The 2023 Pastor Theologians Conference

Christians believe that the Living God takes up earthen vessels—mere human beings—to preach his Word. This miraculous reality is essential to our faith and our understanding of God’s purposes in the world.

Evangelicals have centered the sermon in the life of the church. But, too often in our history, preaching has been easily unmoored from its biblical, theological, and historical anchors, becoming a tool of celebrity, centered on performance. Pulpits are taken captive by political and pragmatic ideologies. The teaching office of the church can be manipulated to secure and maintain human power. So, we must ask: what is an evangelical theology of preaching?

We believe we must recommit ourselves to Paul’s vision of preaching that comes not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that our faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power (1 Cor 2:4–5). We must present ourselves to God as unworthy servants, so that our faith might rest, not on technique or technology, but on God’s power. This requires us to renew our dependence on the Spirit, and a to repent of our trust in ourselves.

This is the work of pastor theologians, women and men who shepherd God’s people to hear and live the Word of God.

Plenary Sessions

Plenary Session One

Jennifer Powell McNutt
The Reformers’ Pulipt and Power over ‘Exceptions’: Preaching on the Preaching of of Mary Magalene

Plenary Session Two

Matthew Kim
Is Your Preaching Pain-Full? Adopting Paul’s Theology of Homiletical Weakness

Plenary Session Three

Miroslav Volf
The Church as God’s Home

Plenary Session Four

Kaitlyn Schiess
A Strange New World: The Bible and Political Life

Plenary Session Five

Christina Edmondson
Welcomed Deception and Likable Lies: Why Christians Must bBe Political Truthtellers

Plenary Session Six

Preston Sprinkle
Exile in Babylon: A Christian Political Identity

Plenary Session Seven

Malcolm Foley
A Political Economy of Love: How to Fight Racial Capitalism

Plenary Session Eight

Carmen Joy Imes
Bearing God’s Name in the Public Square

Plenary Panels

Panel
Pastoring in a Polarized Nation

Malcolm Foley | Gerald Hiestand | Kaitlyn Schiess | Obbie Tyler Todd | Zachary Wagner (Moderator)

Presentation and Panel – Russell Moore
Exit Polls from the Apocalypse: Politics and Religion at the Judgment Seat of Christ

Russell Moore (Presenter) | Mika Edmondson | Karen Swallow Prior | Michael Wear | Joel Lawrence (Moderator)