The Best Kept Secrets in the SBC
I've been thinking recently (always dangerous) that one of the reasons we started SBC Witness was to foster a healthy sense of cooperation among Southern Baptists, especially in the younger generation. The way I see it, you cannot have cooperation without conversation, so I thought I would throw out a topic for conversation and invite everyone else to enter that conversation. Think of this as an opportunity to stroke your inner Emergent. :-) Seriously, this should prove to be a healthy conversation and Lord willing its a conversation that will prove edifying to everyone who participates. Let's talk about your favorite preachers and why you like them so much.
Specifically, I would love to know who your favorite Southern Baptist preacher(s) is who "nobody" has ever heard of. Maybe he is the pastor of a small or relatively-unknown church. Maybe he is a professor. Maybe he is a uniquely gifted student. Maybe he has been a faithful servant who has spent his whole ministry out of the limelight. Maybe he is an up-and-coming leader who will not be unknown forever. But whoever he is, I would love to hear about him and what makes him such a good preacher. As far as the rules of the conversation go, they are pretty wide open: any suggestions are valued, though I ask that it not be an individual who has a wide following. No megachurch pastors, people with prominent media ministries or SBC institutional leaders; tell us about someone we may not know about.
I will go ahead and begin this conversation by telling you about three of my favorite preachers that nobody has ever heard of, at least nobody outside of this part of North Carolina or southeast Georgia. Allan Moseley and David Hogg are two professors at Southeastern Seminary. Dr. Moseley is the dean of students and teaches Old Testament. Dr. Hogg teaches church history. Both men are also members of Christ Baptist Church in Raleigh, where Dr. Moseley serves as senior pastor and Dr. Hogg serves as an elder and preaches on most Sunday evenings. Both of these brothers can flat preach. As an added bonus, their preaching styles are very different, providing Christ Baptist with both quality and variety in their pulpit. You can listen to their sermons here.
Another of the best preachers who nobody has ever heard of is John Clough, my childhood pastor at Central Baptist Church in Waycross, Georgia. Dr. Clough became the pastor of Central right before my family joined the church my freshman year of high school. Prior to that time we had been members of a liberal, mainline church where we were regularly fed "sermonettes for Christianettes." Things were not much better for Central: for several years they had teetered on the edge of becoming a moderate Baptist church. Until Dr. Clough came, that is. Dr. Clough preached expositionally through books of the Bible. He preached about sin. He taught that the Bible was totally truthful and absolutely sufficient. The church suffered numerical loss under Dr. Clough's leadership; 11 moderate/liberal families joined a sister church in town on the same Sunday and about 300 people left during his five year pastorate. But numbers never tell the whole story and God used Dr. Clough's preaching to cleanse Central Baptist of some unhealthy elements and to return the church to its roots as a Bible-believing, evangelistic Southern Baptist congregation.
So who are your favorite preachers who nobody has ever heard of?Â
Having grown up under the preaching of Adrian Rogers, my standard for excellent preaching week in and week out is pretty high. Thankfully, I have been blessed to sit under the preaching of Bill Bowyer at Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, for the last six years. Pastor Bill faithfully expounds the Word each Sunday and never finishes a sermon without giving practical application of the text to our lives. He also sets a good example of how to preach through an entire book of the Bible and to keep it relevant as a series extends over time. His sermons can be found here.
I must also second Nathan's commendation of Allan Moseley. In addition to his superb discipline in exegeting a text, his sense of humor and timing is utterly unique.
The topic of preaching in Southern Baptist circles is a pretty wide one. As a reformed guy but also a guy growing up in a SBC church I tend to go to the extremes. As my favorite reformed preacher I have to say Jim Orrick is outstanding. He is deep and yet very applicational. I never left his class or sermon without thinking. As a nonreformed preacher I have to say Adrian Rogers. I was able to meet with AR before he past on a few seperate occations. In fact I was with him the day before he went into the hospital and had the privaledge to see him preach his last sermon in the studio. It was to preachers.  He was very gracious. When AR walked into a room I believe it literally brightened. He knew Jesus and wanted the world to know Him as well. These two men have integrity and conviction. That is a good preacher. I also want to note Stephen Olford. He was living history. I leave with his words. "Preach the Word, preach the Word!"
Trust Christ
George
I'll cast a vote for Stephen Rummage. He is one of the finest preachers I have ever heard. I may not have grown up in a church like Bellevue (cough*lenow*cough), but I can say that Dr. Rummage is probably on my list of my top 3-5 favorite preachers in the Convention. He has the gift of impeccable outlines, relevant illustrations, a great sense of humor, and the most incredible knack for application. Along with that, he has a great delivery. He is also just a great guy.
The person I am going to mention is not a no-name now, but when I grew up under his preaching he was not the name that he is now. One of my favorites is David Allen of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was the pastor of Audelia Road Baptist Church in Garland, Tx. I also was a member of First Baptist Dallas in the waning years of Dr. Criswell's ministry, and I did not realize then what a special opportunity that was…
There are so many gifted preachers out there. I'm not sure if he fits the category but Jimmy Scroggins, Associate Pastor of Highview Baptist Church and Dean of Boyce College is one of my all-time favorites. He is a mentor to me and I've learned much under his teaching.
A couple of my favorite preachers are Andy Davis, pastor of FBC Durham, and Ralph West, pastor of the Church Without Walls in Houston, TX. Dr. Davis combines rich theological exposition of the text with great clarity in delivery. Ralph West is another expositor who, like many African-American preachers, brings the Word with great passion and figurative language. If you go to http://www.sbts.edu/resources/Audio_Resources/Chapel_Messages/Spring_2004.aspx and scroll down you will find a link to West's sermon "These Truth We Proclaim." Excellent!!! Also Dr. Davis sermons can be found here. He is about to finish preaching through Romans.
I had the privilege of sitting under Dr. Orrick for about 6 months as he did an interim pastorate. What a blessing that was. An amazing mind, an amazing teacher, and an amazing preacher. I didn't go to Boyce College, but I can say that his students don't realize what a unique and gifted man that he is.
My current pastor, Jackie Hayes, is also a great preacher. I enjoy a more laid back, more "teaching", style of preaching - but he is an old school SBC preacher, and I have been blessed by his ministry. I have learned a lot from him since I have served with him at this church, more about being a pastor than a preacher.
IMO, that is really what the SBC lacks in its leadership. We are quick to lift up men who are fiery preachers and are in charge of large churches, but who have long since been true pastors to their flock in anyplace other than the pulpit. It is about time we recognize godly men who are just as good, if not better preachers than the SBC celebrities, but also phenomenal men of God who shepherd their flocks well.
 J.Gray
Hey, I will second John Clough. I was a member and then then staff member at FBC Oviedo (we lost him to your church). Great man and mentored me into SBC life. I am currently a missionary with IMB in South America. I remember his lessons just about every day.
Frank Lamca
http://www.CrossTheFrontier.com