What does it look like when gospel renewal is forged through suffering and planted in the heart of a global city? In this conversation, Esteban Valenzuela, pastor of Raíces Madrid Evangelical Christian Church, shares his remarkable story of personal transformation, perseverance through false accusation, and the sovereign call of God that led him and his family to Madrid, Spain.

Mike Neglia and Esteban talk about the power of gospel renewal — not just as a theological concept, but as a lived reality. Esteban reminds us that the gospel is the cornerstone of Scripture and the Christian life, and warns against shallow repetition of gospel language without depth or clarity. They also discuss the challenges of church planting, how God works through weak sermons and weak preachers, and why having a clear message truly matters.

Join Mike Neglia and Brian Kelly at the upcoming CGN Ministry Conference June 22-25, 2025 

This conference is designed for church leaders and their ministry teams to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Dive deep into John 13–17, The Upper Room Discourse, with our main session speakers, and attend workshops led by experienced leaders in key areas such as Lead and Senior Pastors, Executive and Associate Pastors, Women in Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Worship, Small Groups and Care Leaders, Tech Teams, Administration, and Lay Leaders. Whether you’re a pastor, ministry worker, or volunteer, this event is for your whole team. Join us for an inspiring time of learning, fellowship, and renewed vision for the work God has called us to!

Register for our next in person training event 

August 22-23, 2025 

St Petersburg, Florida 

Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg

 https://expositorscollective.org/gatherings/

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

Before outlining a sermon or opening a commentary, Ed Compean begins with prayer. In this recording from an Expositors Collective training event in Uganda, he offers a grounded and practical walkthrough of sermon preparation that starts with dependence on God and flows toward a faithful final draft.

Drawing from years of pastoral ministry, including church planting and leadership training in Kenya, Ed shares the rhythms that shape his weekly approach to preaching. He explains why he handwrites the passage, how he draws on trusted voices from church history and the global church, and what to keep - or cut - on the “cutting room floor.” He also unpacks the value of a strong sermon introduction and how the classic “Explain, Illustrate, Apply” model still serves the preacher and the congregation well.

Whether you’re a church planter, a teaching pastor, or a developing preacher, this episode is a helpful and humble guide to crafting sermons that are rooted in prayer and faithful to Scripture.

Topics Covered:

• Why every sermon must begin in prayer
• Writing out the passage by hand to slow down and engage
• Learning from others who have been with God
• Managing time and knowing what to cut
• Crafting compelling introductions
• Structuring the sermon: Explain, Illustrate, Apply

About Ed Compean:
Ed Compean is the lead pastor of Shoreline Calvary in Morro Bay, California. Before that, he planted churches and coached leaders in Nairobi, Kenya. He now serves with the Cultivate Church Planting Initiative of Calvary Global Network and is passionate about seeing Jesus exalted through thriving local churches.

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this episode, Brian Brodersen joins us to share insights from decades of pastoral ministry, biblical exposition, and spiritual discernment. Now serving as pastor emeritus of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, Brian reflects on his transition out of the lead pastor role, and his current ministry leading a Sunday night Bible study through the New Testament - currently in the Book of Acts. This intentional, accessible overview of the New Testament continues to build up believers and equip the next generation with solid biblical foundations.

The heart of our conversation focuses on the nation of Israel, biblical prophecy, and current events. Drawing from a dispensational framework without lapsing into speculation, Brian offers careful guidance for preachers navigating one of the most charged and misunderstood topics in Christian ministry today. Whether you’re teaching through Ezekiel 38–39, responding to the news cycle, or wondering how to speak about Jerusalem from the pulpit, this episode will offer clarity, conviction, and a call to faithfulness.

In the final section, Brian turns our attention to the spiritual realities behind gospel ministry. Drawing on themes from his book The Powers of Darkness & the People of God, he reminds us that the preacher is always a target for satanic opposition. This sobering yet hope-filled word will encourage pastors and Bible teachers to persevere in the face of unseen resistance.

Guest Bio – Brian Brodersen:
Brian Brodersen is pastor emeritus of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, where he served as senior pastor from 1993 to 2023. He is also president of the Calvary Global Network, chancellor of Calvary Chapel Bible College, and co-founder/director of Creation Fest UK. Brian is the featured speaker on the Back to Basics radio programme and a regular voice on the live call-in show Pastors’ Perspective. He holds an M.A. in Ministry and Leadership from Wheaton College.
Resources Mentioned: 

 The Powers of Darkness & the People of God by Brian Brodersen

“We live in a world influenced by powerful, malignant spirit beings. Their purpose? To resist the advancement of God’s kingdom in the world and in your life.”
This updated edition of Spiritual Warfare helps believers face the personal and pastoral challenges of ministry with biblical insight and spiritual resilience

 https://backtobasicsradio.com/store/books/the-powers-of-darkness-the-people-of-god/

The Valley of Vision prayer book:  https://banneroftruth.org/us/devotional-series/the-valley-of-vision-devotional/ 
Justin Thomas episode of Expositors Collective: 
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4JkZihlzGmjId9Gaiacuux?si=44c486f0a32f4deb

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this episode, Mike speaks with Dr Pamela MacRae, Professor of Ministry to Women and Ministry to Victims of Sexual Exploitation at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. With decades of experience in local church ministry and nearly twenty years teaching at Moody, Dr MacRae offers thoughtful insight on how preachers can communicate the Bible with clarity and care - particularly when speaking to congregations that are often more than half women.

Pam reflects on the first time she taught the Bible, how she has grown as a communicator, and what bad habits she has worked to leave behind. She and Mike also discuss her chapter How Women Hear the Sermon from The Moody Handbook of Preaching, exploring the dynamics of how women engage with preaching and what opportunities and challenges that presents.

The conversation also touches on a class she teaches called Pastoral Care of Women, which equips male pastoral students to preach and minister more thoughtfully to the women in their churches. She offers advice to male pastors and preachers - particularly those from complementarian settings - on how to serve the women in their churches with greater attentiveness and understanding.

This episode is a valuable conversation for anyone serious about teaching the Bible faithfully to the whole church.

Recommended resources: 

Shepherding Women in Pain: Real Women, Real Issues, and What You Need to Know to Truly Help

Beverly Hislop

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7944332-shepherding-women-in-pain 

Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women

By Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher :

https://elysefitzpatrick.com/book/worthy-celebrating-the-value-of-women/ 

Cheer Her On interview with Dr MacRae:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HeHAKwRTwTYESbPres1bq?si=fc0f8cffa8764a78 

Register for our next in person training event 

August 22-23, 2025 

St Petersburg, Florida 

Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg

https://expositorscollective.org/gatherings/

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast:

https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

Recorded live in Kampala, Uganda, this episode features a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation on the practice of church leadership in a variety of contexts. Pastors from Calvary Chapel and Baptist traditions come together to address anonymous audience questions on everything from altar calls to tongues, from tithing to women in ministry, and from spiritual gifts to church planting proximity.

With grace, humour, and biblical grounding, panelists explore:

• When (and why) to invite a public response after a sermon
• Whether Christians are cursed if they don’t tithe
• What spiritual gifts look like in different church cultures
• Why some churches do not ordain women as pastors
• How to teach clearly about demons in spiritually sensitive cultures
• And the wisdom of planting churches near existing ones

You'll hear personal stories, pastoral insight, and moments of sharp theological clarity - all shaped by the lived experience of ministry in Uganda and beyond.

Featuring:

• Eric Lockheart, lecturer and administrator at Uganda Baptist Seminary. He holds an MDiv in Christian Ministry and a ThM in Applied Theology, both from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest, NC). Eric served as a pastor in the USA for 14 years before moving with his wife and four sons to Uganda in 2018 to serve under the IMB Baptist Mission. He loves teaching Hermeneutics and Homiletics, and enjoys sports, reading, fishing, and time with his family.
• James Senyonjjo Okurut, lecturer at Uganda Baptist Seminary since 2020, with over 20 years of ministry experience. He holds a BA from Makerere University (specialising in Communication), a BTh from UBS, and is pursuing a Master’s from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
• Zeddie Muzungu, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Kampala and Director of Calvary Chapel Bible College Uganda. He is passionate about teaching God’s Word and training future church leaders. He is married to Hope Muzungu.
• Ed Compean, lead pastor of Shoreline Calvary in Morro Bay, California. He previously served in Nairobi, Kenya, as a church planter and coach to emerging leaders, and is actively involved with the Cultivate Church Planting Initiative of Calvary Global Network.

Join Mike Neglia and Brian Kelly at the upcoming CGN Ministry Conference June 22-25, 2025

This conference is designed for church leaders and their ministry teams to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Dive deep into John 13–17, The Upper Room Discourse, with our main session speakers, and attend workshops led by experienced leaders in key areas such as Lead and Senior Pastors, Executive and Associate Pastors, Women in Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Worship, Small Groups and Care Leaders, Tech Teams, Administration, and Lay Leaders. Whether you’re a pastor, ministry worker, or volunteer, this event is for your whole team. Join us for an inspiring time of learning, fellowship, and renewed vision for the work God has called us to!

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

What does it look like to prepare and preach the Bible in a way that’s both faithful to the text and reliant on the Holy Spirit?

In this panel discussion hosted by Mike Neglia, four experienced Bible teachers – Roy Kasika, Moses Ouni, Zeddie Muzungu, and Brian Kelly – respond to real questions about sermon prep, interpretation, and Spirit-led preaching. Recorded live in September 2024 at Calvary Chapel Kampala, Uganda, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and pastoral encouragement for those who teach God’s Word.

The conversation ranges from outlining and inductive Bible study to interpreting challenging genres like prophecy and apocalyptic literature. The panellists highlight the need for repeated prayer, contextual awareness, and a Christ-centred lens for every passage. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been preaching for years, you’ll find this discussion grounding, clarifying, and energising.

🔑 Key Topics Include:

• Why prayer is essential throughout the study process
• How to find and focus on the one big idea in a passage
• Interpreting figurative language, prophecy, and apocalyptic texts like Revelation
• Using translations like NKJV, ESV, and NLT for clarity and richness
• Preaching Christ from all of Scripture – especially the Old Testament
• Sermon prep timelines – from 4 hours to 20 (and why it varies)
• Trusting the Holy Spirit more than your outline

Join Mike Neglia and Brian Kelly at the upcoming CGN Ministry Conference June 22-25, 2025

This conference is designed for church leaders and their ministry teams to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Dive deep into John 13–17, The Upper Room Discourse, with our main session speakers, and attend workshops led by experienced leaders in key areas such as Lead and Senior Pastors, Executive and Associate Pastors, Women in Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Worship, Small Groups and Care Leaders, Tech Teams, Administration, and Lay Leaders. Whether you’re a pastor, ministry worker, or volunteer, this event is for your whole team. Join us for an inspiring time of learning, fellowship, and renewed vision for the work God has called us to!

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this engaging conversation, Mike Neglia interviews Shaun about his journey in pastoral ministry, teaching the Bible, and the importance of inductive Bible study. Sean shares candidly about his first teaching experience, transitioning to senior pastor, and his current ministry as a traveling minister.

Key Discussion Points:

• First teaching experience and early ministry challenges
• Evolution of teaching style and biblical interpretation
• Importance of application in biblical teaching
• Unexpected transition to senior pastor
• Mentorship and supporting younger ministers
• Inductive Bible study methodology
• Adapting to guest speaking and ministry transitions

Memorable Quote: "At the end of this, does your understanding of this passage make you more like Jesus or more like the Pharisees?”

Shaun has been serving in ministry for nearly 30 years, with 24 of those at Calvary Chapel of Cheyenne, where he served as a youth pastor, assistant pastor, and a senior pastor— a role he filled for 18 years at Calvary Chapel Cheyenne. His role as senior pastor began following the unexpected departure of the founding pastor, at which time he had to learn on his own how to do almost everything in ministry. Since then, God has placed on Shaun’s heart the desire to help pastors avoid having to learn lessons of ministry the hard way. Shaun is now working with Poimen Ministries as the next step in fulfilling God’s call for him.

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

What happens when someone who’s been teaching the Bible for 50 years sits down to talk about gospel clarity, gender dynamics in preaching, and why justification still needs explaining?

In this episode, Mike Neglia is joined by Elyse Fitzpatrick—author, speaker, and theologian—for a deeply honest and theologically rich conversation. They discuss the subtle ways a “soft prosperity gospel” sneaks into evangelical preaching, the heartbreaking lack of gospel clarity among many churchgoers, and how male preachers can better represent the women in Scripture and the women in their churches.

Elyse shares stories from decades of ministry, opens up about teaching through pain, and gives a practical challenge to pastors: listen more. Ask for input. Especially from wise women. And never assume you've taught the gospel enough.

Whether you're a pastor, teacher, or church leader, this episode will challenge you to preach Christ more clearly, teach more thoughtfully, and love more deeply.

Elyse holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored more than 25 books on daily living and the Christian life. Elyse loves to proclaim the good news of the gospel: That Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, perfectly obeyed all the Law in our place, suffered in isolation and agony as punishment for our sin, died, and then rose again, all for our justification.

A frequent speaker at national conferences, she has been married for over 50 years and has three adult children and six really adorable grandchildren. Along with her husband, Phil, Elyse attends Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.

Resources Mentioned: 

Unloved: The Rejected Saints God Calls Beloved by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unloved-Rejected-Saints-Calls-Beloved/dp/1683597826
Faithlife eBook: https://ebooks.faithlife.com/product/305973/unloved-the-rejected-saints-god-calls-beloved

Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Because-He-Loves-Me-Transforms/dp/1433519518
Faith Resources (eBook): https://store.faithlafayette.org/bctc-feb-12-19-2022/because-he-loves-me-ebook/

Rid of My Disgrace by Justin & Lindsey Holcomb
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Disgrace-Healing-Victims-Crossway-Paperback/dp/B00DWYWQYO
Crossway: https://www.crossway.org/books/rid-of-my-disgrace-tpb/
Ligonier: https://store.ligonier.org/rid-of-my-disgrace-paperback

Dr. Pamela MacRae – Professor of Ministry to Women, Moody Bible Institute (future guest on the show, author of "How Women Hear the Sermon." In The Moody Handbook of Preaching, edited by John Koessler. Chicago: Moody, 2008)
https://www.moody.edu/academics/faculty/macrae-pamela/

Step Outside - Crass 
 https://open.spotify.com/track/1IA4hjxvmyuZVSqS7stEuw?si=bf6a23810ed14d27 

Recommended Episodes: 
Josh White on if it is possible to be too vulnerable in the pulpit: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/is-it-possible-to-be-too-vulnerable-in-the-pulpit-josh-white 

Trevor O'Keefe on vulnerablility in leadership and in preaching https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/not-a-crowd-to-be-feared-nor-an-audience-to-be-entertained-but-a-family-to-be-loved-trevor-okeefe 

Justin Holcomb on ministering to victims of sexual assault: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/preaching-gods-grace-to-the-disgraced-with-justin-holcomb

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this heart-stirring and theologically rich episode, Mike Neglia is joined by theologian, pastor, and author Dr. Sam Storms to discuss his latest book, The Steadfast Love of the Lord: Experiencing the Life-Changing Power of God's Unchanging Affection. Together, they explore the transformative power of divine love, the misconceptions both the world and the church often hold about it, and how pastors can faithfully and fruitfully preach the love of God in ways that stir both head and heart.

Storms shares how the love of God has moved from a general theological category to a deeply personal experience in his life, and what it means to feel the love of God—not just affirm it intellectually. They also wrestle with provocative questions about worship lyrics like “Reckless Love,” whether God loves people like Hitler, and how to shepherd a church with a biblically rooted understanding of God’s affection.

Dr. Storms brings pastoral warmth, theological depth, and personal honesty to this conversation, offering timely wisdom for pastors, teachers, and all who want to better understand the God who sings over His people.

📘 Featured Book:
The Steadfast Love of the Lord: Experiencing the Life-Changing Power of God's Unchanging Affection
Available at: https://www.crossway.org/books/the-steadfast-love-of-the-lord-hcb/

📚 Resources Mentioned:

• The Steadfast Love of the Lord: Experiencing the Life-Changing Power of God's Unchanging Affection
  https://www.crossway.org/books/the-steadfast-love-of-the-lord-hcb/
• The Singing God: Feel the Passion God Has for You...Just the Way You Are by Sam Storms
  https://www.amazon.com/Singing-God-Feel-Passion-Just/dp/1616389729
• Sam Storms’ previous appearance on the Expositors Collective podcast:
   Prophetic Gifting, Proper Grammar & Possible Tattoos with Sam Storms
• https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/prophetic-gifting-proper-grammar-possible-tattoos-with-sam-storms
• “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury https://open.spotify.com/track/0DWXEQvxbrDlJ1tt9Q1Zc9?si=00e89ad1a63c4815
• Zephaniah 3:17 – God rejoicing over His people with singing
• Romans 5:5 – The Holy Spirit pouring God's love into our hearts
• Ephesians 3:14–21 – A prayer for believers to grasp the breadth and depth of Christ’s love

💬 Key Topics Discussed:

• When and how God’s love became personal in Sam’s life
• The "sensible experience" of God’s affection (Romans 5:5)
• Misunderstandings of love in secular and church contexts
• Should churches sing about the "reckless" love of God?
• Navigating doubt and seasons of spiritual shaking
• Sovereignty and selectivity in divine love
• How pastors can communicate God’s love without cliché
• The joy of being enjoyed by God
• Sam’s advice for expositors and spiritual leaders

🌐 Connect with Sam Storms:

• Website: https://samstorms.org/
• Convergence Church OKC: https://convergencechurchokc.com/
• Convergence Church Network: https://convergencechurchnetwork.org/

🎧 About Expositors Collective:
The Expositors Collective exists to equip and encourage the next generation of Christ-centred preachers. Follow us for weekly podcast episodes, daily quotes, and timeless wisdom from seasoned Bible teachers.

• Twitter/X: https://x.com/expositcllctv

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this focused and practical message,  Brian Kelly shares from his experience as a preacher and church planter on the necessity of clear, intentional sermon outlines. “If you don't have a plan, all you have is a wish,” he says—reminding us that Spirit-empowered preaching still requires thoughtful preparation. Recorded live in Kampala, Uganda, this episode explores how well-structured outlines help preachers deliver the right message to the right people, and why relying solely on emotion or stirring stories isn’t enough to sustain a faithful ministry.

Brian Kelly has dedicated over 23 years to pastoral ministry, demonstrating a lifelong passion for church planting and global missions. He and his wife, Lynne, spent a decade in Uganda, where they established a church and launched a Calvary Chapel Bible College extension campus to train leaders for ministry. After their years in Africa, they served as missionaries in New Zealand, leading Calvary Chapel Auckland. Throughout his career, Brian has been instrumental in planting churches both in the United States and internationally. Currently residing in Florida, he is the lead pastor of WestChurch, a congregation he founded three years ago. Brian and Lynne are blessed with three grown children, all actively involved in ministry.

Recommended Links: 

How to Build a Sermon Outline / Kako Napraviti Nacrt Propovedi
https://cgnmedia.org/channel/the-expositors-collective/video/how-to-build-a-sermon-outline-kako-napraviti-nacrt-propovedi

Crafting Captivating Sermon Outlines with Alan Stoddard
https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/crafting-captivating-sermon-outlines-with-alan-stoddard

Sermon Preparation: Step by Step with Brian Brodersen
https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/sermon-preparation-step-by-step-with-brian-brodersen

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

How did Charles Spurgeon’s theology of prayer shape one preacher’s lifelong commitment to expositional ministry, personal integrity, and staying rooted in a single congregation? In this conversation, Mike Neglia sits down with Dr. Keeney Dickenson, a seasoned pastor and mentor, to explore the spiritual and pastoral depth that comes from decades of prayer-soaked preaching and long-term faithfulness in one place.

From his first sermon at age 17 to a lifetime of week-in, week-out preaching through entire books of the Bible, Keeney shares the lessons, struggles, and joys of walking closely with the Lord and his congregation. Drawing deeply from Spurgeon’s example, he explains how prayer isn’t just part of sermon prep—it is the sermon prep. He walks us through his rhythm of turning Scripture into prayer, resisting the temptation to preach second-hand insights, and staying attentive to the Spirit and the lives of his people.

Whether you're preparing your first sermon or your 500th, this conversation is a warm and wise reminder that faithful preaching flows from a faithful life.

Highlights & Topics:

• Preaching your first sermon at 17… and still learning
• How long-term ministry deepens both sermon and shepherd
• Lessons from Spurgeon on prayer, integrity, and health
• Writing prayers from the text before writing sermons about the text
• Why approval from God matters more than applause from people
• Encouragement to remain personally tethered to the Word, not just to study tools
• The pastoral danger of preaching disconnected from lived experience

About Dr. Keeney Dickenson:

Dr. Keeney Dickenson has served as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Crockett, Texas since 2003. With over two decades of local church leadership, he is known for his deep commitment to Christ-centered preaching, pastoral longevity, and the integration of prayer into every aspect of ministry. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Truett Theological Seminary and is the founder and director of Prayeridigm Ministries, a training and resource initiative aimed at helping pastors and churches grow in their understanding and practice of prayer. Dr. Dickenson regularly mentors young leaders and speaks on topics related to spiritual formation, biblical exposition, and sustainable ministry.

Related Links:

• In Times of Loss: Preaching at Funerals and Consoling the Grieving with Paul Beasley-Murray:
  https://cgnmedia.org/podcasts/in-times-of-loss-preaching-at-funerals-and-consoling-the-grieving
•  Hard Work, Charles Spurgeon and You  - David Guzik on lessons learned from the life and ministry of Charles Spurgeon : https://open.spotify.com/episode/2eaB8MhareGvYXdAhIA7eV?si=xWB1N-JDQOaMcLx8AG4qUQ
• Dr. Keeney Dickenson's Prayeridigm resources:
  https://cgnmedia.org/ministries/prayeridigm

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective