Show Notes: “View from the Pulpit” Podcast, Episode 22: A Conversation with Dr. Mac Brunson 

Episode Theme: Changes and Trends among Baptist churches in approaches to preaching

In this episode of “View from the Pulpit,” host Ben Smith talks with Dr. Mac Brunson, Senior Pastor of Valleydale Church in Birmingham, AL, about his approach to Bible study, sermon preparation, and lifelong pursuit of learning.

Key Highlights:

Early Days: Dr. Brunson chronicles how God has developed his preaching from his first church to his present ministry.

Exposure to and learning to preach expository sermons: Dr. Brunson recounts his first exposure to expository preaching and how he learned to preach expository sermons.

Sermon Illustrations: A gifted sermon Illustrator, Dr. Brunson, shares his insights into using illustrations for greater effect and where he finds his illustrations.

Honoring the ministries of former pastors while being honest about your own personality and giftedness: Dr. Brunson shares his experience of pastoring FBC Dallas and FBC Jacksonville while honoring the legacy and ministry of the pastors that preceded him.

Lifelong learner: Brunson shares how books and reading are crucial to a pastor’s pursuit of lifelong learning.

Join Ben Smith and Dr. Mac Brunson for an engaging conversation about ministry, preaching, and the lifelong pursuit of learning.

Host: Ben Smith

Guest: Dr. Mac Brunson

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

Dr. Mac Brunson is the Senior Pastor of Valleydale Church in Birmingham, AL. Prior to coming to Valleydale Church, Dr. Brunson served as senior pastor of both the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, FL, and the First Baptist Church of Dallas, TX. He holds a PhD, DMin., and MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, an honorary doctorate of divinity from Dallas Baptist University, and earned a B.A. from Furman University. He is an adjunct professor for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a sought-after conference preacher. He has published several books and articles, including the 2023 publication God is For You: Learning to Trust God's Wisdom through Life's Crises (2023)

Mac and his wife, Debbie, have three adult children and 16 grandchildren.

Follow Dr. Mac Brunson on X at https://x.com/brunson_mac.

Listen to Dr. Brunson’s latest sermons through the Valleydale Church Sermons podcast available in Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/valleydale-church-sermons/id1345039445

For more information on Valleydale Church, Birmingham, AL, visit https://www.valleydale.org/.

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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