View from the Pulpit with Ben Smith Podcast By Ben Smith cover art

View from the Pulpit with Ben Smith

View from the Pulpit with Ben Smith

By: Ben Smith
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Discover why preaching is fundamentally central to every church with "View from the Pulpit" hosted by pastor Ben Smith. Each episode will feature interviews with pastors and church members exploring the role of preaching, the labor of preparing to preach, the effectiveness of how one preaches, and so much more. This podcast is about preaching, but it is not just for preachers. Whether each Sunday you are behind the pulpit or in the pew, tune in for engaging conversations that will help you better understand why preaching is vital to the church's health.

@2025 View from the Pulpit with Ben Smith Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Spirituality
Episodes
  • Episode 19: A Conversation with Mitch Jolly

    Episode 19: A Conversation with Mitch Jolly
    Jun 30 2025

    Show Notes: “View from the Pulpit” Podcast, Episode 19: A Conversation with Mitch Jolly

    Episode Theme: Transformed by the word of God

    In this episode, pastor Jolly shares his story of how God saved him and taught him to study the word. He talks about how he has led his church to be rooted and grounded in God’s word.

    Key Highlights:

    Transformation: Jolly shares how he was rescued from moralistic therapeutic deism and discovered the transforming power of God’s word.

    Rooted in the text: Jolly shares the imperative that everything must be rooted in the text.

    Use of Media: Though naturally a slow adopter of new technology, Pastor Jolly shares how he has used technology to further the impact of his Lord’s Day sermons through the online availability of his sermon manuscripts and a podcast focused on theology.

    A clear audience: Pastor Jolly recognizes the usefulness of online tools to help the church engage more with his sermons. However, Pastor Jolly encourages pastors to stay focused and attentive to their congregation. Though others may find your church’s online resources helpful, the pastor must first be focused on preaching to the congregation of his church.

    Join Ben Smith and Mitch Jolly for an honest and helpful conversation on how God uses his word to instruct and bless the church.

    Host: Ben Smith

    Guest: Mitch Jolly

    Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

    For more information and resources from Pastor Ben Smith, visit www.BenSmithSr.org.

    Follow Ben Smith on X at https://x.com/bensmithsr.

    For more information on Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA, visit https://cbcwaycross.org/.

    Other podcasts by Ben Smith:

    All For the Kingdom is a weekly podcast of pastor Ben’s preaching ministry. https://www.bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdom

    Sermon Shorts is a podcast of sermon clips that are 5 minutes or less. https://www.bensmithsr.org/shortspod

    Mitch Jolly is the pastor and founder of Three Rivers Church, Rome, GA, where he has served since 2001. Jolly earned his undergraduate degree from Shorter University and an MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. Mitch and his wife, Jennifer, have three sons.

    For sermon resources and more from Mitch Jolly, visit www.theologyinthedirt.com.

    For helpful theological discussions, find Mitch’s podcast, Theology in the Dirt.

    · Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theology-in-the-dirt/id1506829385

    · Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/76TxcsD6XjGmpJaGmRRczL?si=6b724b7a27094c81

    For more information on Three Rivers Church, Rome, GA, visit www.threeriversc.org

    You can find Mitch on X at https://x.com/mitchjolly

    A special thanks to Jim Gibson for permission to use his recording of “Brethren We Have Met to Worship” for this podcast. You can find more information about Jim Gibson’s music and many other recordings at https://www.hickorycovemusic.com/.

    Music by Jim Gibson. “Brethren We have Met to Worship.” Songs of the South III, @2003 Hickory Cove Music.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Episode 18: A Conversation with Mike Everson

    Episode 18: A Conversation with Mike Everson
    Jun 23 2025

    Show Notes: “View from the Pulpit” Podcast, Episode 18: A Conversation with Mike Everson

    Episode Theme: Changes and Challenges of Pastoral Ministry

    In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Mike Everson, interim pastor of Morningside Baptist Church, Bainbridge, GA, about the changes he has seen among preachers and the challenges that pastors face today.

    Key Highlights:

    The impact of COVID: Everson shares his observations of how the effects of COVID continue to discourage pastors.

    Discovering and learning how to preach expository preaching: Everson shares how he was first exposed to expository preaching and how he learned to do it himself. He also shares how he has seen the value and impact of expository preaching in the churches he has pastored.

    Lessons learned through ministry experience: Everson shares the lessons he learned through experience as a pastor, a state missionary with the Georgia Baptist Convention, and the father of two boys who grew up to become pastors.

    Growing desire for faithful, expository preaching: Everson shares encouraging examples he has seen that indicate that churches are growing in their appreciation of and desire for faithful expositional preaching.

    Join Ben Smith and Mike Everson for an encouraging and enlightening conversation that explores the wisdom and insights that Mike has learned through his years as a pastor and preacher.

    Host: Ben Smith

    Guest: Mike Everson

    Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

    For more information and resources from Pastor Ben Smith, visit www.BenSmithSr.org.

    Follow Ben Smith on X at https://x.com/bensmithsr.

    For more information on Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA, visit https://cbcwaycross.org/.

    Other podcasts by Ben Smith:

    All For the Kingdom is a weekly podcast of pastor Ben’s preaching ministry. https://www.bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdom

    Sermon Shorts is a podcast of sermon clips that are 5 minutes or less. https://www.bensmithsr.org/shortspod

    Mike Everson is the transitional pastor at Morningside Baptist Church in Bainbridge, GA. He began his ministry as a youth pastor at Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, GA. He would go on to serve as senior pastor of Pray’s Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville, GA, and Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins, GA. Mike also served the Georgia Baptist Convention (now the Georgia Baptist Mission Board) as a Regional State Missionary for South Georgia.

    Mike and his wife, Debbie, have two adult sons who are both pastors. His son, Jarrod, was the featured guest on Episode 3 (https://www.bensmithsr.org/vftp/everson).

    A special thanks to Jim Gibson for permission to use his recording of “Brethren We Have Met to Worship” for this podcast. You can find more information about Jim Gibson’s music and many other recordings at https://www.hickorycovemusic.com/.

    Music by Jim Gibson. “Brethren, We Have Met to Worship.” Songs of the South III, @2003 Hickory Cove Music.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Episode 17: A Conversation with Dr. Bart Barber

    Episode 17: A Conversation with Dr. Bart Barber
    Jun 16 2025
    Show Notes: “View from the Pulpit” Podcast, Episode 17: A Conversation with Pastor Dr. Bart Barber. Episode Theme: “I will occasionally explain myself.”In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Pastor Dr. Bart Barber, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Farmersville, TX, about how to integrate systematic theology with Biblical theology through expositional preaching, effectively utilize original language study in preaching, and his unique method of sermon preparation process. Key Highlights:· The challenge of demographic changes: Dr. Barber describes how the rural context in which his church has existed throughout its history has been transformed by population growth, and the effect and challenges this has had on his preaching, especially in relation to the sermon illustrations he uses.· Integration of systematic theology with biblical theology: Dr. Barber describes his approach to expository preaching and preaching through books of the Bible. He explains how this approach is focused on biblical theology and how he often preaches a conclusory sermon series to integrate a systematic theological approach to issues that were prominent in the book.· Use of original languages in preparation and preaching: Dr. Barber is an accomplished scholar in biblical languages, having conducted extensive academic work in both Greek and Hebrew. He explains how he integrates his linguistic expertise into his preaching and offers suggestions on how anyone, regardless of their linguistic ability, can engage in basic language studies.· Preparing to preach months in advance: During his PhD studies, Dr. Barber recognized that meeting the academic demands while handling the regular and often unexpected demands of ministry required that he prepare his sermon well in advance. Dr. Barber explains how he plans and prepares a year’s worth of sermons during an intensive week dedicated to this singular task. Join Ben Smith and Dr. Bart Barber for a fascinating conversation about expository preaching and how to be most faithful when proclaiming God’s word.Host: Ben SmithGuest: Dr. Bart BarberBen Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.For more information and resources from Pastor Ben Smith, visit www.BenSmithSr.org.Follow Ben Smith on X at https://x.com/bensmithsr.For more information on Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA, visit https://cbcwaycross.org/.Other podcasts by Ben Smith:All For the Kingdom is a weekly podcast of pastor Ben’s preaching ministry. https://www.bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdomSermon Shorts is a podcast of sermon clips that are 5 minutes or less. https://www.bensmithsr.org/shortspodBart Barber has served as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas, since 1999. At an associational summer camp at the Mount Zion Baptist Camp in Walcott, Arkansas, Bart surrendered to pastoral ministry in the summer of 1981. The following year, just prior to the start of his senior year in high school, he assumed the pastorate at New Hope Baptist Church in Black Oak, Arkansas.A National Merit Scholar, Dr. Barber earned his BA in the University Scholars program with an emphasis in Greek and Hebrew from Baylor University, Waco, TX. He would go on to earn an MDiv with advanced standing in biblical languages, a PhD in church history, and a minor in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. Bart has served in various denominational capacities with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. At the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, June 14-15, 2022, Bart was elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He and his wife, Tracy, have two children.Find Dr. Barber on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbartbarber/Follow Dr. Barber on X: https://x.com/bartbarberListen to Pastor Barber’s latest sermons on:· YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drbartbarber· Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0hINKd4GBOMJ8RxrFMqZ3d Glossary of Key TermsBiblical Theology: The study of what a particular book, chapter, or section of the Bible conveys about a specific theme or doctrine, examined on its own terms within its historical and literary context.Christology: The study of the nature and person of Jesus Christ, including his divinity and humanity.Conclusory Sermons: A series of sermons preached after completing an expository series through a book, designed to summarize and emphasize key doctrinal themes found within that book.Eschatology: The study of the "last things" or end times, including topics such as the second coming of Christ, the millennium, and the final judgment.Exegesis (Exegetical Work): The critical interpretation and explanation of a biblical text, involving careful study of the original languages, historical context, and literary features.Expository Preaching: A style of preaching that aims to ...
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    1 hr and 10 mins
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