What does it look like when gospel renewal is forged through suffering and planted in the heart of a global city? In this conversation, Esteban Valenzuela, pastor of Raíces Madrid Evangelical Christian Church, shares his remarkable story of personal transformation, perseverance through false accusation, and the sovereign call of God that led him and his family to Madrid, Spain.

Mike Neglia and Esteban talk about the power of gospel renewal — not just as a theological concept, but as a lived reality. Esteban reminds us that the gospel is the cornerstone of Scripture and the Christian life, and warns against shallow repetition of gospel language without depth or clarity. They also discuss the challenges of church planting, how God works through weak sermons and weak preachers, and why having a clear message truly matters.

Join Mike Neglia and Brian Kelly at the upcoming CGN Ministry Conference June 22-25, 2025

This conference is designed for church leaders and their ministry teams to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Dive deep into John 13–17, The Upper Room Discourse, with our main session speakers, and attend workshops led by experienced leaders in key areas such as Lead and Senior Pastors, Executive and Associate Pastors, Women in Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Worship, Small Groups and Care Leaders, Tech Teams, Administration, and Lay Leaders. Whether you’re a pastor, ministry worker, or volunteer, this event is for your whole team. Join us for an inspiring time of learning, fellowship, and renewed vision for the work God has called us to!

Register for our next in person training event

August 22-23, 2025

St Petersburg, Florida

Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg

https://expositorscollective.org/gatherings/

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

Before outlining a sermon or opening a commentary, Ed Compean begins with prayer. In this recording from an Expositors Collective training event in Uganda, he offers a grounded and practical walkthrough of sermon preparation that starts with dependence on God and flows toward a faithful final draft.

Drawing from years of pastoral ministry, including church planting and leadership training in Kenya, Ed shares the rhythms that shape his weekly approach to preaching. He explains why he handwrites the passage, how he draws on trusted voices from church history and the global church, and what to keep - or cut - on the “cutting room floor.” He also unpacks the value of a strong sermon introduction and how the classic “Explain, Illustrate, Apply” model still serves the preacher and the congregation well.

Whether you’re a church planter, a teaching pastor, or a developing preacher, this episode is a helpful and humble guide to crafting sermons that are rooted in prayer and faithful to Scripture.

Topics Covered:

• Why every sermon must begin in prayer
• Writing out the passage by hand to slow down and engage
• Learning from others who have been with God
• Managing time and knowing what to cut
• Crafting compelling introductions
• Structuring the sermon: Explain, Illustrate, Apply

About Ed Compean:
Ed Compean is the lead pastor of Shoreline Calvary in Morro Bay, California. Before that, he planted churches and coached leaders in Nairobi, Kenya. He now serves with the Cultivate Church Planting Initiative of Calvary Global Network and is passionate about seeing Jesus exalted through thriving local churches.

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this episode, Brian Brodersen joins us to share insights from decades of pastoral ministry, biblical exposition, and spiritual discernment. Now serving as pastor emeritus of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, Brian reflects on his transition out of the lead pastor role, and his current ministry leading a Sunday night Bible study through the New Testament - currently in the Book of Acts. This intentional, accessible overview of the New Testament continues to build up believers and equip the next generation with solid biblical foundations.

The heart of our conversation focuses on the nation of Israel, biblical prophecy, and current events. Drawing from a dispensational framework without lapsing into speculation, Brian offers careful guidance for preachers navigating one of the most charged and misunderstood topics in Christian ministry today. Whether you’re teaching through Ezekiel 38–39, responding to the news cycle, or wondering how to speak about Jerusalem from the pulpit, this episode will offer clarity, conviction, and a call to faithfulness.

In the final section, Brian turns our attention to the spiritual realities behind gospel ministry. Drawing on themes from his book The Powers of Darkness & the People of God, he reminds us that the preacher is always a target for satanic opposition. This sobering yet hope-filled word will encourage pastors and Bible teachers to persevere in the face of unseen resistance.

Guest Bio – Brian Brodersen:
Brian Brodersen is pastor emeritus of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, where he served as senior pastor from 1993 to 2023. He is also president of the Calvary Global Network, chancellor of Calvary Chapel Bible College, and co-founder/director of Creation Fest UK. Brian is the featured speaker on the Back to Basics radio programme and a regular voice on the live call-in show Pastors’ Perspective. He holds an M.A. in Ministry and Leadership from Wheaton College.
Resources Mentioned:

The Powers of Darkness & the People of God by Brian Brodersen

“We live in a world influenced by powerful, malignant spirit beings. Their purpose? To resist the advancement of God’s kingdom in the world and in your life.”
This updated edition of Spiritual Warfare helps believers face the personal and pastoral challenges of ministry with biblical insight and spiritual resilience

https://backtobasicsradio.com/store/books/the-powers-of-darkness-the-people-of-god/

The Valley of Vision prayer book: https://banneroftruth.org/us/devotional-series/the-valley-of-vision-devotional/
Justin Thomas episode of Expositors Collective:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4JkZihlzGmjId9Gaiacuux?si=44c486f0a32f4deb

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this episode, Mike speaks with Dr Pamela MacRae, Professor of Ministry to Women and Ministry to Victims of Sexual Exploitation at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. With decades of experience in local church ministry and nearly twenty years teaching at Moody, Dr MacRae offers thoughtful insight on how preachers can communicate the Bible with clarity and care - particularly when speaking to congregations that are often more than half women.

Pam reflects on the first time she taught the Bible, how she has grown as a communicator, and what bad habits she has worked to leave behind. She and Mike also discuss her chapter How Women Hear the Sermon from The Moody Handbook of Preaching, exploring the dynamics of how women engage with preaching and what opportunities and challenges that presents.

The conversation also touches on a class she teaches called Pastoral Care of Women, which equips male pastoral students to preach and minister more thoughtfully to the women in their churches. She offers advice to male pastors and preachers - particularly those from complementarian settings - on how to serve the women in their churches with greater attentiveness and understanding.

This episode is a valuable conversation for anyone serious about teaching the Bible faithfully to the whole church.

Recommended resources:

Shepherding Women in Pain: Real Women, Real Issues, and What You Need to Know to Truly Help

Beverly Hislop

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7944332-shepherding-women-in-pain

Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women

By Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher :

https://elysefitzpatrick.com/book/worthy-celebrating-the-value-of-women/

Cheer Her On interview with Dr MacRae:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HeHAKwRTwTYESbPres1bq?si=fc0f8cffa8764a78

Register for our next in person training event

August 22-23, 2025

St Petersburg, Florida

Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg

https://expositorscollective.org/gatherings/

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast:

https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

Recorded live in Kampala, Uganda, this episode features a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation on the practice of church leadership in a variety of contexts. Pastors from Calvary Chapel and Baptist traditions come together to address anonymous audience questions on everything from altar calls to tongues, from tithing to women in ministry, and from spiritual gifts to church planting proximity.

With grace, humour, and biblical grounding, panelists explore:

• When (and why) to invite a public response after a sermon
• Whether Christians are cursed if they don’t tithe
• What spiritual gifts look like in different church cultures
• Why some churches do not ordain women as pastors
• How to teach clearly about demons in spiritually sensitive cultures
• And the wisdom of planting churches near existing ones

You'll hear personal stories, pastoral insight, and moments of sharp theological clarity - all shaped by the lived experience of ministry in Uganda and beyond.

Featuring:

• Eric Lockheart, lecturer and administrator at Uganda Baptist Seminary. He holds an MDiv in Christian Ministry and a ThM in Applied Theology, both from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest, NC). Eric served as a pastor in the USA for 14 years before moving with his wife and four sons to Uganda in 2018 to serve under the IMB Baptist Mission. He loves teaching Hermeneutics and Homiletics, and enjoys sports, reading, fishing, and time with his family.
• James Senyonjjo Okurut, lecturer at Uganda Baptist Seminary since 2020, with over 20 years of ministry experience. He holds a BA from Makerere University (specialising in Communication), a BTh from UBS, and is pursuing a Master’s from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
• Zeddie Muzungu, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Kampala and Director of Calvary Chapel Bible College Uganda. He is passionate about teaching God’s Word and training future church leaders. He is married to Hope Muzungu.
• Ed Compean, lead pastor of Shoreline Calvary in Morro Bay, California. He previously served in Nairobi, Kenya, as a church planter and coach to emerging leaders, and is actively involved with the Cultivate Church Planting Initiative of Calvary Global Network.

Join Mike Neglia and Brian Kelly at the upcoming CGN Ministry Conference June 22-25, 2025

This conference is designed for church leaders and their ministry teams to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Dive deep into John 13–17, The Upper Room Discourse, with our main session speakers, and attend workshops led by experienced leaders in key areas such as Lead and Senior Pastors, Executive and Associate Pastors, Women in Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Worship, Small Groups and Care Leaders, Tech Teams, Administration, and Lay Leaders. Whether you’re a pastor, ministry worker, or volunteer, this event is for your whole team. Join us for an inspiring time of learning, fellowship, and renewed vision for the work God has called us to!

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

What does it look like to prepare and preach the Bible in a way that’s both faithful to the text and reliant on the Holy Spirit?

In this panel discussion hosted by Mike Neglia, four experienced Bible teachers – Roy Kasika, Moses Ouni, Zeddie Muzungu, and Brian Kelly – respond to real questions about sermon prep, interpretation, and Spirit-led preaching. Recorded live in September 2024 at Calvary Chapel Kampala, Uganda, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and pastoral encouragement for those who teach God’s Word.

The conversation ranges from outlining and inductive Bible study to interpreting challenging genres like prophecy and apocalyptic literature. The panellists highlight the need for repeated prayer, contextual awareness, and a Christ-centred lens for every passage. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been preaching for years, you’ll find this discussion grounding, clarifying, and energising.

🔑 Key Topics Include:

• Why prayer is essential throughout the study process
• How to find and focus on the one big idea in a passage
• Interpreting figurative language, prophecy, and apocalyptic texts like Revelation
• Using translations like NKJV, ESV, and NLT for clarity and richness
• Preaching Christ from all of Scripture – especially the Old Testament
• Sermon prep timelines – from 4 hours to 20 (and why it varies)
• Trusting the Holy Spirit more than your outline

Join Mike Neglia and Brian Kelly at the upcoming CGN Ministry Conference June 22-25, 2025

This conference is designed for church leaders and their ministry teams to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Dive deep into John 13–17, The Upper Room Discourse, with our main session speakers, and attend workshops led by experienced leaders in key areas such as Lead and Senior Pastors, Executive and Associate Pastors, Women in Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Worship, Small Groups and Care Leaders, Tech Teams, Administration, and Lay Leaders. Whether you’re a pastor, ministry worker, or volunteer, this event is for your whole team. Join us for an inspiring time of learning, fellowship, and renewed vision for the work God has called us to!

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

In this engaging conversation, Mike Neglia interviews Shaun about his journey in pastoral ministry, teaching the Bible, and the importance of inductive Bible study. Sean shares candidly about his first teaching experience, transitioning to senior pastor, and his current ministry as a traveling minister.

Key Discussion Points:

• First teaching experience and early ministry challenges
• Evolution of teaching style and biblical interpretation
• Importance of application in biblical teaching
• Unexpected transition to senior pastor
• Mentorship and supporting younger ministers
• Inductive Bible study methodology
• Adapting to guest speaking and ministry transitions

Memorable Quote: "At the end of this, does your understanding of this passage make you more like Jesus or more like the Pharisees?”

Shaun has been serving in ministry for nearly 30 years, with 24 of those at Calvary Chapel of Cheyenne, where he served as a youth pastor, assistant pastor, and a senior pastor— a role he filled for 18 years at Calvary Chapel Cheyenne. His role as senior pastor began following the unexpected departure of the founding pastor, at which time he had to learn on his own how to do almost everything in ministry. Since then, God has placed on Shaun’s heart the desire to help pastors avoid having to learn lessons of ministry the hard way. Shaun is now working with Poimen Ministries as the next step in fulfilling God’s call for him.

For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective