90: Words Matter with Austin Carty

90: Words Matter with Austin Carty

From The Leader’s Way by Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

May 18, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 91

About this episode

Austin Carty discusses his journey to the pulpit and the art of writing sermons.

Austin Carty is a writer and pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church in Anderson, South Carolina. Before becoming a pastor, he taught high school English, and while teaching Tolstoy, heard the first call to ministry. As a minister, he continues to immerse himself in stories and words that speak to the human condition and inform how he preaches the Gospel. Austin is the author of High Points and Lows: Life, Faith, and Figuring It All Out and The Pastor’s Bookshelf: Why Reading Matters for Ministry, which received the 2023 Christianity Today Award of Merit and was named Book of the Year by Preaching magazine. In this episode of the Leader’s Way, Brandon talks with Austin about his journey to the pulpit and his new book, Some of the Words Are Theirs: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon, which explores the ways that careful attention to the craft of writing a sermon—like careful attention to living a meaningful life—leads to greater self-awareness and humility. Host: Brandon Nappi Guest: Austin Carty Instagram: @theleadersway.podcast berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/podcast You can support our work at https://tinyurl.com/support-transforming-leaders

People in this episode

Host: Brandon Nappi

Guest: Austin Carty

Topics covered

  • writing
  • sermons
  • ministry
  • self-awareness
  • humility
  • faith

Keywords

  • Austin Carty
  • sermon writing
  • ministry
  • self-awareness
  • humility
  • Christianity
  • faith

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Boulevard Baptist Church, Christianity Today, Preaching magazine

Books & works: High Points and Lows: Life, Faith, and Figuring It All Out, The Pastor’s Bookshelf: Why Reading Matters for Ministry, Some of the Words Are Theirs: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon

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