Preaching Stories

By Massey Center for Compelling Preaching

Preaching Stories is a bi-weekly podcast from the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching where we look at the practice of preaching and the stories of preachers who do it well.... more

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FAQs about Preaching Stories:

How many episodes does Preaching Stories have?

The podcast currently has 31 episodes available.

Preaching Stories episodes:

April 22, 2026 Episode 31 - Sermon Structures with Dr. Leanne Ketcham, pt. 2
Dr. Leanne Ketcham joins Jeff and Josh to talk about common sermon structures and how preachers can use them to greater effect.

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

- National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠⁠⁠⁠registration⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠on-campus housing⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠- Church of God Camp Meeting⁠⁠⁠⁠

To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
24min
April 08, 2026 Episode 30 - Sermon Structures with Dr. Leanne Ketcham, pt. 1
Dr. Leanne Ketcham joins Jeff and Josh to talk about common sermon structures and how preachers can use them to greater effect.

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

- National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠⁠⁠registration⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠on-campus housing⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠- Church of God Camp Meeting⁠⁠⁠

To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
19min
March 25, 2026 Episode 29 - Women in Ministry with Dr. Leanne Ketcham
In honor of the PreacHER Sunday initiative, we sat down for a special episode with Dr. Leanne Ketcham to discuss women in ministry. Dr. Ketcham shares her own story of being called to ministry, discusses some of the unique challenges women face, and talks about the unexpected ways God calls some to minister.

Show Notes:
- More information about the PreacHer Sunday initiative.
- More information about the Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy.
- Barna, "Pastors Quitting Ministry"
- YouTube Search: Barbara Brown Taylor
- The Overshadowed Preacher by Jerusha Matsen Neal
- Preaching as Testimony by Anna Carter Florence

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

- National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠⁠registration⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠on-campus housing⁠⁠.
⁠⁠- Church of God Camp Meeting⁠⁠

To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
46min
March 11, 2026 Episode 28 - Church Growth and Leadership with Tom Bates, pt. 2
Jeff and Josh wrap up their conversation with Tom Bates about church growth, leadership, and preaching.

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

National Preaching Clinic 2026 ⁠registration⁠ and ⁠on-campus housing⁠.
⁠Church of God Camp Meeting⁠

To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
22min
February 25, 2026 Episode 27 - Church Growth and Leadership with Tom Bates, pt. 1
Jeff and Josh sit down with retired pastor Tom Bates to discuss church growth, leadership ,and preaching.

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

National Preaching Clinic 2026 registration and on-campus housing.
Church of God Camp Meeting

To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
22min
February 11, 2026 Episode 26 - Communicating a Historical Message with Dr. Jason Varner, pt. 2
Jeff and Josh wrap up their conversation with Dr. Jason Varner about communicating the historically located message of Scripture to people who are located in a different time and place in history and why our preaching should be more negative and cynical.

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
28min
January 28, 2026 Episode 25 - Communicating a Historical Message, pt. 1
Jeff and Josh sit down with Dr. Jason Varner to discuss communicating the historically located message of Scripture to people who are located in a different time and place in history.

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
28min
January 14, 2026Episode 24 - Funeral Preaching with Dr. David Markle, pt. 2
Jeff and Josh wrap up their discussion with Dr. David Markle on funeral preaching. How do we do it well, and what are some pitfalls to avoid?

Resources on Preaching:
Preaching: A Kind of Folly by Ian Pitt-Watson
The Burdensome Joy of Preaching by Dr. Massey
Stewards of the Story: The Task of Preaching by Dr. Massey
Designing the Sermon: Order and Movement in Preaching by Dr. Massey
If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
23min
December 31, 2025 Episode 23 - Funeral Preaching with Dr. David Markle, pt. 1
Happy New Year's Eve! Jeff and Josh sit down with Dr. David Markle to discuss the extremely important topic of funeral preaching. How do we do it well, and what are some pitfalls to avoid?

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
32min
December 17, 2025 Episode 22 - The Bible, the Christian, and Stories, pt. 2
Jeff and Josh sit down to finish our conversation with Dr. Jason Varner about how understanding history can help us better understand the stories in the Bible and our own stories.

If you want to learn more about the James Earl Massey Center for Compelling Preaching, check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To register for the 2026 National Preaching Clinic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
To sign up for the Center newsletter, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
...more
21min

FAQs about Preaching Stories:

How many episodes does Preaching Stories have?

The podcast currently has 31 episodes available.