only do we need more men entering pastoral ministry, but we need more pastors staying, thriving, and enjoying leading a local church. One of the keys to lo...

Spring is upon us, and that means it is almost one of Pastor D.J. Horton’s favorite times of the year—turkey hunting season! In this week’s episode of the podcast, D.J. is talking with Mark Prudhomme, a true legend in the field of calling turkeys, ducks, and even owl hooting. Mark is a 17-time Grand National Calling Champion and a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation Hall of Fame. If you...

The Great Commission isn’t only for pastors and missionaries; it is a call for every follower of Jesus. But how does that play out in the life of an average Christian? Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Vance Pitman, Founder and President of Vance Pitman Ministries and Former President of Send Network. Vance shares how God transformed him into a man whose heart beats to see lost people come...

In 2018, the Southern Baptist Convention came out with a statement declaring that the special needs population is an unreached people group. This is because fewer than 2% of these families attend church. Most churches are woefully unprepared to minister to families who have children with special needs—a statement that isn’t a criticism, but the heart of why this episode matters so greatly. Dr. D.J...

There is no shortage of discussion among Christians about the need for the next generation of leaders inside the local church. Not only do we need more pastors, but we also need more men and women answering the call to vocational ministry at every level of church leadership. And while some hear the call to church leadership early in life and attend college for training, that is only one of the pat...

In her early 20’s, Catherine Renfro received a phone call that she will never forget. In broken hopelessness, her brother, Barrett, called out with despair before taking his own life. She and her father rushed to his home only to find out that he was no longer with them. While suicide is an incredibly difficult and painful topic, Christians must not neglect to speak into subjects like this in tend...

Are you frustrated in a place of singleness? Do you need godly wisdom when it comes to dating and marriage in this day and age? What should you even look for in a spouse? Don’t miss this encouraging and candid conversation between D.J. Horton and Ben Stuart, pastor of Passion City Church in Washington, DC, and author of “Single, Dating, Engaged, Married: Navigating Life and Love in the Modern Age....

If you want to talk football, Bob Sanders is your man. He started coaching as a high school assistant in 1976 and went on to work with colleges and in the NFL, including serving as the Miami Dolphins’ linebackers coach, the Green Bay Packers’ defensive ends coach, followed by coaching roles with the Buffalo Bills, the Oakland Raiders, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This forme...

One of the tenets of Christianity is that every human being is an image bearer of God, and every person has worth and dignity at the moment of conception. That means we should have a heart for the unborn, protecting life and ministering to those who end up in crisis pregnancies. Join Dr. D.J. Horton for a conversation with Alexia Newman, the Executive Director of Carolina Pregnancy Center. Alexia...

It makes an undeniable difference in our homes and churches when men fulfill their God-given roles. Of course, we don’t just need everyday men to step up and be biblical men; we also need them to lead other men to embrace their role as spiritual leaders. But how does that happen? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Chuckie Stevens, author of “You Are the Man” and small group leader at Church at The Mill,...

How do you get people to trust you as a leader and actually have them want to be a part of what you’re doing? There is a difference between trying to lead through manipulation and coercion and leading by building momentum. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Jarrett Stephens, Senior Pastor of Champion Forest in Northwest Houston, for a conversation geared to help you grow as a leader—whether you’re leadin...

Someone once said that whoever wants the next generation the most will get them. This is a sobering thought, especially since we know that the enemy is real, and he wants to steal, kill, and destroy the futures of our children. So how do we best invest in the legacy of God in the next generation? How do we help them move beyond saying a prayer of salvation to living a life of faith in action? Join...