New Churches Podcast | Season 1 | Episode 805

What Role Does Preaching Play in Church Planting?

Tony Merida & Matt Carter

Episode 805

Host Tony Merida meets with Matt Carter, Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization, to discuss their journeys through preaching the Word within their respective church-planting contexts. Tune in to discover their wisdom gained and lessons learned throughout their years of preaching and planting.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

  • How to contextualize your message to your mission
  • Why warmth, wisdom, and servanthood should characterize your preaching presence
  • What cultural awareness offers to your diverse congregation
  • Why your authentic style is essential for effective preaching
  • The steps you can take to build out your new church’s evangelistic culture!

Helpful Resources:

  • Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
  • Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

You can say things in the midst of a sermon that will completely derail the main point of your text, whether you’re preaching in a small or large, rural or urban, conservative or not-so-conservative environment. – Matt Carter

You need to be wise about who you’re talking to but be authentic to who you are. – Matt Carter

“I’ve made myself a servant to them all” sounds a lot like Jesus, who did the real contextualization in coming to earth and becoming a servant to us. – Tony Merida

In preaching, you’re not just exuding a passage, but you’re showing why it’s significant to this day and age and to whatever set of ideas is prevalent today. – Tony Merida

Part of contextualization is knowing where your flock is right now. Are they beat up? Do they need to hear the words of a loving shepherd? Or are they running from their responsibilities and from God, and are they in need of that prophetic voice? – Matt Carter

The last thing you want is to send a message that your church is just for insiders or for people who are familiar with the Bible. You wouldn’t be sacrificing substance; you’d be preaching with expositional hospitality. – Tony Merida

Published on February 15, 2024

About the Podcast

New Churches Podcast

The New Churches podcast offers practical answers to your real ministry questions. We aren’t going to provide lofty pie-in-the-sky theories. Instead, we are going to help you in your real ministry context, with your real thoughts, questions, and issues.

See All Episodes

Subscribe

Meet the Authors

Tony Merida

Vice President, Planter Development Send Network

Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, N.C, and is the Vice President of Planter Development for Send Network. He also serves as a Board member for The Gospel Coalition. Tony has written several books including, The Christ-Centered ExpositorLove Your Church, and multiple volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series. He’s happily married to Kimberly, and they have five children.

More Resources from Tony

Matt Carter

Vice President, Mobilization Send Network

Matt Carter is vice president of mobilization for Send Network, the largest church planting network in North America. He was also founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church. During his tenure at The Stone, the church sent over 300 full-time missionaries to unreached people groups around the world. Matt holds an MDiv from Southwestern Seminary and a Doctorate in Expositional Preaching from Southeastern Seminary. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children.

More Resources from Matt