September 20, 2024
WAKE FOREST, N.C. — Southeastern Seminary and the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership hosted the first annual Engaging Exposition Preaching Conference on Monday, Sept. 16. Welcoming over 150 pastors and church leaders to campus, the conference consisted of four sessions, breakout opportunities, and a panel discussion with key speakers.
“The goal of the Engaging Exposition conference is to encourage and challenge pastors to grow in their preaching,” shared Chuck Lawless, senior professor of evangelism and missions at Southeastern and director of the CPPL. “This year’s theme has been ‘The Preacher’s Character,’ and our primary speakers each addressed this issue through preaching the word.”
Southeastern’s mission is to equip students to serve the local church and to fulfill the Great Commission, and the CPPL exists to further this mission, acting as an intentional bridge between the seminary and the local church. With the goal of equipping and encouraging local church leaders, the CPPL seeks to help pastors lead healthy, disciple-making churches for the glory of God around the world.
This week’s conference challenged and encouraged pastors in their ministry within a community of like-minded leaders seeking to faithfully shepherd their flocks for God’s glory. Following the theme of “The Pastor’s Character,” the conference addressed the need for pastors to be transformed and motivated by God’s word. Key speakers included Robert Smith Jr., Jimmy Scroggins, James Merritt, and Scott Pace.
“I want to contend this morning,” Smith told attendees, “that it is the pouring of character in us by the power of the Spirit of God — for the purpose of conforming us to the image of God’s dear Son — that makes the difference.”
Exploring further how God and his word mold a pastor’s heart, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Southeastern faculty Allan Moseley, Chuck Quarles, Dwayne Milioni, and Chuck Lawless in breakouts between the main sessions. Breakouts ranged on topics from the heart of the pastor for his congregation to the prayer life of the pastor and qualifications for pastoral leadership.
Grateful for the opportunity to serve and strengthen pastors in their ministry, Southeastern and the CPPL look forward to providing future opportunities, resources, and conferences that will help equip local churches and their leaders to make disciples in their congregations and around the world.
To access resources and learn more about future events with the CPPL, visit pastorscenter.org. To learn more about how Southeastern partners with local churches, visit the Equip Networks website at sebts.edu/equip.
