Wesley has directed a Bible College, lectured in theology, hermeneutics, NT Greek, and many other subjects. He is also the teaching pastor at Bayside Church’s Davis campus. During his career as a pastor, Wesley has also produced a podcast and authored several pieces on the subjects of mental health and suffering.  Wesley began teaching on his high school campus after inviting fellow students to a bible study, and since it was his idea, he was elected to teach. That first lesson was about suffering from the book of Acts. It wasn’t his initial plan to be a teacher or pastor, but a few weeks after that first bible study, Wesley heard God calling him to teach. It was a pivotal moment in life and changed the course of his future.  God has taken Wesley and his family through various trials over the years. Welsey now focuses on speaking, teaching, and writing about mental health and suffering. It’s so important that pastors understand who they are, where their struggles are, and when they need a break. Failing to maintain your mental health is failing your congregation. Wesley takes us through his journey and how God has helped him to endure and flourish.  An active runner, Wesley tries to run 5-6 days a week on his treadmill while reading the bible (wow).  Further resources: Better Days Podcast: https://www.betterdaysfmly.co/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WesleyTowne Website: https://www.wesleytowne.com/ Leading on Empty: https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Empty-Refilling-Renewing-Passion/dp/0764207598

Chris Thomas is the Teaching Pastor of Raymond Terrace Community Church in the Hunter Valley of NSW, Australia. Chris grew up in a Christian home and remembers having the opportunity to preach at his home church at a very young age. While he appreciates the support he received, Chris does think it’s important to be intentional about learning how to preach. At the age of 19, Chris was living in the “bush” or remote outback of northern Australia. During this time he met his wife and really began honing his craft as a young preacher. He reflects on a journey through very informal training and is thankful for God’s grace along the way. Christ also shares how his journey as a father has greatly impacted his preaching style and understanding of the Gospel. Chris considers himself “A fortunate husband, a father of three and dad to five; I’m an advocate of foster care as an implication of the gospel.” He loves spending time outdoors and can often be found around a campfire, barefoot with coffee in hand.Additional Episodes:Jon Tyson:https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/6/16/episode-112-theology-that-cannont-be-dismissed-and-power-that-cannot-be-deniedRev Bruce Clarke on the emotional weight of Expository Preaching:https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2019/12/29/episode-081-the-emotional-weight-of-expository-preachingSam Garrard on the Church Calendar:https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/6/9/liturgy-amp-the-church-calendar Finding Your Own Voice - Brian Brodersen:https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2019/12/2/episode-77-finding-your-own-voiceFinding Your Own Voice - Pete Nelson:https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2019/7/9/episode-55-finding-your-own-voiceThe Expositors Collective podcast is part of the GoodLion podcast network, for more thought provoking Christian podcasts visit https://goodlion.io

John Chandler has a history in Bible teaching and podcasting. He has served as a youth minister, lead pastor of a church plant, and web developer. John describes the differences between teaching as a guest or part of a rotation and being the lead teacher of a congregation. He emphasizes the need for a sermon to act as a call to action for the hearer. He recalls one of his first sermons as a seminary student and relating the armor of God to Santa Claus. John also gives some insight into his process for preparing sermons and how it’s an active part of his everyday life.John has also worked as an independent web developer and has many other projects in the works. He also produced a podcast called the Sermonsmith podcast that helped inspire the Expositors Podcast. John also has a new podcast incubating and should have news on that soon.John Chandler lives on the desert edge of Phoenix with his wife and three teenage children, where he aspires to spend more time reading, hiking, and watching baseball. After 25 years serving in local churches as a pastor and church planter, he is training to be a spiritual director who will walk alongside others who serve as spiritual leaders. Visit his personal website (http://byjohnchandler.com) for links to social media and updates about his developing practice and projects.Further resources:Sermonsmith Podcast: http://sermonsmith.com/Matt Woodley Interview (Authority in Suffering) http://sermonsmith.com/61-matt-woodley/Gideon Tsang (Golden Girls & Arrested Development)  http://sermonsmith.com/gideon-tsang/Website: https://www.byjohnchandler.com/New Podcast: Forthcoming!

This week we'd like to introduce you to a parallel podcast from two of our friends and ministry partners that we believe should earn a spot on your subscription list!  The Leadership Collective podcast is a roundtable discussion with seasoned pastors, focusing on the nuts and bolts issues of ministry. Each month, they tackle the common challenges that leaders face and discover the practical lessons they’ve learned along the way. On this episode Mike is interviewed by Ted Leavenworth and Rob Salvato about how he came to be involved in international church planting, as well as congregational leadership and the responsibilities of pastoring that go beyond the pulpit.Links:https://anchor.fm/leadership-collective https://churchleadershipcollective.com/ Recommended Episodes: Ted Leavenworth interview: https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/11/19/mistakes-new-preachers-often-make-ted-leavenworth Rob Salvato interview: https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/5/12/episode-106-preaching-with-brevity-and-clarityJon Tyson interview: https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/6/16/episode-112-theology-that-cannont-be-dismissed-and-power-that-cannot-be-denied

Preaching is far more than transferring information from from the mind of the speaker to the ears of the congregation. Dr Nijay Gupta believes that preaching is inviting Christ to dwell in the people of God and to do His ministry in their midst. In this conversation, Mike and Nijay speak about the right and wrong ways to use commentaries, the irreplaceable value of meditation and the priority of inductive Bible study. There is an important segment of the conversation which focuses on the “triangulating” role that commentaries, articles and sermons from the diverse, ancient and broad body of Christ can play in helping contemporary Christians to understand sacred scripture.Finally, the advantage of collaboration and peer review in the life of a preacher was discussed, and Dr Gupta learned that it might not be as rare as he previously suspected! Dr. Nijay K. Gupta is a public theologian and Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He writes widely on the New Testament and Christian formation. His most recent books are Paul and the Language of Faith (Eerdmans), A Beginner's Guide to New Testament Studies (Baker Academic), and Reading Philippians (Cascade). He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Bulletin for Biblical Research, Co-Editor of The Bible in God’s World series with Scot McKnight, and as a member of the Editorial Board of both Ex Auditu and and of the Biblical Interpretation Series. Dr. Gupta is active on social media and blogs at www.cruxsolablog.com. He co-hosts a new podcast called IN FAITH & DOUBT (https://infaithanddoubt.buzzsprout.com) with A.J. Swoboda.SPECIAL OFFER:Dr. Gupta’s book “The New Testament Commentary Guide - A Brief Handbook for Students and Pastors” is available for the month of June for a special discounted rate for listeners to the podcast: https://lexhampress.com/Expositors Recommended episodes: Growing as an Expositor through peer review w/ Jody Ponce:  https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2019/8/6/episode-59-growing-as-expositors-through-peer-review-w-jody-ponceCollaboration and invitation w/ Greg Jao:  https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2021/4/6/collaboration-and-invitation-greg-jaoSermons should be prepared in community w/ Evan Wickham: https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2018/9/25/episode-14-sermons-should-be-prepared-in-community

Dr. Russell Moore shares the stress and uneasy nerves as a boy preaching his first sermon and the joy of preaching to the same congregation 8 years later as a seminary student. He offers suggestions for church culture that promote the engagement of the youth. Dr. Moore also helps to explain how the lens of the congregation can be a barrier between them and the sermon, and understanding the context and limitations of your audience is key to finding the proper words to connect with them. He also discusses how spiritual warfare is one of the largest obstacles that must be overcome with prayer for effective preaching.Dr. Moore has served in a multitude of capacities across several organizations. Some of those positions have included as a teaching pastor, provost and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and recently has become the full-time public theologian for Christianity Today and leads the new Public Theology Project. He has authored numerous books, papers, and articles for multiple other publications. Dr. Moore also has a vast catalog of audio and video in the form of podcasts, both his own and as a guest, as well as numerous youtube videos on his own channel and others.A native Mississippian, Moore and his wife Maria are the parents of five sons. He is also an avid fan of The Office.To find more about Dr. Russell Moore visit:Website: russellmoore.com/Twitter: twitter.com/drmooreYoutube: youtube.com/drmooreFor his books and other resources:Russell Moore Podcast: https://www.russellmoore.com/category/russell-moore-podcast/The Signposts Podcast: https://www.russellmoore.com/category/podcast/Courage to Stand: https://www.russellmoore.com/courage-to-stand/Other Books: https://www.russellmoore.com/books/Recommended Episodes: How Gospel Preaching Creates Gospel Culture: Ray Ortlund  https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/8/18/how-gospel-preaching-creates-gospel-culture-ray-ortlund Sunday Morning 4am Club : Simon Lawrenson https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2019/11/11/the-sunday-morning-4am-clubGetting Application Right - Jason Cruise https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/10/27/getting-application-right-dr-jason-cruise

What if God came to your church? Or better yet, what if your words were the words of God?

Dan Ewing speaks with his old college buddy and band-mate Mike about Bi-Vocational ministry and guest speaking at different churches across Juneau, Alaska.

Join Thabiti Anyabwile as he takes us on his journey from a study out of John 4 for a “youth group” to a Pastor of Anacostia River Church. Thabiti discusses teaching in different church cultures and how he leveraged intentional times of critique to hone his craft, even if it hurt a little. He also breaks down his final “48 hours” of sermon prep and shares how his wife is one of his best critics and probably the best preacher in the family.