Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, February 9, 2023 If you’ve been preaching for very long, then you know about preaching ruts. What can I do if I feel I’m in one? Steve Higginbotham offers six helpful suggestions. Watch the Video   We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] * Voicemail: 903-26-LIGHT (903-265-4448) Subscription Links      

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, January 26, 2023 Dale Hubbert is a financial advisor and a friend of ministers! He joins Robert to offer some tips related to a minister’s taxes. Episode Resources * [Video] Values Based Investing by Dale Hubbert We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] * Voicemail: 903-26-LIGHT (903-265-4448) Subscription...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, January 19, 2023 Go behind the scenes of the Annual Bible Lectureship at Freed-Hardeman University with lectureship director, Dr. Doug Burleson. Watch the Video Episode Resources * [WEBSITE] 2023 FHU Lectureship: For Such a Time as This: Restoring God’s People in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] * Voicemail: 903-26-LIGHT...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, January 12, 2023 During The Light Network’s 10th anniversary Celebrate-a-thon, Adam Faughn joined us to discuss things preachers can take to heart from the wonderful epistle of joy, the book of Philippians. Adam has been a wonderful encourager to Preachers in Training and to all of The Light Network over the past decade, and it only seemed fitting to have him on as part of the celebration of our 10th anniversary. We appreciate Adam and the...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, December 15, 2022 David Sproule, one of the preachers for the Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ in West Palm Beach, FL, joins Robert this week to discuss “re-baptism,” per a request from a listener. Watch the Video   We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] * Voicemail: 903-26-LIGHT (903-265-4448) Subscription...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, December 8, 2022 Whether we mean to or not, sometimes church culture can treat people who are not married as though they are less important or lacking in some way. By contrast, Paul has much to say about the potential singleness offers in service to God. Westley Hazel joins Robert this week to discuss how we can better minister to singles. We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] *...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, December 1, 2022 Chad Landman is here with the 2022 Holiday Gift Guide! Chad joins us each year at this time with picks made with ministers in mind. Watch the Video Episode Resources * Digital Parenting Workshop * Chad’s Picks for 2022: * Anker Wireless PowerWave Charging Stand [$40] – https://amzn.to/3ASQFCf * Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo), 5000mAh [$59] – https://amzn.to/3ER5tCC * Lexar 32GB USB...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, November 24, 2022 For Thanksgiving 2022 we are treated to six friends of Preachers in Training who join Robert to offer why they are thankful to be a preacher  Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for your support of The Light Network. To God be the glory!   Have you planned your sermons for 2023 yet? Get the 2023 Sermon Planning Guide here!   We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] *...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, November 17, 2022 Jon Mitchell, pulpit minister for the East Main church of Christ in Murfreesboro, TN, joins Robert to discuss this week’s listener-requested topic, “Dealing with Difficult Brethren.” Watch the Video Episode Resource: * [PODCAST] “How to Love People Who Don’t Love You” with Steve Higginbotham (Preachers in Training S9E18) We want to hear from you! * Email:...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, November 10, 2022 You have been honored by an invitation to officiate a couple’s wedding! Now what?! Adam Faughn stops by this week to discuss his goals for premarital counseling. He shares the “formula” he adapts for each couple, how long he meets with them, and helpful resources he uses. Watch the Video Episode Resources * prepare-enrich.com * faughnfamily.com We want to hear from...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, November 3, 2022 Brett Pharr served as an elder for over 20 years, presently serves on the Board of Trustees for Freed-Hardeman University, and is the CEO of a publicly traded bank. He brings great wisdom and insights – first from Scripture and then from the business / financial world – to church leadership. He joins Robert today to offer five things godly elders want from the pulpit. Watch the Video   We want to...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, October 27, 2022 Michael Hite is back to walk us through some of the new features in Logos 10! Programming note: we have both audio and video available, but the video version will probably be a better experience. We hope you enjoy! Watch the Video Episode Resources * Learn more about Logos * Bear Valley Bible Institute We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] *...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, September 22, 2022 It’s important for preachers of the present generation to hear about the preachers of previous generations. Dr. Billy Smith, professor emeritus of Bible at Freed-Hardeman University, shares stories and observations about eight of the greatest preachers he has known. You will enjoy hearing brother Billy’s analysis of their preaching style and sermon format as well as the anecdotal insights he shares about these men....

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, September 15, 2022 An understanding of history can offer both important context for the present and a greater appreciation of the past. Dr. Sam Hester, long-time professor of Bible and Christian history at Freed-Hardeman University, joins Robert on this episode to discuss why restoration history matters. Watch the Video   We want to hear from you! * Email: [email protected] * Voicemail:...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, September 8, 2022 Theology is vital to any Christian’s thinking because it relates to every facet of life. This is especially true for preachers because we must communicate the importance of theological thinking to those to whom we preach. On this episode of Preachers in Training, Dr. Donnie DeBord discusses systematic theology, and gives seven reason to study it. Watch the Video   Episode Resources * Get a...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, September 1, 2022 Robert has been making sermon plans for the last ten years. Today he shares ten reasons why he believes they are so important to preaching for a congregation, and he shares a resource that has been developed to aid in sermon planning! Watch the Video   Episode Resources * The 2023 Sermon Planning Guide We want to hear from you! * Email:...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, August 25, 2022 Dr. Josh Ketchum, Bible professor at Freed-Hardeman University, stops by to make us aware of the Church Leadership Workshop sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Spiritual Leadership at FHU. This year’s theme is RESTORE and the entire event is free (including meals and lodging)! Find out the details in this episode. Watch the Video   Episode Resources * Church Leadership Workshop...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, August 18, 2022 Modern ministers have more resources available than ever. From books to podcasts and everything in between, we may wonder how to get the most from various forms of media. Brad McNutt joins Robert on this listener-requested episode of Preachers in Training to discuss how we can best utilize media to enhance our ministry. Watch the Video   We want to hear from you! * Email:...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, August 11, 2022 Milton Sewell has been married to sister Laurel for over 50 years. Dr. Sewell has spent his career ministering to students through Christian education at Mars Hill Bible School in Florence, AL and at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, TN. During that time he has also had frequent opportunity to preach. Through all of those opportunities and pursuits, Dr. Sewell has prioritized his marriage and his family. He joins...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, August 4, 2022 We have a lot to think about in our time. Not only must preachers determine what they believe about issues like Critical Race Theory or Social Justice, but we also need to know if / how we should address those issues in our preaching and ministry. Matt Sokoloski, Associate Professor of Bible and Humanities, teaches the “Contemporary Concerns” course at Freed-Hardeman University. Today, he joins Robert to discuss contemporary...

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, May 26, 2022 Online evangelism is really a necessity in an age like ours. The pandemic only solidified that. On this episode, Chad Landman discusses the goals of online evangelism and how to accomplish those goals using technology. Watch the Video Episode Resources Branding Adobe Express (iOS and Android) […]

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, May 12, 2022 What should a minister do when he finds himself caught in the middle of contention within the congregation? Mike Vestal says, “Every stressor in ministry out to cause us to become more God-centered.” On this episode, he offers five things you can do for your own […]

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, May 5, 2022 Being a minster can often leave us feeling overwhelmed. What do we do in those busy seasons? Dale Jenkins offers six tips to help an overwhelmed minister. Watch the Video Episode Resources The Jenkins Institute We want to hear from you! Email: [email protected] Voicemail: 903-26-LIGHT (903-265-4448) […]

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, March 24, 2022 This is the 325th episode of Preachers in Training, and next year will mark ten years of this podcast (and of The Light Network)! On this episode, Robert discusses 10 (okay, it’s actually 12) episodes that made a special impact on him and shares some stories behind those […]

Host: Robert Hatfield  |  Released Thursday, March 17, 2022 Lance Mosher is presently the missionary-in-residence for Freed-Hardeman University. He has spent fifteen years dedicating the majority of his time to personal evangelism, and today he shares some of his experiential training with us. Would you like to be better at initiating evangelistic conversations? What can […]