In this episode of Craft & Character, Steve Carter interviews author and pastor Jay Kim about how to hear God’s voice and communicate truth in a noisy world. Jay unpacks what led him to write his new book that comes out on April 16th called Listen, Listen, Speak. He talks about how discernment, mastering the art of listening well to God and one ano…

The relationship between a worship pastor and the preacher is crucial, especially on holiday weekends. In the latest episode of the Craft and Character podcast, Steve Carter interviews the worship pastor at Forest City Church, Carrington Gaines about how to work well together. Steve and Carrington serve together and breakdown how they planned out t…

In this episode, Steve Carter interviews pastor and author Jay Hewitt about finding strength in our deepest need and weakness. A few years back Jay was diagnosed with brain cancer and during his chemo treatment he decided to train for an Ironman to show his young daughter what resilience looks like. Jay ended up completing the Ironman and wrote an …

In this episode of Craft and Character, Steve Carter interviews Justin Davis about how transparency leads to transformation. Justin details the hard lessons he had to learn and what God has redeemed and refined because of it. They also unpack Justin’s latest book entitled Being Real > Being Perfect and how to embody that from the pulpit, in our lea…

In this episode of Craft and Character, Steve interviews author Jenn Kautsch, who is the founder and creator of the SoberSis community. They talk about the season of Lent, what being sober curious is all about and how to renegotiate our relationship with alcohol. Jenn opens up about showing up to church many Sunday mornings a little foggy from the …

The majority of pastors are not looking forward to this 2024 presidential election season. The division between parties. The vitriol online. The angst within the congregation. The last few elections have been so difficult to navigate. There has to be a better way! In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Michael Wear who is the President of The Cen…

As we kick off 2024, Mark Scandrette offers up profound wisdom from the nine sayings of Jesus from the Beatitudes. It’s what Mark writes about in his latest book, The Ninefofd Path of Jesus. This episode is an invitation to the postures that the beatitudes provide us personally but also how to communicate these from pulpit. Mark unpacks his preachi…

Do you ever feel like the tyranny of the urgent runs your life? Do you ever feel shame for wanting to take a day off or go on a vacation? As pastors, the needs are great and time is limited. Sadly, for many this means neglecting the things that matter most: our relationship with God, family, and the health of our souls. In this episode, Mark Dance,…

How much does your upbringing influence your life now? The answer for all of us is ... more than we realize. In today’s episode, Ike Miller一who pastors Bright City Church alongside his wife Sharon一shares about his new book called Good Baggage: How Your Difficult Childhood Prepared You for Healthy Relationships. Growing up in a dysfunctional family …

Every pastor needs a pastor一someone to offer wisdom, empathy, and an example of finishing well. Lee Eclov is a shepherd to shepherds, and in this episode he shares with Steve Carter: How to care more about people and less about numbers. The role of spiritual formation in preaching. The importance of working through a text in your own soul before yo…

As the world continues to progress technologically, how do we begin to approach this theologically. Jason Thacker, a professor of ethics and author joins Steve Carter on the craft and character podcast to help us better understand what is at stake and what we can do about it. Technology is not a net neutral conversation; but rather one we must appr…

As headlines convulse with the latest news about the Israel-Hamas war, how should followers of Jesus respond? Jon Huckins, professor, author, and founder of Journey Home, shares with Steve Carter about what peacemaking looks like一first in our own hearts, then in the world God calls us to love. This convicting conversation point us toward the way of…

As a leader, how well do you know your people and city? As a preacher, how much does your context shape your content? For Micah Davis, the pastor of teaching and vision at a new church plant, The Sanctuary in Indianapolis, there’s a deep connection between who he serves and how he leads. After hearing God whisper “pastor your neighborhood” during a…

If you’re a parent, how do you nurture and guide your children? If you’re a pastor or leader, are you truly creating an environment that draws kids to Jesus? The responsibility of stewarding young hearts can feel immense, but the good news is: you don’t have to figure it out alone. Today’s guest is author Kayla Craig, whose new book, Every Season S…

How do we call out injustice and seek shalom without becoming self-righteous? In their new book, Pivot: The Priorities, Practices, and Powers That Can Transform Your Church Into a Tov Culture, father-daughter duo Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer follow up their previous book, A Church Called Tov一charting a course for those seeking to create a heal…

Want to become a better preacher? Listen to hip hop. That’s the advice of Dr. Theon Hill一an enthusiastic hip hop fan who serves as Associate Professor of Communication at Wheaton College. As an expert in rhetoric, Dr. Hill explains to Steve Carter: The three primary ways to reach an audience How to anticipate and teach to diverse perspectives in yo…

Teaching kids about God is one of the greatest tasks of our lives. Even with good intentions, It’s easy to slip into behavior-driven moralism that emphasizes good behavior while neglecting the heart of God. This disconnect一between head and heart一is why Meredith Anne Miller wrote her forthcoming book, Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have t…

The world is broken. When we see and feel that brokenness, it sometimes feels impossible一even illogical一to cling to faith. In this episode, Jason Miller, lead pastor of South Bend City Church in Indiana, describes his own journey with loss and how it led him past hollow platitudes into a deeper, more sacred space with Jesus. His new book, When the …

Steve Carter chops it up with his best friend Tommy Nixon一CEO of the Urban Youth Workers Institute一about how to reach the next generation for Christ. Tommy unpacks 20+ years of urban ministry, including: What to do about the 1.2 million young people leaving the church every year How to communicate effectively to a church that’s increasingly young, …

Every communicator must decide: Am I going to be the person pretending I don’t have flaws, or am I going to be someone with something to say? For Michele Cushatt一author, speaker, and communication coach一three bouts with tongue cancer, which left her with only two-thirds of her tongue and a permanent lisp, have taught her it’s the foundation of her …

If you’ve ever felt creatively fatigued from the demand to preach week after week, meet Bravingbird: a go-to resource to help you communicate the gospel story with more clarity, beauty, and authenticity. In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Nick Benoit (creative director) and Paul Johnson (executive director) about why the art of storytelling i…

Sex is designed by God to be a gift, but tragically, it’s horribly misused to objectify women一not only in the world at-large一but also in the church. In this episode, Sheila Wray Gregoire, author of The Great Sex Rescue, She Deserves Better, and The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, explains some heartbreaking trends in evangelicalism: Why sex has bec…

Andrew Arndt had an airtight plan for his life: keep preaching at the same church as lead pastor until his final breath. But when God led him out of his small, artsy community into a megachurch, while grateful for his new assignment, he found himself disoriented and mourning the loss of his former role. That’s when a friend recommended, “You should…

Every time James Forsyth preaches, his goal is to set hearts ablaze一like Jesus in Luke 24, when he opened the scriptures with his disciples and their “hearts burned within them.” As the senior pastor at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN, James is not interested in conjuring a response in himself or his people but wants to genuinely…

Prayer is the one thing we know we’re supposed to do, but often the thing we don’t know how to do一or if we’re 100% honest一the thing we don’t always want to do. In this episode, Steve Carter talks with Addison Bevere, who’s forthcoming book Words with God tackles questions like: How should we pray? Why isn’t God answering? Why do other Christians se…

Knowledge often produces hubris, not humility, which is why Joel Muddamalle is such a refreshing theological voice. As the Director of Theology and Research for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and a preaching pastor at Transformation Church in South Carolina, his passion is to show how theology can be lived out in everyday life. With grandparents who were …

Back by popular demand, author and therapist Aundi Kolber shares about her forthcoming book, Strong Like Water. This book debunks stoic, soul-depleting platitudes like “No pain, no gain,” instead showing that healing from trauma is only possible through freedom, safety, and compassion. Aundi masterfully integrates psychology, neurology, and theolog…

UPDATE: Audio has been updated from the previous version. So, if you were only able to listen to the first 7 minutes, now you can hear the entire episode. For Ricky Jenkins, lead pastor at Southwest Church in Indian Wells, CA, preaching is “an exchange between heaven and earth.” He explains how diligent prep overlaps with sensitivity to the Spirit …

Some people transport us beyond our blind spots and comfort zones一introducing us to a chorus of diverse voices echoing across God’s kingdom, from both church history and our own age. Jared Alcantara is one of those guides. Growing up in a bi-cultural home in a diverse low-income neighborhood, and now as Professor of Preaching at Truett Theological …

In this special episode, Steve Carter talks to one of his mentors, Dr. Joe Grana, a longtime professor and dean at Hope International University, and currently a teaching pastor at The Refinery Christian Church in Arizona. Dr. Grana explains the importance of hermeneutics (the process of interpreting Scripture) and how it rescues teachers from the …

“Ministry to men is on their time, their turf, and their agenda.” Steve Sonderman first heard those words from a mentor, and after pastoring at Elmbrook Church in Wisconsin for 34 years, serving as a chaplain for the Milwaukee Brewers, and launching No Regrets Men’s Ministry, he’s spent over three decades equipping the church to effectively discipl…

What topic is on every page of the Bible? The answer is MISSION: God’s heart to seek and save those who are not yet a part of his family. This mission is not just something we read about in Scripture一it’s happening right now, and you can be a part of it! In this final episode of 2022, Steve Carter, along with his friends at Food For the Hungry (FH)…

Most communicators know the agony of staring at scattered notes, wondering how to shape them into a compelling message. Enter Jarrett Stevens, lead pastor Soul City Church in Chicago, who has spent 25 years honing his writing and outline process into what he now affectionately calls the “funnel of love.” Rather than a predictable formula, the funne…

For a lot of people, the holidays are physically frenetic, emotionally overwhelming, and spiritually distracting. Few slow down long enough to ponder what’s happening in their own souls, or to give more than a passing thought to the significance of this season: God coming to earth. That’s why Steve Carter is excited to introduce you to an incredibl…

The 2022 midterm elections, like most political events in our age, will undoubtedly spark new fires of division in our country一not only in the nation at large, but sadly, within the church. Enter Paul A. Hoffman, the lead pastor of Evangelical Friends Church in Newport, Rhode Island, and co-author of a new book: Preaching To A Divided Nation: A Sev…

In his new book, Fan the Flame: Let Jesus Renew Your Calling and Revive Your Church, Jim Cymbala distills the Spirit-fueled, Bible-saturated ethos of his 50+ years in ministry. As Steve Carter affectionately quips, "Jim is like a firehose of passion and wisdom." In this episode, Jim explains why Acts 20 is the “spiritual selfie” every pastor should…

Erwin McManus has spent decades honing his skill as a communicator, at Mosaic (the church he founded in Hollywood, CA), at conferences around the world, and in living rooms filled with a handful of friends. Wherever he goes一even in places where he doesn’t speak the native language一he’s able to communicate in a profound way. Why? Erwin explains to S…

This episode is packed with insights from Luke Norsworthy, pastor of Westover Hills Church in Austin, Texas, and author of God Over Good and Befriending Your Monsters. His conversation with Steve Carter meanders through all sorts of topics: How to put yourself into sermons without being narcissistic. Why Luke uses a checkmark system to track sermon…

“I can’t do another meeting. I don’t want to preach another sermon. Lord, help me!” Two years into his pastorate, Max Lucado offered this prayer as a last-ditch effort to stay in ministry. God answered him, and now decades later, he’s written a new book that offers hope and wisdom to others feeling burned out and wiped out. The book is called Help …

In Christian circles, thinking about yourself is often labeled selfish. Psychologist and theologian Dr. Alison Cook pushes back on this assumption, explaining why caring for yourself is actually the best way to care for others. It’s the oxygen mask principle you always see in airplane safety videos: Put on your own mask so you can assist those arou…

In this episode, Steve Carter chops it up with four recipients of the 2022 Preaching Today Biblical Preaching Award: Ryan Roach (Western Seminary, Portland, OR), Abby Stuckle (George W. Truett Seminary, Baylor, TX), Rachel Koch (Denver Seminary, Denver, CO), and Christian Schmitt (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, MA). This award is gi…

In this special episode of Craft and Character, Steve Carter shares why humility is the key to growing as a preacher一a reflection sparked by a conversation he had with Nancy Beach. Communicators give many reasons for neglecting their own development, but as 1 Timothy 4:14-15 reveals, honing our craft is a matter of stewardship, not just excellence.…

Like many of us, Jay Kim often feels that involuntary urge to reach for his phone. As the lead pastor at Westgate Church in San Jose, CA, he knows firsthand that modern people crave guidance for using devices well. Jay’s new book, Analog Christian, explains how Christians can respond to the values of the digital world一not by abandoning technology一b…

“Ken, if the ship sinks now, everyone will blame you.” It wasn’t the ideal pep talk for a pastor in his first few days on the job, especially at a church that had gone through 20 pastors in 20 years. But when someone spoke those words to Ken Shigematsu, he stuck it out. 25 years later, he’s still leading Tenth Church in Vancouver, Canada. Steve Car…

The modern world is a relentless waterfall of information一sound bytes and images flood our minds and trouble our hearts. Enter Jeanne Stevens, whose recent book, What’s Here Now?, unpacks the power of presence and how it offers peace so many ache for in our frenzied age. Steve Carter asks Jeanne to unpack her book’s punchy tagline: How to stop reha…

Nick Hall’s mission is to raise up the next generation of evangelists. In our anxiety-filled age, Nick boldly models how the gospel offers the exact hope and comfort the world craves. His voice is prophetically challenging一pointing out the ease with which apathy creeps into the church. But he’s also relentlessly hopeful that God is stirring the nex…

In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Nancy Beach and her daughter Samantha Beach Kiley一two women humbly modeling what it looks like to lead the church in a skeptical age. They are both pastors, leaders, and champions of the local church. Steve unpacks a recent sermon Samantha delivered at Church on Morgan in Raleigh, NC and the way she writes h…

Annie F. Downs hosts a podcast called That Sounds Fun一a title which captures the contagious joy emanating from everything she does. Her content travels the globe through speaking tours, books, and podcasts, but her most cherished role is serving on the teaching team at Cross Point Church in Nashville. Her rootedness in this local community keeps he…

Ever deliver a message—from the pulpit or in a meeting—that excited some but bored others? Why is the response in the room a mixed bag? Sean Palmer, teaching pastor at Ecclesia in Houston, TX, shares an Enneagram-informed strategy that helps him answer the one question plaguing communicators: How do I reach my entire audience? Sean explains to Stev…

Jonathan Pokluda believes that good teachers are exceptional listeners. As the lead pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, TX, he’s intentional about checking the pulse of his people. Every Friday he hosts a Q&A session on Instagram Live, often with his wife and kids in the car. Of the 2,000-ish questions that pour in weekly, he tackles 50-…