Pastoral ministry can be deeply joyful, but it can also be profoundly discouraging. What happens when the church isn’t growing, conflict won’t resolve, your family is hurting, or one difficult relationship begins to overshadow everything else? 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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How should a pastor decide what to preach next, and how far ahead should he plan?

Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss the pastoral wisdom behind planning a preaching calendar, from choosing books of the Bible and balancing the Old and New Testaments to determining the length and pace of a sermon series. They explain why planning ahead doesn’t quench the Spirit, how expositional preaching protects pastors from their own hobby horses, and why the goal isn’t simply filling Sundays with sermons but faithfully feeding God’s people over time.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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What does it actually take to plant a healthy church? 

Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan discuss the joys, challenges, and realities of church planting. Drawing from Matt’s experience planting River City Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, they explore everything from assessing a call to church planting and gathering a core team to fundraising, developing leaders, and cultivating a healthy church culture.  

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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How do pastors faithfully preach the gospel in every sermon without forcing Jesus into passages where he doesn’t belong?

Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan tackle one of the most important questions in pastoral ministry: How do you preach Christ from all of Scripture? They discuss preaching Jesus from the Old Testament, avoiding moralistic preaching, applying the gospel faithfully, and helping sermons move beyond information into transformation.

Ligon shares lessons learned from Mark Dever about making sure every sermon clearly proclaims Christ, while Matt explains why sermons that would still work if Jesus were “still in the grave” aren’t truly Christian sermons. They explore how pastors can preach the gospel naturally from Genesis to Revelation without flattening the Bible’s storyline.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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What keeps a pastor preaching faithfully when ministry feels discouraging?

In this episode, H.B. Charles joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to talk about expository preaching, sermon preparation, pastoral application, grief, perseverance, and why the power for ministry is still found in the Word of God.

From becoming a pastor at 17 years old to preaching through seasons of pain and pressure, H.B. offers wisdom and encouragement for pastors who want to faithfully “preach the Word” for the long haul.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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Confessions of faith and church covenants can sound outdated—but they may be more important than ever. 

Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan explore the historic role of confessions, how they protect churches from theological drift, and why church covenants help Christians live together as a real spiritual family. They also discuss Christian freedom, doctrinal boundaries, and how pastors can wisely shepherd churches without demanding agreement on every issue. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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How do you talk about Jesus when people don’t share your assumptions anymore?

Glen Scrivener joins Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan to help pastors navigate evangelism in a post-Christian culture. They explore how secular people are still shaped by Christian ideas, why believers shouldn’t feel embarrassed about their faith, and how leaning into Christian “weirdness” can actually open doors for gospel conversations.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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What is the gospel—really?

In this episode, Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan tackle the confusion surrounding one of the most important words in Christianity. They explain why the gospel isn’t self-help advice or vague spiritual encouragement, but the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ to save sinners.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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Should Sunday sermons be evangelistic—or focused on believers?

In this episode, Matt Smethurst, Ligon Duncan, and Garrett Kell tackle a false dichotomy: faithful preaching should do both. They explore how pastors can preach in a way that honors God, builds up the church, and clearly calls unbelievers to repentance and faith.

From cultivating an evangelistic culture to preaching about hard truths like hell with compassion, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for pastors who want their preaching to reach both the saved and the lost.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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What practical difference does a high view of God’s sovereignty actually make in everyday ministry?

In this episode, Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst reflect on the doctrines of grace—often associated with Calvinism—and explore how a “big God” theology shapes assurance, prayer, evangelism, pastoral care, and suffering. They emphasize that God’s sovereignty is not a weapon for debate but a pillow for weary saints, a stabilizer in crisis, and a source of deep humility.

From hospital rooms to anxiety, from Scripture’s storyline to church history, this conversation shows why knowing a sovereign, wise, and compassionate God is not advanced theology—it’s everyday hope.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

If you're ready to go deeper, Southern Seminary's PhD program is where that begins. Visit sbts.edu/phd to learn more.

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