Dirt Talking to Dirt: A Year in the Compelling Preaching Cohort

For the past year, I have been part of the Compelling Preaching Cohort at Point University. I have been part of several cohorts, but this has been one of the most formative experiences of my life as a preacher. I am also excited that I got to see a Braves game.

Along the way, several mentors and presenters challenged and shaped my understanding of what preaching is—and what it is not. As always, the things you take away the most are not always the things from the stage, but the shaping that happens in the conversations and quiet spaces.

There are four individuals I do want to recognize.

James Donovan, the leader of our cohort, challenged us toward authenticity in relationships and consistency in preaching. The sermon never stands alone. People listen to our words through the lens of our lives. Faithful preaching requires faithful living.

Kris McDaniel, one of the presenters from the 2026 conference, challenged us to pay attention to what is being formed within us. Before a preacher speaks to others, God is speaking to the preacher. The condition of our souls matters. We cannot separate the message we proclaim from the person we are becoming.

Dr. Heyward, another speaker from the 2026 conference, challenged us to slow down and focus. Rather than racing through large portions of the scriptures, he encouraged us to work carefully through no more than six verses at a time. Like a jeweler displaying a diamond, we turn the text, examine every angle, and let the light catch each side. Great preaching is often less about covering more ground and more about seeing more clearly.

Each lesson was valuable. Each one sharpened my understanding of preaching.

Yet one statement from Dr. Mark Rutland continues to echo in my mind. Dr. Mark Rutland was our presenter from the 2025 Conference.

“Preaching is dirt talking to dirt about God.”

Mark Rutland and the Humility of the Pulpit

Those words are both sobering and liberating. Here is why: pastors spend years studying Scripture, theology, church history, and ministry. Education matters. Preparation matters. But no amount of learning changes the basic reality of who we are.

We are dust.

The people sitting in the congregation are dust.

The preacher and the listener share the same human condition. We are finite, dependent, fragile, and deeply in need of grace. All of us are trying to grab the otherworldly reality of God.

The preacher does not stand above the congregation. The preacher stands among them.

We Never Graduate from Discipleship

One of the dangers of ministry is believing that knowledge places us in a different category from the people we serve. No preacher has mastered God. No pastor has exhausted the depths of Scripture. No theologian fully understands the mysteries of grace, suffering, providence, prayer, or the kingdom of God.

We remain disciples. That means every sermon is developed and delivered by someone who is still learning, still growing, still repenting, and still being transformed by the Spirit of God. Dirt. The preacher is not an expert who has arrived. The preacher is a fellow traveler pointing others toward Christ. We need humility.

Preaching as Witness

This perspective changes the way we think about preaching.

At its best, preaching is not the performance of an expert. It is the testimony of a witness. It is not merely aspirational; it is overflow from experience.

A witness does not need to know everything. A witness simply tells the truth about what they have seen and experienced.

Preachers bear witness to the God revealed in the scriptures and encountered in daily life. We point beyond ourselves toward Jesus. We invite others into a reality we ourselves are still learning to inhabit.

That posture creates humility, honesty, and authenticity. People do not need perfect pastors. They need trustworthy guides who are being formed and speaking from the overflow in their lives.

The Freedom of Being Dust

There is freedom in remembering that we are dirt talking to dirt about God. It frees us from pretending to have all the answers. Such a humble posture helps liberate church communities from the practice of placing pastors on pedestals.

More importantly, I think we would find that it creates space for wonder, curiosity, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. The power of preaching has never rested in the greatness of the preacher. It rests in the greatness of the God being proclaimed.

Pointing to Jesus

As I reflect on this year in the Compelling Preaching Cohort, I am grateful for each lesson. When it comes to preaching, I think authenticity matters. Pastors experiencing formation matters. Yes, we need to be careful and highly attentive to matters of biblical text. There is more. The goal of preaching is not to impress people with the preacher. The goal is to help people see Jesus.

And perhaps that is why Dr. Rutland’s words continue to linger with me. Preaching is dirt talking to dirt about God. It may be an important and healthy way for a pastor to think about the sacred task of Christian preaching.

The Value of Learning Communities

As I move forward, I find myself increasingly convinced that every pastor, preacher, and ministry leader should seek out opportunities like this. Find a preaching cohort. Join a discipleship cohort. Sit in rooms with people who will challenge your assumptions, sharpen your thinking, and deepen your walk with Christ. I can wholeheartedly recommend the Compelling Preaching Cohort at Point University. The content is valuable, but so are the conversations, relationships, and shared experiences. Sometimes we are changed not only by what is taught, but simply by being in the room with people who are serious about becoming more faithful disciples and communicators of the gospel.

Looking Ahead

For my own part, I want to continue wrestling with what it means to offer preaching that is deeply formed by Scripture and shaped by a life with God, while remaining attentive to what the Holy Spirit is doing in the room. I am increasingly convinced that the best sermons emerge from both careful preparation and spiritual attentiveness—from a life cultivated in the presence of God and a heart that remains open to God’s leading in the moment. If these reflections resonate with you, I have shared additional notes and insights from the Compelling Preaching Cohort on my Lead A Quiet Life blog, where I continue to process what God is teaching me about preaching, discipleship, spiritual formation, and following Jesus in ordinary life.

If this post resonated, subscribe for future reflections, share it with a friend, or leave a comment. You can learn more about his journey to recover a rooted Christian way of life through the Lord’s Prayer, ancient habits, leading a quiet life, and simple Jesus communities online at JeffMcLain.com, the Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos, or the Discovering God Podcast.