Advertise on podcast: From the Pulpit to the Pickup with D.J. Horton

Did you know that more Muslims have come to faith in the last 40 years than in the previous 1,400 years? This is because, more than ever, Christians and churches are purposefully loving Muslims, praying for them, and sharing the gospel with them. This is part of a conversation I had with Joel, a good friend and full-time missionary to a region with more Muslims than anywhere else in the world. We see and hear a lot on the news about Islam, but Joel reminds us that we cannot forget that Jesus loves the Muslims as much as He loves anyone in America. How can they believe, though, if they've never heard? Listen as Joel shares how God called him to this ministry, how to have a gospel conversation with a Muslim, and why we need to let God challenge us to care deeply about people within the Islamic faith.

Protestant church attendance is growing as more people find Christianity appealing. At the same time, the Roman Catholic Church is seeing the same trend. As a matter of fact, over the past several years, a growing trend has seen young people leaving evangelical churches for Catholicism. Why is that, and should we be at all concerned? Join Dr. D.J. Horton for a conversation with Dylan Baxter, Campus Pastor at Church at The Mill Lake Cooley, who is also currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Church History. This isn’t a conversation where anyone makes wholesale judgments about individual people’s souls within any church, Catholic or Protestant. This isn’t about condemning; it's about clarifying. Listen in as they discuss differences in beliefs and practices, and what is truly vital for anyone looking for a solid church to attend.

Biblical counseling isn’t lying on a couch and letting someone else dive into your mind to fix all of your problems. But what is it, then? This is the topic of discussion with podcast guest Dr. Nicolas Ellen, Senior Pastor of Community of Faith Bible Church in Houston, Texas, and Senior Professor of Biblical Counseling at the College of Biblical Studies. Dr. Ellen offers tremendous wisdom as he defines biblical counseling, shares how his passion for it developed, and discusses some of the most common issues people bring to counseling. He also shares his belief that every Christian is a counselor and why he would love to see more believers become biblical counselors through training like what ACBC, the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, offers. God’s Word is sufficient. It has the power to change lives. Will we apply it?

What do you most want to be remembered for as a leader? One thing I love to do on the podcast is give you a little behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be a leader, especially if you care about ministry. That’s why I’m excited to have my good friend Dr. Mike Harder, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Spartanburg, as this week's guest. Mike shares from his personal story of being a missionary kid growing up in South America and his unexpected journey to the pastorate he holds today. You'll definitely want to glean from his wisdom as we discuss key mistakes young pastors make, what it looks like to step into pastoring an already well-established legacy church, and some of the best goals any pastor or leader can set for their life.

We all carry wounds—some we caused ourselves, some were inflicted on us by others. And too often, we either try to ignore the pain or we let it become our identity. But what if God wants to redeem what we’ve been through? This week’s podcast guest is Dr. Derwin Gray, author and Lead Pastor of Transformation Church in Indian Land, SC. In his encouraging conversation with D.J., Derwin discusses his latest book, “It’s Time To Heal: Four God-Given Steps to Restore What Life Has Shattered,” as well as his personal testimony of coming to Christ and his own history with seeking his identity in the wrong places. Listen in and discover the truth that we don’t have to let what happened to us hold the pen that writes our future. Healing hurts, but staying unhealed hurts more.

Join D.J. for a conversation with two longtime ministry friends, Matt Capps and Steven Wade, pastors and coauthors of “Shepherding Renewal: A Guide to Church Revitalization.” Breathing new life into dying churches is possible. But how? While they don’t offer any formulas in their book or on this podcast episode, they do offer hope and insights drawn from years of personal experience. Listen in as they share common misconceptions about church revitalization, some of the greatest challenges, and how we should even define church health. From disciple-making to vision-casting to earning a congregation's trust, you don’t want to miss the hard-won wisdom these men have to share about the journey of revitalization.

What does it look like to put Jesus first as a wife, a mom, an entrepreneur, a church member, a woman who wants to represent Jesus well in all her many roles? We’re kicking off this new season of “From the Pulpit to the Pickup” with an incredibly encouraging conversation with Michelle Myers, author, founder of She Works His Way, and Discipleship Director at Biltmore Church. In this week’s episode, Michelle shares how she started her ministry and offers wisdom on disciple-making and how to faithfully walk out God’s call in your life, even in the face of weakness and insecurity. You’ll want to share this episode with your sisters in the faith—wives, mothers, daughters, coworkers—who desire to leverage their gifts for the kingdom.

In this bonus podcast episode, D.J. is speaking with his friend, Josh Powell. As lifelong Southern Baptists, they both care deeply about the work of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is being nominated as president of the SBC, and in this episode, he shares about his journey, his motives, and what they are both most excited about in Baptist work.

Studies from the Barna Group and Lifeway Research show that 70–75% of Christian youth disengage from their faith and church after high school. In light of this, it feels like an important question to consider whether they will attend a college that will make living a life of faith easier or more challenging. Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Dr. Evans Whitaker, the twelfth president of Anderson University. Dr. Whitaker has a heart for Christian higher education, and he received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Henry McMaster—South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, presented to those who demonstrate extraordinary life achievement, service, and contributions of national or statewide significance. Listen in as he shares why college is so much more than just producing graduates; it’s producing professionals of depth and great character.

What is true success in this life? If it’s something that forever feels just out of reach in your own life, don’t miss this conversation that Pastor D.J. Horton has with Clyde Christensen, the current associate head football coach at Appalachian State, who has also coached the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Marvin Harrison, and Jameis Winston during his nearly 50-year career. Adopted after being born to an unwed teen mom, Clyde would never say that he’s a man who has “made it” because he coached in the NFL. Success for him has always been connected to helping people grow, trusting the Lord, doing his best at his work, and finding joy wherever God leads him. Where God has you today matters. Are you making the most of it?

Knowing what to do after high school can feel overwhelming for young people as they try to figure out what’s next in life. Should they pursue a trade? Go to college? If so, what kind of college? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Dr. Dondi Costin, President of Liberty University, for a conversation on the value and importance of Christian higher education. Dondi, a retired Major General whose military career culminated at the Pentagon, where he served as the eighteenth Air Force Chief of Chaplains, has long had a passion for helping young people discern their calling. College shapes our children physically, mentally, emotionally, and, most importantly, spiritually, so it’s vital to consider whether or not the college they attend will equip them to be stronger spiritually and more committed to a biblical worldview.

Government is a gift from God. Yet we live in challenging times when some would consider “politics” a bad word or a topic to be completely avoided. But we, as believers, need to be both politically informed and involved. Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Trey Gowdy—attorney, author, Fox News Host, and former congressman—about faith, serving in the public square, and what it means to leverage our lives, our gifts, our abilities, and even our citizenship for God’s glory. Because it is good for people of faith to care deeply about the civics of their nation, and we can be people who engage civilly and live authentically.

Scripture calls us to forgive, but what if your pain makes forgiveness seem impossible? Don’t miss Dr. D.J. Horton speaking with Reverend Anthony B. Thompson, a pastor who astounded the city of Charleston and our nation when he openly forgave the gunman who murdered his wife, Myra, in the 2015 Emanuel AME Church shooting. He went on to write the memoir, “Called to Forgive,” and almost 11 years after the incident, Rev. Thompson is on D.J.’s podcast sharing openly about his faith journey, his marriage to Myra, his wrestling with the Lord, and, ultimately, the undeniable power of forgiveness. His life is evidence that the difficult decision to forgive can become the key to radical change—in your life, in the lives of others, and even in a city.

There is a great deal of emphasis on helping young men and women start strong in their careers or ministry, but we must not forget the importance of calling and equipping them to finish strong. Leaders can also struggle with finding their identity in their ministry, leading them to stay too long instead of passing on the baton. Join Pastor D.J. Horton for a conversation on this topic with Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Dr. Akin is set to retire from his presidency this year, a position he has held since 2004, and D.J. is quick to share that Danny is a man who began well, stayed faithful, and is finishing strong. In a world where we see people starting out with incredible gifts and abilities that lead to fruitful ministries, only to have their lives and ministries marred by scandal at the very end, this is a discussion every leader needs to hear.

The world’s greatest problem is lostness, and we as believers have the answer—the gospel. But how do we encourage more believers not only to go on short-term mission trips, but to dedicate seasons of their lives to living in places where the gospel has not yet penetrated the culture? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Dr. Paul Chitwood, President of the International Mission Board, for a conversation about all that the IMB does to support missionaries, as well as how to stir people’s hearts for the nations. No follower of Jesus is excluded from the Great Commission, and we all have a part to play—from young men and women training to go on daring expeditions, to everyday people mobilizing trips through funding, to retirees leveraging seasons of their lives.