In this year-end episode of All for the Kingdom, host Ben Smith is joined by Dana Smith and his father, Ben Smith, for a reflective conversation on expository preaching and the sermons preached throughout 2025. Together, they discuss why allowing Scripture to shape the message of the sermon is essential for the health of the church and the spiritual growth of God’s people.

The conversation explores how each guest was introduced to expository preaching, what they find most helpful about verse-by-verse, Scripture-driven teaching, and the challenges that come with faithfully preaching the whole counsel of God—including difficult or uncomfortable passages. They also reflect on changes they have observed in the church’s preaching ministry and the growing pressure on pastors to prioritize relevance, comfort, or performance over faithfulness to the biblical text.

Looking back on the year, the episode highlights sermon series from 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Genesis 1–4, and John 1 during Advent, emphasizing the unity of Scripture and God’s redemptive plan from creation to Christ. The discussion concludes with a reaffirmation of the central conviction behind the podcast: the church must bend itself to Scripture rather than bending Scripture to fit personal or cultural preferences.

Host

Ben Smith

Guests

- Dana Smith

- Ben Smith (Ben’s dad)

Topics Covered

- What expository preaching is and why it matters

- Benefits and challenges of verse-by-verse preaching

- Changes in preaching within the modern church

- The role of preaching in discipleship and family life

- Reflections on 2025 sermon series