From the Pulpit to the Pickup with D.J. Horton

In this bonus podcast episode, D.J. is speaking with his friend, Josh Powell. As lifelong Southern Baptists, they both care deeply about the work of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is being nominated as president of the SBC, and in this episode, he shares about his journey, his motives, and what they are both most excited about in Baptist work.

What is true success in this life? If it’s something that forever feels just out of reach in your own life, don’t miss this conversation that Pastor D.J. Horton has with Clyde Christensen, the current associate head football coach at Appalachian State, who has also coached the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Marvin Harrison, and Jameis Winston during his nearly 50-year career. Adopted after being born to an unwed teen mom, Clyde would never say that he’s a man who has “made it” because he coached in the NFL. Success for him has always been connected to helping people grow, trusting the Lord, doing his best at his work, and finding joy wherever God leads him. Where God has you today matters. Are you making the most of it?

Government is a gift from God. Yet we live in challenging times when some would consider “politics” a bad word or a topic to be completely avoided. But we, as believers, need to be both politically informed and involved. Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Trey Gowdy—attorney, author, Fox News Host, and former congressman—about faith, serving in the public square, and what it means to leverage our lives, our gifts, our abilities, and even our citizenship for God’s glory. Because it is good for people of faith to care deeply about the civics of their nation, and we can be people who engage civilly and live authentically.

There is a great deal of emphasis on helping young men and women start strong in their careers or ministry, but we must not forget the importance of calling and equipping them to finish strong. Leaders can also struggle with finding their identity in their ministry, leading them to stay too long instead of passing on the baton. Join Pastor D.J. Horton for a conversation on this topic with Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Dr. Akin is set to retire from his presidency this year, a position he has held since 2004, and D.J. is quick to share that Danny is a man who began well, stayed faithful, and is finishing strong. In a world where we see people starting out with incredible gifts and abilities that lead to fruitful ministries, only to have their lives and ministries marred by scandal at the very end, this is a discussion every leader needs to hear.

Children are influenced by a wide range of people in their lives, such as pastors, teachers, coaches, camp counselors, and church ministry volunteers. But the most influential people in most children’s lives are their parents, and one of the greatest stewardships of a parent’s life is shaping the children God blesses them with. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and his wife, Laurel, as they talk about the joys and challenges of parenthood. With seven children of their own and 22 years of parenting experience, you don’t want to miss the wisdom they have to share or their honesty about their struggles.

Spring is upon us, and that means it is almost one of Pastor D.J. Horton’s favorite times of the year—turkey hunting season! In this week’s episode of the podcast, D.J. is talking with Mark Prudhomme, a true legend in the field of calling turkeys, ducks, and even owl hooting. Mark is a 17-time Grand National Calling Champion and a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation Hall of Fame. If you love turkey hunting or just hunting in general, you won’t want to miss their discussion. Mark shares about his start in turkey calling, the great opportunities he has had over the years, the relationships he has formed, and his thoughts on the future of hunting in America. When it comes to hunting turkey, D.J. will tell you there’s nothing else like it.

In 2018, the Southern Baptist Convention came out with a statement declaring that the special needs population is an unreached people group. This is because fewer than 2% of these families attend church. Most churches are woefully unprepared to minister to families who have children with special needs—a statement that isn’t a criticism, but the heart of why this episode matters so greatly. Dr. D.J. Horton is talking with Laura Dyar, All-Access Director at Church at The Mill and mother to a son with special needs. This ministry seeks to disciple children with special needs and disabilities in accessible and meaningful ways—helping them grow in their knowledge and love for God, while allowing their parents to serve and worship without worry. Listen in as D.J. and Laura share why this ministry is so vital and how your church can start building one, as well. From first steps to challenges you may face, this episode will equip you to begin to better encourage and help this community.

In her early 20’s, Catherine Renfro received a phone call that she will never forget. In broken hopelessness, her brother, Barrett, called out with despair before taking his own life. She and her father rushed to his home only to find out that he was no longer with them. While suicide is an incredibly difficult and painful topic, Christians must not neglect to speak into subjects like this in tender, honest, and Jesus-centered ways. We invite you to join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Catherine about her book, “Hope, Hurt, and Healing: Experiencing Jesus in the Wake of Suicide,” and the season of grief she and her family went through–a season that, sadly, hundreds of thousands of people endure every year in America. Even in the midst of anger, suffering, and guilt, Catherine shares that Christ never left her, and she is so grateful to be able to offer others the comfort He has offered her. Scars may last a lifetime, but Catherine’s life is a testimony of how God takes our hurt, heals our wounds, and offers us hope that we can go and share with others.

If you want to talk football, Bob Sanders is your man. He started coaching as a high school assistant in 1976 and went on to work with colleges and in the NFL, including serving as the Miami Dolphins’ linebackers coach, the Green Bay Packers’ defensive ends coach, followed by coaching roles with the Buffalo Bills, the Oakland Raiders, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This former NFL defensive coordinator has joined the App State Football staff as their senior defensive assistant, and now he’s sitting down with Dr. D.J. Horton to discuss his nearly 50 years of experience with football and how a relationship with Jesus has impacted him as a coach, husband, and father. Whether you are investing in young people through coaching, teaching, or other forms of ministry, or even if you simply love football, we hope you’ll listen and be encouraged by Bob’s career and his walk with Christ.

It makes an undeniable difference in our homes and churches when men fulfill their God-given roles. Of course, we don’t just need everyday men to step up and be biblical men; we also need them to lead other men to embrace their role as spiritual leaders. But how does that happen? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Chuckie Stevens, author of “You Are the Man” and small group leader at Church at The Mill, for an encouraging message on calling men off the sidelines spiritually. They discuss the power, purpose, and practical steps of discipleship, as well as how God loves to call ordinary men to do extraordinary things. Because men are called to be more than just good dads and moral husbands, they’re called to be spiritual leaders.

Someone once said that whoever wants the next generation the most will get them. This is a sobering thought, especially since we know that the enemy is real, and he wants to steal, kill, and destroy the futures of our children. So how do we best invest in the legacy of God in the next generation? How do we help them move beyond saying a prayer of salvation to living a life of faith in action? Join Dr. D.J Horton and Dr. Tripp Atkinson, Church at The Mill’s NextGen Pastor, for a conversation on how we battle for the hearts, minds, and futures of our children. They discuss some of the biggest struggles of this generation, as well as how we can encourage their spiritual formation.

One of the struggles in our churches is getting men to worship. The reasons can be many - pride, a struggle with surrender, embarrassment over a lack of singing skills, or just not seeing why it matters. But we were all created by God to worship Him through lifting our voices in song. So how do we get men to engage more fully? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and well-known worship artists Shane & Shane for this encouraging conversation. Shane Barnard and Shane Everett share their testimonies, as well as how the Lord birthed a love of worship in them, and how we can foster that love in our own lives. This isn’t about guilting you to worship so you can be a better Christian. Singing God’s Word is transformative, and the blessings of worship aren’t something you want to miss out on.

Are you making war on your sin, or are you being passive about it? Scripture says that in addition to receiving the love, grace, and forgiveness of Jesus, we must also purposefully and persistently battle our sin. This is the topic Pastor D.J. Horton and his three guests, Jared Hinkle, Alan Lachica, and Keith McKelvey, founders of MakeWar Ministries, are addressing on the latest podcast episode, specifically concerning men. It’s so easy to stand in church on a Sunday morning and fake your way through the service. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing the crippling lie that you can never change or know victory over sin that has a vice grip on your life. But there is hope. Listen in to find out how, together, men can make war on sin and self so they can serve God and others well.