Wesley Towne speaks about the 4 steps that he takes in his sermon preparation process to go from the passage to his own heart and then to people of his particular context and culture.  Wesley lives in Davis, CA with his wife and chihuahua Lucy. He has planted two churches, both in university cities, and is thankful for the opportunity to pastor and invest into the next generation. He is currently the Lead Pastor of Bayside Davis. Wesley is also the founder of Better Days, an organization seeking to bring hope, awareness and education to all things mental health + suffering. Better Days helps people, churches and leaders understand the intersection between mental health + suffering, and following Jesus. In his down time he writes and podcasts on mental health and suffering, runs, reads and enjoys plant based eating.  https://www.betterdaysfmly.co Additionally, Wesley serves as the pastor of Bayside Davis. With previous experience directing a Bible College and teaching at Christian colleges and universities, he founded a church named Ekklesia in Eugene, OR in 2008. Under his leadership, Ekklesia experienced significant growth from a small gathering in a living room to a congregation of two thousand people across two campuses within five years. In 2013, Outreach Magazine recognized him as the youngest megachurch pastor in America.  Educationally, Wesley holds a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees. Above all, he is deeply committed to following Jesus, expressing love for others, and believes his purpose on earth is to offer encouragement and instill hope in individuals navigating through complex and challenging moments in life. Recommended Episodes:  Wesley's interview  from 2021: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/every-hero-suffers-wesley-towne  Sermon Preparation as Soul Care : https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/sermon-preparation-as-soul-care-with-ben-campbell  Panel Discussion on Sermon Preparation: https://expositorscollective.org/expositors-collective-podcast/panel-discussion-on-sermon-preparation/ Pleasanton, California Expositors Collective Training Event May 24th & 25th We’re excited to be partnering with Valley Community Church to host our first training seminar in the Bay Area. We have a lot of friends (and podcast downloads) in that part of California and we know that it is going to be a great time! To register or for more information visit https://expositorscollective.org/gatherings/ The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/ Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective Click here to support Expositors Collective