Show Notes: “View from the Pulpit” Podcast, Episode 14: A Conversation with Clint Pressley 

Episode Theme: A Lifelong Labor

In this episode, Pastor Pressley shares how God has shaped and matured him as a pastor and how he continues to strive to be a more effective communicator of God’s word.

Key Highlights:

Learning to preach: Clint shares how his early opportunities to pastor and preach were vital opportunities to learn how to communicate God’s word effectively.

Handwritten manuscripts: In a world of technology, Pastor Pressley has found it helpful to handwrite his sermon notes. He shares his preparation process and why handwriting is helpful to his preparation and preaching.

State of the pulpits in the Southern Baptist Convention: As president of the Southern Baptist Convention, pastor Pressley has a unique perspective on SBC churches and pastors. Pastor Pressley shares his thoughts on the present state and future of SBC pulpits.

The recovery of a biblical understanding of the office of pastor/elder/overseer: In recent years, the Southern Baptist Convention has struggled to recover a biblical understanding of this office. Pastor Pressley shares his thoughts and perspective on where the SBC is on this issue.

Challenges of a multi-campus church: Hickory Grove Baptist Church has multiple campuses. Pastor Pressley shares the advantages and challenges of a multi-site church.

The pastor's uniform: Pastor Pressley is well known for being a sharp dresser. Pastor Pressley explains the background of why he dresses as he does and why it is more convictional than preferential.

Join Ben Smith and Clint Pressley for an honest and authentic conversation on how God uses and matures those he calls to preach.

Host: Ben Smith

Guest: Clint Pressley

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

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, NC, 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

Clint Pressley has served as Senior Pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 2010.

A native of Charlotte, Clint joined Hickory Grove as a teenager before earning a Bachelor of Arts from Wofford College in South Carolina and a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisiana. He pastored two churches in Mississippi before returning to Hickory Grove in 1999 as Senior Associate Pastor of Preaching. In 2004, he was called as Senior Pastor of the historic Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. In 2010, he returned to Hickory Grove as Co-Pastor and was installed as Senior Pastor in 2011.

In June 2024, Clint was elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He also served the Convention as Vice President of the SBC Pastor’s Conference in 2013, First Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2014-2015, Trustee of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary since 2015, and member of the NC Baptist Board of Directors since 2023.

Clint is married to Connie, and they have two sons.

For more information on Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC, visit https://www.hickorygrove.org/.

You can listen to Pastor Clint Pressley preach on the Hickory Grove Baptist Church sermon podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hickory-grove-baptist-church/id589559966

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2S798kxI65HeYnRWbxw7z7?si=f583a79992d141f0  

Clint Pressley can be found online at:

X: http://x.com/PastorClint

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clintpressley  

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.