Preaching Stories

Jeff and Josh sit down with Dr. Luke Powery, Dean of Duke Chapel and professor of homiletics and African American studies at Duke Divinity School, to discuss his preaching story. What does music have to do with preaching? Why does Dr. Powery call himself a "doxalogian"? Should preaching be poetic? We cover all this and a quick-fire questionnaire. Show notes: Dr. Powery's book, Dem Dr...

Jeff and Josh sit down with Melissa Pratt to talk about her preaching story, how she received her call to ministry and how God led her from worship minister to regional pastor. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . If you want to support our us directly, you can donate here. To sign up fo...

Jeff and Josh sit down with Melissa Pratt to talk about her preaching story, how she received her call to ministry and how God led her from worship minister to regional pastor. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Dr. Leanne Ketcham joins Jeff and Josh to wrap up a conversation about narrative preaching and what Law and Order and Super Bowl commercials may have to teach us about it. Resources: Jeff's Book: Preaching from Inside the Story Eugene Lowry, The Homiletical Plot Alyce McKenzie, Novel Preaching Jana Childers, Performing the Word: Preaching as Theater If you want to learn more about the James Earl M...

Dr. Leanne Ketcham joins Jeff and Josh to talk about narrative preaching. What is it? How do we do it? And what embarrassing revelations will emerge about Leanne, Josh, and Jeff's stage acting history? If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . - National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠⁠⁠⁠registration⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Dr. Leanne Ketcham joins Jeff and Josh to talk about common sermon structures and how preachers can use them to greater effect. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . - National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠⁠⁠⁠registration⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠on-campus housing⁠⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠- Church of God Camp Meeting⁠⁠⁠⁠ To s...

Dr. Leanne Ketcham joins Jeff and Josh to talk about common sermon structures and how preachers can use them to greater effect. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . - National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠⁠⁠registration⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠on-campus housing⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠- Church of God Camp Meeting⁠⁠⁠ To sign up f...

In honor of the PreacHER Sunday initiative, we sat down for a special episode with Dr. Leanne Ketcham to discuss women in ministry. Dr. Ketcham shares her own story of being called to ministry, discusses some of the unique challenges women face, and talks about the unexpected ways God calls some to minister. Show Notes: - More information about the PreacHer Sunday initiative. - More information ab...

Jeff and Josh wrap up their conversation with Tom Bates about church growth, leadership, and preaching. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠registration⁠ and ⁠on-campus housing⁠ . ⁠Church of God Camp Meeting⁠ To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Jeff and Josh sit down with retired pastor Tom Bates to discuss church growth, leadership ,and preaching. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . National Preaching Clinic 2026 registration and on-campus housing . Church of God Camp Meeting To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Jeff and Josh wrap up their conversation with Dr. Jason Varner about communicating the historically located message of Scripture to people who are located in a different time and place in history and why our preaching should be more negative and cynical. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To registe...

Jeff and Josh sit down with Dr. Jason Varner to discuss communicating the historically located message of Scripture to people who are located in a different time and place in history. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Jeff and Josh wrap up their discussion with Dr. David Markle on funeral preaching. How do we do it well, and what are some pitfalls to avoid? Resources on Preaching: Preaching: A Kind of Folly by Ian Pitt-Watson The Burdensome Joy of Preaching by Dr. Massey Stewards of the Story: The Task of Preaching by Dr. Massey Designing the Sermon: Order and Movement in Preaching by Dr. Massey If you want to...

Happy New Year's Eve! Jeff and Josh sit down with Dr. David Markle to discuss the extremely important topic of funeral preaching. How do we do it well, and what are some pitfalls to avoid? If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ....

Jeff and Josh sit down to finish our conversation with Dr. Jason Varner about how understanding history can help us better understand the stories in the Bible and our own stories. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To sign...

Jeff and Josh sit down with Dr. Jason Varner, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Peace and Conflict Transformation program, to learn about his preaching story and to discuss how understanding history can help us better understand the stories in the Bible and our own stories. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

On today's special episode, Josh sits down with Joanie Frymire to interview Jeff about preaching during Advent. What is the advent season, why does it matter, and how do we preach and sing during this very important season of the church calendar? Show notes - Revised Common Lectionary Website - Advent Article by Tish Harrison Warren - Calendar: Christ's Time for the Church by Laurence Hull...

Jeff and Josh sit down to finish our conversation Jonathan and Joel Frymire about finding your voice in preaching and helping your people faithfully navigate the challenges they will face. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To sign...

Jeff and Josh sit down with Jeff's sons, Jonathan and Joel Frymire, to discuss their journey into preaching. Fair warning, this episode gets a little silly in some places. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To sign up for the C...

Jeff and Josh sit down to finish our conversation with Clay Schmit about the do's and don'ts of reading Scripture out loud, including the people in your church who might be surprisingly good readers already. This is the second part of a two part conversation. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To regist...

Josh and Jeff are on the road! We sit down with Clay Schmit to start a conversation about the do's and don'ts of reading Scripture out loud. This is the first part of a two part conversation. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To s...

Josh and Jeff sit down to finish their conversation with Kerry Robinson about the relationship between discipleship and preaching in the modern context. This is the conclusion of a two part conversation. If you missed the first part, check out Episode 14. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026...

Josh and Jeff sit down with Kerry Robinson to discuss the relationship between discipleship and preaching in the modern context. This is the first of a two part conversation, so be sure to tune in next time for the second half! If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, cli...

Josh and Jeff sit down with Matt Quainoo to discuss preaching the liberating message of the gospel in a relevant way to your congregation. This is the second of a two part conversation. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . To sign up for the Center news...

Josh and Jeff sit down with Matt Quainoo to discuss preaching the liberating message of the gospel in a relevant way to your congregation. This is the first of a two part conversation. If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠website⁠ . To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠here⁠ . To sign up for the Center newslette...