Baptist Preachers I’m Listening to and Why I Think You Should Too
I spend plenty of time warning about false teachers. But Christians need more than a list of men to avoid. We need preaching worth listening to. We need men who will open the Bible, tell us what it says, and refuse to apologize for it.
Stacey Shiflett, Cody Zorn, Tim Fellure, Phil Stringer, and Scott Pauley are Baptist preachers I’m listening to, and I think you should give them a hearing too. These men are all different and in different circles, but these men all bring something to the table that has helped me. I wanted to point them out to you and introduce them to you.
The preachers I’m listening to
Stacey Shiflett
Stacey Shiflett pastors Calvary Baptist Church in Dundalk, Maryland. His church podcast includes messages on sound doctrine, prayer, and the Christian life, and his SureWord ministry makes sermon outlines available for study. I highly recommend his book "Wolves Among Lambs", available on Amazon. I want preaching that sends people back to Scripture instead of leaving them with a handful of religious slogans. Start with Stacey Shiflett’s sermons on the Calvary church podcast, and keep your Bible open as you listen.
Cody Zorn
Cody Zorn’s preaching is available through Bible Missionary Baptist Church in Rockwell, North Carolina. The church archive includes his series through 1 Thessalonians, Jesus Is Coming Soon, along with messages on other Bible passages. I want more than a stirring line pulled out of a short clip. Give the man time to preach a whole message and examine the Scripture he uses. You can listen to Cody Zorn in his church’s sermon archive. I highly recommend his sermons on "Jezebel Has Joined the Church" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARJ4KwhpP9Y
Tim Fellure
Tim Fellure pastors Victory Baptist Church in Milton, Florida, and his work with Victory Baptist Press helps put Bibles and Scripture portions into people’s hands. That matters to me. The Book is not a decoration for the pulpit. People need to read it, hear it, and believe it. You can listen to Tim Fellure through Victory Baptist Church’s sermon archive and examine his preaching for yourself. I recommend his sermons on repentance and faith: https://www.sermonaudio.com/series/167169
Phil Stringer
Phil Stringer is another man I want on this list. South Heights Baptist Church makes his messages available, including teaching on the dangers of Calvinism and replacement theology. These are doctrinal subjects worth examining with an open Bible, not dismissing because somebody says doctrine divides. I want Christians thinking about what they believe and why. You can listen to Phil Stringer’s messages at South Heights Baptist Church and study the passages alongside the teaching. His sermons on Wescott and Hort are amazing!
Scott Pauley
Scott Pauley leads Enjoying the Journey, a ministry devoted to preaching the gospel, teaching the Word of God, and equipping believers to serve the Lord. His broadcast offers short Bible studies built around Scripture passages and themes. That gives a reader of this article a practical place to begin listening without settling for another stream of opinions. You can listen to Scott Pauley on Enjoying the Journey. Use the teaching to get into the Book yourself. Bro Pauley has several sermons on prayer that are needed and helpful!
Why I think you should listen
They preach the Bible.
I do not need a motivational speech with a Bible verse stapled to the front of it. I need preaching that explains Scripture and presses its truth home. Second Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word.” That is the assignment. Not entertain the crowd. Not flatter the donors. Preach the Word.
Good preaching ought to make you understand your Bible better. It ought to expose sin, point you to Jesus Christ, and give you truth you can carry into your home. If all you remember is how funny the preacher was, something is missing.
They name names.
That matters to me. A warning is not much help if nobody can tell what the danger is. If a man is publicly teaching error, hiding his identity does not protect the people being deceived. It protects the teacher.
Paul named Hymenaeus and Philetus in 2 Timothy 2:17-18 and identified their error concerning the resurrection. He did not leave Timothy to solve a riddle. Romans 16:17 tells believers to mark those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine they have learned, and avoid them.
Naming names is not a license to repeat gossip or invent accusations. Show the teaching. Open the Scripture. Explain the contradiction. That is the kind of plain dealing I value in preaching. I am not looking for a man who can start the biggest fight. I want a man willing to identify the danger and prove his warning from the Bible.
They take a strong stand.
A preacher who believes the Bible ought to be willing to stand on it when standing costs him something. Conviction that disappears as soon as somebody complains is not much of a conviction.
Calvary Baptist Church describes Shiflett’s preaching as being without fear or favor. That is what I want from a pulpit. Not a man checking which way the crowd is leaning before deciding what he believes. A man who has settled that God’s Word is true.
Jude 3 calls believers to earnestly contend for the faith. Contending does not mean acting ugly for attention. It means refusing to surrender truth. A strong stand must include charity, honesty, and a willingness to receive correction. Volume cannot make an error true. Scripture settles the issue.
I want Christians to be fed, not merely fired up. A sermon can make you shout and still leave you ignorant of Scripture. Give me the Bible, give me clear warnings, and give me a preacher who will stand by the truth. That is why these qualities matter to me.
Recommended Reading
For help finding what the Bible says about specific subjects, get my book Doctrine Matters: Bible Topic Guidebook. Keep studying Scripture for yourself.
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