About this episode

Mike Neglia interviews Pastor Tommy Cota about his transformative journey to faith and insights on sermon preparation.

In this episode of the Expositors Collective Podcast, Mike Neglia sits down with Pastor Tommy Cota for a conversation about conversion, calling, sermon preparation, and the ongoing work of growing as a Bible teacher. Tommy shares the remarkable story of how Jesus transformed his life after years of alcohol and drug use and five and a half years in the California state prison system. Following his release from prison in January 2000, and through the faithful prayers of his wife, Diana, Tommy surrendered his life to Jesus Christ on June 11, 2000. During the conversation, Mike and Tommy discover that they both came to faith in Christ at almost exactly the same time, in southern California. Their conversation traces Tommy's journey from an unlikely small men's Bible study that became an incubator for future pastors, to Calvary Chapel's School of Ministry and eventually pastoral ministry at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. In 2014, Tommy stepped out in faith to plant Hope Alive Church, with a heart to reach the people of Santa Ana with the hope found in Jesus Christ. Mike and Tommy also get practical about the craft of preaching. They discuss Tommy's experience teaching through Genesis, the…

People in this episode

Host: Mike Neglia

Guest: Tommy Cota

Topics covered

• conversion
• sermon preparation
• Bible teaching
• personal testimony
• church planting
• preaching craft

Keywords

• expository preaching
• Bible teaching
• sermon preparation
• conversion story
• church planting
• Genesis
• Calvary Chapel

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Calvary Chapel, Hope Alive Church

Places: California, Santa Ana

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