The Central Seminary Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kevin Bauder to talk about the place of books in a pastor's life. Dr. Bauder shares how he fell in love with reading and why he has kept a reading log since seminary. He also explains the category rotation that kept him reading a book a week as a pastor, and how he has moved from a print library to Kindle and Logos. Along the way, we discuss how he uses commentaries and systematic theologies in sermon preparation, the books that shaped modern conservative thought, and practical encouragement for pastors and Sunday school teachers who want to grow as readers.

In this episode, we sit down again with Dr. Jon Pratt and Greg Deckert, who spent most of their adult years in different churches: Jon on staff at Eden Baptist in Burnsville for seventeen years, and Greg at Fourth Baptist, building friendships from scratch in each church.

Jon and Greg discuss how friendships are actually built within a local church. We cover the difference between joining a small group and making a friend, why pastors need friends in their own congregations, and what to do if you are new somewhere and feel like you do not know anyone.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jon Pratt and Greg Deckert, friends for over 50 years, as they take us back to Owatonna, Minnesota, where two faculty families arrived at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, and their sons met at Vacation Bible School.

Jon and Greg share the fruit of a friendship that ran through the same schools from grade school through Pillsbury, and into an apartment they shared during Jon's first year of seminary and Greg's first year of law school. We talk about accountability that was never scheduled and how the friendship held together through a move to Dallas in the years before email.

Books mentioned in this episode:

A Light on the Hill by Caleb Morell (Crossway, 2025)

The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur C. Brooks (Penguin, 2026)

The Desecration of Man by Carl R. Trueman (Sentinel, 2026)

Not Old, Not Young, Not Done by Christopher Ash (The Good Book Company, 2025)

In this episode, we sit down with Pastor Nathan Robbins, a church-planting pastor and Doctor of Ministry student at Central Seminary, as he takes us to the Five Points neighborhood on Buffalo's West Side.

Nathan shares his journey from rural pastoral ministry in west-central Illinois to answering God's call to plant a church in one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in all of New York. We talk about what it means to see your neighborhood with "church planting eyes" and how the DMin program at Central has pushed Nathan to stay sharp as a lifelong learner.

In this episode, we are joined by Mulenga Chileshe, a member of the Class of 2026 at Central Seminary. Speaking with us from Kitwe, Zambia, Mulenga shares his excitement for crossing the finish line as he completes his Master of Divinity.

We talk about the rigors of study and how the gospel breaks through prosperity theology and traditional beliefs. Mulenga also shares his excitement for the African church and how spiritual leaders are being equipped in Zambia.

Congratulations, Class of 2026!

In this episode of the Central Seminary Podcast, we catch up with alumnus Paul Harmon (MDiv, ’02). Paul discusses the unique challenges of ministry in Uruguay, from using the traditional asado to reach men with the gospel to the vital role of biblical counseling in a culture facing deep hopelessness.

Tune in to hear how the Lord is building His church in the heart of Uruguay!

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Matt Shrader to discuss a moment in church history and the life and ministry of Martin Luther.

We discuss Luther's spiritual struggle with personal sin and the "light bulb” when he realized that righteousness is a gift from Christ rather than something earned through the church's system. Dr. Shrader describes the spark of the 95 Theses, Luther's defiant stand at the Diet of Worms, and his translation of the Bible into the common tongue.

Finally, we explore the practical impact of the Reformation on the home, including Luther’s marriage to Katherine von Bora and his belief that every vocation, from mining to mothering, is a holy calling from God.

Listen or Watch Now: Catch this episode wherever you listen to podcasts, and now available on YouTube!

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jon Pratt for a discussion on his new book, "My Sheep Follow Me: A Study of Perseverance and the Threat of Antinomianism."

Dr. Pratt walks us through how a seminary paper assignment became a dissertation, then lectures, and eventually, this new book. In our discussion, we examine how Jesus’s metaphors of "fruit" and Paul’s teachings on the Holy Spirit provide a roadmap for the Christian life.

Dr. Pratt also helps us navigate the threat of antinomianism, which minimizes the necessity of obedience. He offers a biblically grounded perspective on how we can truly know we are following the Good Shepherd.

In this episode, we preview the 2026 McDonald Lectures with Central Seminary Provost, Dr. Brett Williams. This year's lecture series, titled "What in the World is a Worldview?", challenges the way evangelicals have defined and used the term worldview.The McDonald Lectures will be held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. To learn more and to register, visit our website.

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In this episode, Dr. Jon Pratt discusses the complex lineage of the Herods, their political maneuvers, and their impact on the New Testament. We explore the rise of Herod the Great alongside the achievements and paranoia that characterized his reign.

We wrap up by looking at the big picture. The Herods were obsessed with maintaining political power, but their legacy cannot compare to the church's lasting impact. This proves that worldly leaders come and go, but God is ultimately in control.