Expositors Collective: Expository Preaching, Bible Teaching and Sermon Preparation

Matt Shantz
Lead Pastor of Central Community Church in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, and host of the Deep Thoughts podcast.

When a preacher quotes someone from the pulpit, what are they actually endorsing? How do churches move beyond wishing for more Bible teachers to intentionally training them? And what kind of feedback has the power to reshape a preacher's ministry for decades? In this thoughtful and practical conversation, Mike Neglia sits down with Matt Shantz, Lead Pastor of Central Community Church in Chilliwack, British Columbia, and host of the Deep Thoughts podcast, to explore the questions that shape a lifetime of faithful preaching. Together they discuss the ethics of quoting voices outside our theological tradition, the sermon critique that pushed Matt toward greater gospel clarity, the surprising benefits of handwritten notes, and why preaching is often far more exhausting than most people realise. Matt also offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Central Community Church identifies, trains, coaches, and releases new Bible teachers through initiatives like their Preaching Lab, creating a culture where developing communicators is part of the church's DNA. Whether you're preparing this Sunday's sermon, mentoring emerging preachers, or simply trying to grow in the craft and calling of Bible teaching, this conversation is filled with wisdom, humility, and practical encouragement for the long work of ministry.

Deep Thoughts Podcast: https://thedeepthoughtspodcast.wordpress.com/

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

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A great sermon doesn’t begin with a microphone—it begins with a voice that has been forged in obscurity.  

In this episode of the Expositors Collective podcast, Pastor Ryan Marr of Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg invites listeners behind the scenes of that often hidden process, tracing the slow, sometimes painful work of *finding your own teaching voice*. Far from offering quick tips or performance tricks, Marr insists that true preaching is where life and doctrine collide, producing a message that not only informs but transforms both preacher and hearer.

Drawing from the pastoral epistles and years in the pulpit, Marr describes the journey of discovering how God has uniquely wired you to communicate, then submitting that voice to scrutiny, feedback, and refinement. He urges teachers to ask unsettling questions—“Am I right on this topic? How can I grow?”—while relentlessly sharpening their words so that the **headline is always the story of Jesus**, not the personality of the preacher.

But the heart of his message is not technique; it’s dependence. Marr argues that the most compelling preaching comes when a flawed, still-learning teacher chooses to **listen to God’s voice**, relying on the Holy Spirit more than eloquence. Along the way, he speaks candidly about fear, conflict, and the vulnerability of saying hard things from the pulpit, and he makes a surprising claim: what people remember most is not a perfect outline, but a preacher who **genuinely enjoys God**.

For anyone on the long road of learning to teach the Bible—whether you’re nervously preparing your first sermon or refining your fiftieth—this episode offers a bracing, hopeful reminder: your voice is worth developing, not because it’s impressive, but because, in God’s hands, it can help others see Jesus more clearly.

For information about our upcoming training events visit ⁠ExpositorsCollective.com⁠ 

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

A great sermon doesn’t begin with a microphone—it begins with a voice that has been forged in obscurity.  

In this episode of the Expositors Collective podcast, Pastor Ryan Marr of Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg invites listeners behind the scenes of that often hidden process, tracing the slow, sometimes painful work of *finding your own teaching voice*. Far from offering quick tips or performance tricks, Marr insists that true preaching is where life and doctrine collide, producing a message that not only informs but transforms both preacher and hearer.

Drawing from the pastoral epistles and years in the pulpit, Marr describes the journey of discovering how God has uniquely wired you to communicate, then submitting that voice to scrutiny, feedback, and refinement. He urges teachers to ask unsettling questions—“Am I right on this topic? How can I grow?”—while relentlessly sharpening their words so that the **headline is always the story of Jesus**, not the personality of the preacher.

But the heart of his message is not technique; it’s dependence. Marr argues that the most compelling preaching comes when a flawed, still-learning teacher chooses to **listen to God’s voice**, relying on the Holy Spirit more than eloquence. Along the way, he speaks candidly about fear, conflict, and the vulnerability of saying hard things from the pulpit, and he makes a surprising claim: what people remember most is not a perfect outline, but a preacher who **genuinely enjoys God**.

For anyone on the long road of learning to teach the Bible—whether you’re nervously preparing your first sermon or refining your fiftieth—this episode offers a bracing, hopeful reminder: your voice is worth developing, not because it’s impressive, but because, in God’s hands, it can help others see Jesus more clearly.

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

What can Irish Presbyterianism teach the wider church about preaching? In this wide-ranging conversation, Mike Neglia sits down with his friend Rev Richie Cronin to discuss the craft, character, and calling of faithful ministry. Drawing from his experience in Irish Presbyterian circles, Richie reflects on the influences that shaped him, the books and mentors that formed him, and the lessons he has learned from years in the pulpit.
Along the way, the conversation explores everything from sermon preparation and delivery to feedback, vocal habits, reading, pastoral longevity, and the dangers of performing rather than simply preaching. Richie offers practical wisdom on avoiding the “preacher voice,” building better sermon transitions, developing as a communicator, and stewarding the opportunities that come with different seasons of ministry. He also reflects on the influence of Tim Keller, the strengths and weaknesses of experiential Calvinism, the role of law and gospel in preaching, and why many pastors would benefit from preaching shorter sermons.

The discussion touches on broader questions as well, including biblical leadership, complementarian convictions, artificial intelligence, and what people actually need from their pastors in an age of endless distractions and competing voices. Throughout the conversation, Richie consistently returns to a simple conviction: the church needs Christ, His Word, and faithful shepherds who are willing to keep showing up, keep studying, and keep preaching.

Recorded for the Expositors Collective Podcast, this episode offers practical encouragement for preachers, pastors, ministry leaders, and anyone seeking to grow in the lifelong task of communicating God's Word faithfully.

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Artificial intelligence can generate outlines, summaries, illustrations, and sermon-like content in seconds. But should preachers use it? And if so, how?
In this episode of the Expositors Collective podcast, Mike Neglia hosts a live panel discussion with Bob Franquiz, Pilgrim Benham, Ryan Marr, and Alan Stoddard on AI, ChatGPT, pastoral integrity, and the future of sermon preparation.
Rather than simply asking whether AI can save time, the panel presses into deeper questions. What happens to the preacher when the work of sermon preparation is delegated to a machine? Can technology glorify God, or can it train us to depend less on prayer, study, Scripture, and the Holy Spirit? Where might AI serve as a limited tool, and where does it become a dangerous substitute?
Pilgrim Benham reflects on the moral weight of technology and warns against treating tools as spiritually neutral. Ryan Marr offers a thoughtful, contrarian perspective on the formative effects of AI in the life of the preacher. Bob Franquiz speaks to the limits of ChatGPT, reminding listeners that AI can generate words quickly, but it cannot pastor people, carry a burden, or replace the preacher’s communion with God in the text. Mike Neglia also suggests a narrow and cautious way AI might be used after a sermon draft is mostly complete, as a tool for clarification rather than creation.
The central concern of this conversation is not fear of technology, but faithfulness in ministry. Preachers are called to study, pray, think, shepherd, and proclaim. AI may assist with certain tasks, but it cannot replace the spiritual and pastoral work of preaching.
This conversation was recorded at an Expositors Collective preacher training event in St Petersburg, Florida.
As a sidebar, the panel also ends with discussion on mentoring relationships, spotting future leaders, "overpreparing" early in ministry, the value of reading while you are young, and the difficult question every preacher faces: how do you know when a sermon is actually done?
Featured guests
Bob Franquiz is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Calvary Fellowship in Miramar, Florida. He is the author of seven books, including Pull: Making Your Church Magnetic and Begin: First Steps for the Journey of Faith. Before entering pastoral ministry, Bob played guitar for the Christian hardcore band Strongarm, often regarded as one of the most influential Christian metal bands of its era. Prior to planting Calvary Fellowship, he served as an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. Bob holds a Ph.D. in Bible Exposition from Liberty University and a master’s degree in theological studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife, Carey, have been married since 1997 and have three children: Mia, Alexander, and Olivia.
Pilgrim Benham has planted churches and pastored since 2002. He is the Dean of Students at Calvary Chapel Bible College, an instructor, and serves on the pastoral team at WestChurch in Bradenton, Florida. Pilgrim loves equipping the saints and also does sermon coaching when not enjoying Florida’s beaches.
Ryan Marr is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Chapel St Petersburg, where he has served in pastoral ministry since 2004. He holds an M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Western Seminary, and brings years of experience in preaching, leadership, and local church ministry.
Dr Alan Stoddard is the lead pastor of Imagine Church in Granbury, Texas, and is part of the Expositors Collective leadership team.

AI and the Preacher's Calling - Dr Paul Hoffman : https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Fsx7d2iGUXh2oUcQOnyYG?si=9157ccf1a9144cac 
The Perils and Possibilities of ChatGPT - Nick Cady and Mike Neglia: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2oTViQSw1a641dsMqfyMOO?si=6f3cc77c796d4174

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For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com 

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective